The international volleyball federation appointed the IMG Media and Dentsu agencies to market worldwide media rights for its events in an eight-year deal, from 2013 to 2020.
The Fédération Internationale de Volleyball (FIVB) said that the agencies would work together on selling rights and added that the agreements with IMG and Dentsu included minimum guaranteed payments to the governing body. The deal was a renewal for IMG, which already sells the federation’s media rights in a four-year deal, from 2009 to 2012.
IMG and Dentsu, together with XYZ Olympic Sports, a subsidiary of the Brazilian marketing company Grupo ABC, will also sell the global marketing and sponsorship rights in the same period.
The federation said the arrangement with the agencies would ensure it could remain in control of its global marketing and media strategy.
FIVB president Jizhong Wei said: “This outstanding marketing alliance heralds another significant step in this new and exciting era for FIVB marketing. We are extremely proud to work together with three distinguished companies which bring unparalleled strength and depth when it comes to media and marketing and an extensive global reach to deliver on our very important marketing goals.”
Ioris Francini, head of worldwide sales at IMG Media, said: “We are delighted to be working with the FIVB and alongside both Dentsu and XYZ over the next eight years with the shared goal of expanding and growing the marketing and media rights of all the sports’ assets. All three companies have well established relationships with the federation and our objective is to increase the value of the sports, enhance the global awareness of the players and teams, widen the horizons of volleyball outside its core constituencies and develop the marketing programme by attracting global sponsors and the best official suppliers.”