Broadcast rights to the 2020 SailGP season have been distributed in 146 territories as the fledgling sailing series looks to expand its global audience.
Pay-television broadcaster Sky Sports will serve as the new home of SailGP in the UK and Ireland. Sky will deliver live event coverage as well as regular highlights programming.
TBS will provide highlights coverage in Japan, complementing live coverage provided by subscription OTT platform DAZN, SailGP’s existing rights partner in the country.
América Móvil-owned sports broadcaster Claro Sports will hold exclusive rights in Central and Latin America, providing significant live and delayed coverage across its channels.
IMG-owned Sport24 will provide live and delayed coverage throughout the season on its in-flight and cruise-line systems.
In the US and Canada, CBS has extended its deal with SailGP following a successful first season. Further rights deals have been struck with French pay-television broadcaster Canal Plus, Fox Sports Australia, pan-African pay-television broadcaster SuperSport and Caribbean pay-television broadcaster Flow Sports.
Fox Sports will also provide coverage in southeast Asia, while SailGP will continue to be available in New Zealand (Sky Sport), Turkey (beIN Sports) and Israel (Sport1 and Sport2).
SailGP media-rights distribution for the new season was handled by Talisman Sport and Media, the boutique media rights agency.
Earlier this week, TV2, the government-owned free-to-air broadcaster in Denmark, acquired rights to SailGP as a home boat prepares to make its debut in the series.
The team sailing competition, which was founded and financially backed by Oracle billionaire Larry Ellison, last month announced it had sold a minority stake to the Endeavor sports and entertainment group in a deal valuing the series at $200m (€184.8m).
Talisman has worked with SailGP on the distribution of its international broadcast rights in each of the first two seasons and remains in place in that role. The investment by Endeavor will increase the likelihood, however, that Endeavor’s IMG agency will become involved in the distribution of SailGP’s media and sponsorship rights in the future.
SailGP has also introduced the SailGP Analysis Hub for the new season. The augmented reality graphic will deliver breakdowns of select race sequences and is designed to give fans a closer look at crucial moments of the race.
The segment will be available to viewers receiving the English-language feed and will be woven into the series’ race-day content schedule. Whisper Films will deliver the series’ world feed.
SailGP has also revamped its app alongside partner Apadmi to implement additional data and viewing options for the new season.
The opening round of the second SailGP season got underway in Sydney, Australia earlier today (Friday).