The Infront Sports & Media agency has brokered rights deals in new markets for the International Ice Hockey Federation’s 2016 World Championship, which commences in Russia today (Friday).
The national team event will run through to May 22 in the host cities of Moscow and St. Petersburg. Infront, the exclusive media and marketing partner for the IIHF World Championship, said with new territories added to the list of broadcast partners, audience figures are expected to remain at least consistent for 2016.
For last year’s tournament, the cumulative television audience surpassed the one billion mark for the first time – reaching over 1.1 billion worldwide and generating more than 5,500 broadcasting hours.
Infront said non-traditional ice hockey markets are showing growing interest in ice hockey on a global level. Singaporean pay-television operator Singtel and Philippine pay-television broadcaster Solar Sports are both broadcasting the tournament for the first time. In total, the 2016 Championship will be followed by fans in more than 160 territories on more than 100 television stations and internet platforms.
As an innovation for 2016, short profile videos, as opposed to still photos, of each participating player will be produced and included into the graphics team line-ups before the start of each game – as well as made available to all rights holders for unilateral use in their coverage.
Additionally, a Spidercam camera system will be used to provide new perspectives and viewing angles of the games. After successfully using it at the recent Champions Hockey League final in Oulu, Finland, Infront will introduce the Bowcam for the Championship’s final weekend. The cable suspended aerial camera provided by Spidercam travels along a point-to-point path with the added advantage of being able to alter its height freely.