The Confédération Européenne de Volleyball (CEV) has struck a new long-term deal for its global media rights distribution with Infront with the agency replacing sports data and content agency Sportradar for the sale of rights to club competitions.
The agreement represents an expansion of ties between the CEV and Infront. The Zug-based agency will continue to sell international media rights distribution for CEV’s flagship national team events, including the men’s and women’s EuroVolley and EuroBeachVolley.
It also expands the work to cover all club competitions, including the Champions League, CEV Cup and Challenge Cup, along with all CEV Snow Volleyball events from the 2020-21 season.
Sportradar is the incumbent exclusive global media-rights distributor for the Champions League. In 2007, the CEV originally secured a rights distribution partnership with the Sportsman Media Group, the agency subsequently acquired by Sportradar in 2016.
Sportradar also supported the launch of the confederation’s EuroVolley.tv OTT streaming platform nearly a year ago.
The new Infront deal is due to be ratified by the CEV General Assembly on February 29.
The existing Infront-CEV deal for the sale of media rights to national team competitions was signed in 2013 and was due to run until 2021.
Aleksandar Boričić, CEV president, said: “Infront has been a trusted partner of the CEV for many years and expanding its role reflects the positive impact they have had on European volleyball. Having the media rights to both European club and national team competitions managed under one umbrella will help create synergies between events and ensure consistent delivery at all levels.”
In October, Sportradar was appointed by the CEV to sell media rights for the upcoming European qualifying competitions ahead of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. The arrangement marked an expansion of an existing agreement between Sportradar and the CEV.
Philippe Blatter, Infront president and chief executive, said today (Thursday): “Volleyball remains a hugely popular sport not only in Europe but globally. Our long-term partnership with the CEV remains a special one and – with volleyball forming part of Infront’s DNA – this extension provides us with an opportunity to strengthen this exciting sport in all its facets for fans, players and partners across Europe.”