byLarry Eder
In fact, that has seemed to be the picture in Europe recently, as well as the states. Terrestrial TV is loosing out in major European and American markets, as cable/Pay TV has taken over and lead with so much great programming.
CAfrica Sports to Televise Samsung Diamond League Track and Field Events Across Sub-Saharan Africa
CAfrica Sports will televise coverage
of IAAF‘s Samsung Diamond League, the world’s premier track and field
events league to 21 African countries and an audience of more than 300
million viewers. The multiyear partnership with IAAF includes highlights
of 2010 inaugural season.
CAfricaSports’ addition of Samsung Diamond League track and field coverage
expands our commitment to bring the best of the world’s sport to African
viewers.
Denver, CO (PRWEB) January 25, 2011
CAfrica Sports,
Africa’s leading free-to-air premium sports program broadcasting
company, today announced that it will televise coverage of the Samsung
Diamond League, the world’s premier track and field events league, to
sub-Saharan African television viewers. The deal was concluded by IMG
Media, a division of global sports and media company, IMG Worldwide for
the Samsung Diamond League.
Today’s news comes on the heels of CAfrica Sports’ previously
announced multiyear partnership with the NBA to televise NBA basketball
games and original programming in 21 African countries. CAfrica Sports
distributes programming through a formal network of free-to-air
broadcasters throughout the continent. The company’s combined broadcast
network reaches a combined population of more than 300 million
consumers, effectively making CAfrica Sports the broadest free-to-air
sports network in Africa.
“We’re thrilled to bring the Samsung Diamond League to African
viewers as this programming represents the elite in track and field
events and features the biggest stars of the sport including Usain Bolt,
Kenenisa Bekele and Tyson Gay,” said Robert Fogler, chief executive
officer of CAfrica Sports. “The addition of Samsung Diamond League to
our lineup further expands our commitment to bringing the best of the
world’s sports to a broad base of African viewers.”
Entering its second year of competition, the Samsung Diamond League
is a global league which runs May through September with 14 cities
holding track and field meetings. Athletes compete to earn Diamond Race
points throughout the season in 32 event disciplines, with the athletes
who earn the most points winning the Diamond Race in their respective
event(s), awarded a Diamond Trophy, a cash prize and the distinction of
being the world’s top track and field athlete in that event discipline.
CAfrica Sports has begun its coverage of the Samsung Diamond League by
broadcasting a 30-week, half-hour series of highlight shows featuring
the most exciting moments of the Samsung Diamond League’s 2010 inaugural
season.
“The Samsung Diamond League represents the world’s premier one-day
track and field television programming, and this agreement with CAfrica
Sports provides an opportunity to significantly expand our reach in
Africa,” said Lamine Diack, IAAF president and chairman of the Board of
Samsung Diamond League. “Working in partnership with CAfrica Sports, we
look forward to delivering the thrill of competition along with a weekly
highlights show so that fans can track their favorite athletes’
progress throughout the season.”
“IMG Media is delighted to connect Samsung Diamond League programming
and CAfrica Sports,” said Robyn Cox, Managing Director, IMG Sub Saharan
Africa. “CAfrica Sports is a great partner for us because of their
wide-ranging free-to-air, pan-African terrestrial broadcaster network,
and the professionalism with which they coordinate the production
broadcast of the Samsung Diamond League. As a global leader in sports
and entertainment distribution, we are committed to developing
partnerships with leading companies to harness new opportunities and
build new channels for content distribution.”
About CAfrica Sports
CAfrica Sports is a U.S.-based television broadcasting company that
delivers premium sports programs through a formal network of free-to-air
broadcasters in sub-Saharan Africa. The company’s broadcast network
spans 20 countries reaching a combined population of more than 300
million consumers, effectively making CAfrica Sports the broadest
free-to-air TV sports network in Africa. CAfrica Sports broadcast model
provides a single point of distribution for multinational sponsors and
advertisers seeking cross-continent marketing opportunities. Equally
important, CAfrica Sports helps sponsors and advertisers understand
market dynamics, challenges and opportunities so they may advance their
brands and tap Africa’s vibrant and growing markets. Learn more at http://www.CAfricaSports.com. On Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/CAfricaSports.
About Samsung Diamond League
The series features the best of track and field for the first time
globally since the inaugural season in 2010. It is coordinated by the
Swiss-based Diamond League AG, which is held by the IAAF and the
organisers of the individual events. For more information, visit http://www.diamondleague.com .
About IMG
IMG Worldwide is a global sports, entertainment and media business,
with nearly 3,000 employees operating in 30 countries around the globe.
IMG’s areas of expertise are diverse and wide ranging: IMG College is
the leader in collegiate marketing, licensing and media rights. IMG’s
Joint Ventures, IMG Reliance, IMGX and IMG CCTV, in the emerging markets
of India, Brazil and China, offer the company significant long-term
growth opportunities. IMG Media is the world’s largest independent
producer and distributor of sports programming. IMG Events and
Federations owns and manages some of the most sought after events and
includes long standing associations with the world’s most important
sports organizations, leagues, and federations. IMG Fashion owns and
operates fashion events around the world and IMG Models represents the
world’s top models and leading designers and IMG Art+Commerce represents
the most influential photographers, art directors and stylists. For the
past 50 years, IMG Clients has been the global leader in talent
representation, including over 1,000 elite athletes, coaches, industry
executives and prestigious sports organizations across the sports,
entertainment, fashion and media industries. IMG Academies is the
world’s largest and most advanced multi-sport training and educational
facility delivering sports training experiences to more than 12,000
dedicated athletes from approximately 80 countries every year. IMG
Consulting connects many of the world’s leading brands with consumers
through access to unique sports and entertainment properties. IMG
Licensing is considered one of the premier independent licensing
companies in the sports, entertainment and media world. More
information is available at http://www.imgworld.com.
Sarah Eder, Eder Communications for CAfrica Sports, 303-887-9744 office, sarah.eder@comcast.net
Petr Stastny, Diamond League AG, +41 41 500 23 40, Petr.Stastny@diamondleague.com
Katie Byrne, IMG, +208 233 7425, katie.byrne@imgworld.com
