New agreement covers media and marketing rights alongside responsibility for TV production and lasts through to 2022

Lausanne, Switzerland, 24 October 2017 – The International Bobsleigh & Skeleton Federation (IBSF) signed a new agreement with its media and marketing partner Infront Sports & Media for another four years. Infront will continue to manage the worldwide distribution of all media rights for the men’s and women’s IBSF World Cup and World Championships in Bobsleigh and Skeleton and oversee the TV production. The marketing of the major sponsorship packages will also remain at Infronts responsibility.

Ivo Ferriani, IBSF President: “With Infront we have the right partner to further develop our sports – Bobsleigh & Skeleton for the next quadrennial as the show the same passion and professionalism our athletes have for our sports. Infront allows us to focus on sports whereas they develop the strategies in marketing and media in our best interest. The past has shown that we are on the right track with this partnership. Therefore, we are very much looking forward to enhance our presence in media as well as to set new horizons in marketing strategies.” 

Infront is partner of the IBSF since 15 years. In 2014 the partnership was extended to include responsibility for media production for the IBSF World Cups and World Championships. Since its beginning many significant milestones could be achieved such as a huge increase in the cumulative audience across all IBSF World Cup disciplines, attracting the international recognised car brand BMW as title sponsor for the World Cups and World Championships and the state-of-the-art TV production handled by a dedicated core team throughout the entire season. 

“We are very pleased by the extended contract”, said Bruno Marty, Executive Director Winter Sports at Infront. “We’ve been working with our friends at the IBSF for well over a decade now, and it’s a partnership which has only grown stronger over time. The extension is another indication of Infront’s strength when it comes to winter sports, and a central plank of our portfolio in this area. We’re looking forward to continuing to showcase all the excitement of the IBSF World Cup and World Championships.”

The 2017/2018 IBSF Calendar includes 151 races in eight countries on three different continents. The BMW IBSF Word Cups Seasons starts in Lake Placid, USA on November 5.

The 2017/2018 IBSF highlights:

1. BMW IBSF Bobsleigh + Skeleton World Cup Lake Placid (USA) 5-10 November 2017

2. BMW IBSF Bobsleigh + Skeleton World Cup Park City (USA) 13-18 November 2017

3. BMW IBSF Bobsleigh + Skeleton World Cup Whistler Mountain (CAN) 20-25 November 2017

4. BMW IBSF Bobsleigh + Skeleton World Cup Winterberg (GER) 4-10 December 2017

5. BMW IBSF Bobsleigh + Skeleton World Cup Innsbruck (AUT) 11-17 December 2017

6. BMW IBSF Bobsleigh + Skeleton World Cup Altenberg (GER) 1-7 January 2018

7. BMW IBSF Bobsleigh + Skeleton World Cup St. Moritz (SUI) 8-14 January 2018

8. BMW IBSF Bobsleigh + Skeleton World Cup Königssee (GER) 15-21 January 2018

About Infront Sports & Media

Infront Sports & Media, a Wanda Sports company, is one of the most respected sports marketing companies in the world, managing a comprehensive portfolio of top properties. Led by President & CEO Philippe Blatter, Infront covers all aspects of successful sporting events – including distribution of media rights, sponsorship, media production, event operation and digital solutions – and has won a reputation for its high standards of delivery. As the number one player in winter sport and with a leading role in football, summer and endurance sports, Infront enjoys long-lasting partnerships with 170 rights-holders and hundreds of sponsors and media companies. Headquartered in Zug, Switzerland, Infront has a team of more than 900 experienced staff working from over 35 offices across more than 15 countries, delivering 4,100 event days of top class sport around the world every year. In November 2015, Infront was integrated into Wanda Sports Group, part of the Chinese conglomerate the Dalian Wanda Group.

About Wanda Sports

Wanda Sports is the world’s leading sports business entity, founded to capture the opportunities in the global sports industry and to contribute to the prosperous international sports landscape in three key areas: 1) Spectator Sports (media & marketing business), 2) Participation Sports (active lifestyle business), 3) Services (digital, production and service business). Led by President & Vice Chairman Philippe Blatter, Wanda Sports incorporates the international sports marketing company Infront Sports & Media, the iconic endurance brand IRONMAN and Wanda Sports China. The headquarters are in Guangzhou, China.