FIM raring to go with Eurosport Events deal

Article posted by Coliseum, October 20^th, 2020

Image: Monster

All speedway fixtures organized by the International Motorcycling Federation (FIM) will be globally promoted by the Eurosport Events arm of international sports broadcaster Eurosport. To this end, a 10-year deal has been struck.

The deal struck recently commences in 2022 and will see the Discovery-owned event management company promote the likes of Speedway Grand Prix, Speedway of Nations, Speedway U21 and Speedway Youth World Championships at the global level.

The International Motorcycling Federation (FIM) is the global governing/sanctioning body of motorcycle racing. It represents 111 national motorcycle federations that are divided into six regional continental unions.

In becoming the promoter from 2022, Eurosport Events will replace the incumbent BSI Speedway, the IMG-owned motor racing promoter. The FIM has also worked on certain events with OneSport, the Polish sports event production company whose forte is speedway.

The new deal builds on the existing work between the organizations for the promotion of the FIM Endurance World Championship (EWC) since 2015. In April 2019, Eurosport Events signed a new 10-year deal to continue as the promoter of the EWC through to 2029.

In its expanded role following an invitation to tender to select the new global promoter of the sport, Eurosport Events said that it will aim to further consolidate its long-standing motorsport promotion expertise and cash in on the international scale of Discovery to grow speedway around the globe.

The FIM board weighed up three different bids during the tender process towards the end of 2019, before zeroing in on offers from Discovery and BSI (the London-based agency that holds the right to some of the world’s leading Speedway events) and ultimately deciding to grant the contract to Discovery.

The tie-up with Discovery will endeavor to expand Speedway GP’s international calendar, extend the distribution of the sport on television and digital platforms, launch speedway into new territories and increase its audiences around the world.

Eurosport Events will be in charge of the full operational and commercial aspects of the sport, including multiplatform rights management and distribution, broadcast production, sponsorship rights strategy and the full suite of marketing, brand and promotional activity. It will also work with local organizers on local promotion and maximizing ticketing, hospitality and fan engagement activities.

FIM President Jorge Viegas informed, “The FIM launched the tender process back in 2019 for the promotion of the FIM Speedway World Championships 2022-2031. Discovery and Eurosport Events has won the vote of the Board of Directors for its innovative proposal in terms of sport promotion and television coverage.”

Viegas added, “This new collaboration will provide increased media visibility of the FIM Speedway Grand Prix World Championship through Eurosport platforms and key third-party broadcasters. The FIM would like to thank BSI and OneSport who have made a significant contribution to the development of speedway over the past 20 years and to wish them every success in 2021 and for the remainder of this season.”

The new FIM deal adds to Eurosport Events’ growing motorsport portfolio. This includes the International Automobile Federation’s (FIA) World Touring Car Cup and European Rally Championship, as well as new electric touring car series PURE ETCR.

Head of Eurosport Events, François Ribeiro, remarked, “Beyond our global media footprint, which was an asset during the tendering process, we proposed to FIM a comprehensive pyramid approach from grassroots and junior world championships up to the Speedway GP and Speedway of Nations top level. Speedway sporting foundations are strong. Speedway remains one of the only motorsport categories organized in stadiums, driven by fans.”

Andrew Georgiou, President, Eurosport and Global Sports Rights and Sports Marketing Solutions, noted, “Eurosport Events has an outstanding record in building and strengthening the event portfolios of rights-holders, as well as a unique ability as part of the Discovery global network to grow a sport and its audience. We are privileged to deepen our relationship with FIM and have the opportunity to develop one of the most entertaining and exciting motorsports series in the world.”

“Speedway already enjoys one of the most passionate and engaged fan communities in motorsport in a number of our key markets, so we can’t wait to deploy Eurosport Events’ promotional knowhow and the global scale of Discovery’s channels and platforms to strengthen the sport even further and best serve existing and new fans around the world,” Georgiou added.

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