World Rally Championship commercial rights-holder WRC Promoter has said the 2016 season of the motor racing series will be screened in more than 150 markets following the confirmation of a series of broadcast agreements.
WRC Promoter has detailed a raft of broadcast partners joining or renewing for 2016. Belgian pay-television broadcaster Telenet becomes a new partner, offering comprehensive coverage on its Flemish Play Sports network. It joins public-service broadcaster RTBF, which broadcasts WRC in French in top driver Thierry Neuville’s home country.
Chinese internet company LeTV, which operates the Le Sports service, has acquired rights to tie in with Rally China’s championship return in September. WRC Promoter has extended contracts with commercial and pay-television broadcaster Nelonen and public-service broadcaster YLE in Finland – a country where rallying ranks in the top five of the most popular sports.
In France, an agreement with digital-terrestrial television channel L’Equipe 21 delivers a platform for the WRC in the home country of triple world champion Sébastien Loeb. In Japan, a long-term deal with pay-television broadcaster J Sports has been renewed, ahead of Japanese automotive giant Toyota’s WRC return in 2017.
WRC Promoter said a long-term partnership continues with pay-television broadcaster Fox Sports Latin America. In New Zealand, an extension of coverage on pay-television broadcaster Sky NZ will be complemented by new free-to-air highlights shows on TV3 and TVNZ.
In Spain, telecommunications company Telefonica has prolonged its deal for a further long-term period to offer the full package of WRC programmes. Pan-African pay-television broadcaster StarTimes will continue its long-term agreement for the sub-Saharan region.
Finally, a renewed agreement with public-service broadcaster SVT in Sweden, along with commercial and pay-television broadcaster TV2 in Norway, will provide coverage in the Scandinavian rally strongholds.
“Not only do we have new TV partners for WRC in 2016, but existing broadcasters have chosen to renew agreements for another term,” WRC Promoter managing director Oliver Ciesla said. “It shows both they and the fans enjoyed what they saw in recent seasons and want more.
“It’s a big vote of confidence in our TV operation and encourages us to move forward with exciting new projects, such as the use of high-tech drone filming under a new co-operation this year with DJI.
“We’re particularly delighted by our agreement with LeTV in China. Alongside Rally China’s return to the championship for the first time since 1999, it’s a great opportunity to grow WRC in the world’s most populated country where interest today is still at a relatively low level.”
The WRC’s 2016 season gets underway with Rallye Monte-Carlo on January 21-24.