The International Orienteering Federation has pointed to the benefits of a new media strategy after stating a record number of territories will be able to see broadcasts from this year’s World Orienteering Championships in Sweden.
Broadcasts from the Championships to be held in Stromstad and Tanum from August 20-27 will be available to television viewers in 67 countries and territories. The IOF said the full live package will be transmitted to the “key” orienteering markets of Norway, Sweden, Finland, Denmark and Switzerland. Details of the broadcasters were not disclosed.
Through agreements signed with the Broadreach Media agency and international sports broadcaster Eurosport, daily highlights programs will be shown via Fox Sports in Europe and Eurosport Asia Pacific to an additional 56 territories. Highlights coverage will also be carried in Estonia and the Czech Republic.
The productions include 17 hours of live coverage from five competitions during the championships week as well as daily and weekly highlights programs.
“The work done to improve the visibility of orienteering through high-quality TV broadcasts has really started to pay off,” IOF chief executive Tom Hollowell said. “The interest in showing orienteering competitions, both live and as highlights programs, has increased every year.”