MEN’SWORLD CHAMPIONSHIP BROADCASTS TO 60 COUNTRIES
Eurosport2, Maori TV, and RogersSportsnet to deliver medal games
Plant City, Florida (USA); 29thJuly 2009: Another facet of the BackSoftball blueprint is beinghighlighted as international networks have come onboard to carry telecasts ofthe medal games from the International Softball Federation’s XIIMen’s World Championship that has just been played in Saskatoon,Saskatchewan (Canada).
The announcement comes just one week after the conclusion ofthe World Cup of Softball 4 tournament from which the ESPN family of networkstelevised seven games to 146 countries and since the two medal games of thesoftball competition at the World Games in Taiwan were broadcast on TV aswell.
Eurosport 2 will show the Men’s WorldChampionship’s gold medal game to 46 countries throughout Europe plus twelve more in the Asia/Pacific region. In addition, the game will be simulcast on mobile devices. MaoriTelevision in New Zealandwill carry both the bronze and gold medal games. Rogers Sportsnet willalso be showing both medal games throughout Canada.
All three of these networks’ telecasts will be on atape-delay basis and scheduling is being done to provide multiple airings, withthe first airing to take place today when Rogersshows the bronze medal game between Canadaand New Zealand.
“As part of our BackSoftball campaign blueprint wehave said that we would work to achieve greater television coverage for oursport around the world,” said ISF President Don Porter. “Through the cooperation and dedication of these networks that will behighlighting our marquee men’s event, plus the others that have justrecently shown women’s competitions, we are significantly accomplishingexactly that.
“We appreciate their support, which is allowing wellover 50 million people around the world to be exposed to our sport, in at leasteleven different languages.”
Mathieu Lozar, Head of Eurosport 2 programming, said,"We are delighted to broadcast the Men's Softball World Championship goldmedal game on Eurosport 2 and Eurosport Asia-Pacific this year. Softballjoins a growing list of exciting team sports, such as lacrosse, basketball, andvolleyball, on Eurosport 2, and coverage of this final demonstrates ourcommitment to bringing European viewers the best in sporting action."
“RogersSportsnet is thrilled to add the ISF XII Men's WorldChampionships to our lineup," said Dave Akande, Vice-President, Content, RogersSportsnet. "It affords usthe opportunity to offer international softball to ouraudience.”
“We are proud to be broadcasters of thisyear’s World Softball Championship held in Saskatoon, Canada,”said Maori Television Head of Programming Eruera Morgan. “Softballhas been an integral part of our sports schedule for the last two years and tohave this year’s world championships on our screen will definitelymagnify our coverage of the sport.
“We have supported softball like no otherbroadcaster in the world has, because of our continuous success rate and highMaori participation in the sport at all levels.”
Maori Television is also having a one-hour documentaryproduced for them to air about the New Zealand Black Sox. That country’snational team had gone to Saskatoonas the defending ISF men’s world champions.
Softball was first featured in the Olympic Games in Atlanta in 1996 and last year’s competition in Beijing was verysuccessful with a total attendance close to 180,000 and a continuation of thesport’s excellent record of no positive doping tests at any of the fourSummer Olympics that the sport has been a part of.
A final decision on which sports will be added to thecurrent roster of 26 at the 2016 Summer Olympic Games will be made at the 121stIOC Session in Copenhagenin October this year. The ISF has included a proposal for men’sfast pitch softball to be included in the Games as well.
