The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) and sporting federations are celebrating a very strong start to the inaugural European Championships, which has seen extensive, high quality daily broadcast coverage delivered across Europe to millions of fans.
The 8-10 hours of daily coverage has been enabled through the EBU Member network, which includes the biggest free-to-air broadcasters across Europe, and the host broadcasting and distribution services from the EBU’s business arm – Eurovision Media Services – and its subsidiary Eurovision Production Coordination (EPC).
“The massive coverage across Europe’s multitude of broadcasters has been fantastic as this ‘aggregation effect’ was a cornerstone goal of this first combined European Championships,” said Matt Smith, executive director of the World Rowing Federation (FISA). “Our athletes have really relished the major event feel, making these European Rowing Championships really memorable for them.
“We are also really impressed with the high quality of the host broadcast equipment, including a cable cam to cover the last 250 metres, the fantastic images created by the broadcast team and the four days of complete coverage, enabling such wide audiences to enjoy every minute of this great Championship.”
The European Cycling Union (UEC) president, Rocco Cattaneo, added: “This has been a very successful event so far for the many cycling disciplines and we’re really pleased with the broadcasts. The level of coverage across all of Europe’s biggest broadcasters has been fantastic and a really important part of this first multi-sport European Championships. We’re looking forward to lots more competition to come.”
Stefan Kürten, EBU Director of Sport, concluded: “The EBU, our Member broadcasters and the Federations took on the challenge of this new event right from the start, with a desire to go ‘all out’ and deliver something really innovative and special for audiences and for the sports. With over 40 broadcasters offering vast daily coverage of the highest quality, it shows that this has really paid off.
“Only the united power of Europe’s free-to-air broadcasters, the EBU membership, can deliver this kind of coverage and support.”
