Italy’s most historic cycling races will be at the heart of a plan to bring cycling to new international audiences, including the massive north American market.
Ambitious plans for coverage to increase the viewer experience were announced at a news conference in Wimbledon this morning.
RCS, the organiser of the Giro d’Italia, and a portfolio of Italian races, including Milan-San Remo, Tirenno Adriatico, and the Tour of Lombardy, has signed an eight year deal with sports marketing agency, IMG.
The deal makes IMG the exclusive worldwide audiovisual rights consultant and distributor for RCS races, which include the Strade Bianche.
Michele Acquarone, managing director of RCS, and the race director of the Giro d’Italia, told the conference that his company was not content to be “kings in Italy” and had accepted the challenge of making the Giro a global phenomenon.
IMG’s global head of acquisitions and sales, Ioris Francini, pledged the use of new broadcast technologies to improve the viewer experience, and to offer content viewable on iPads, and BSB’s Sky Go service, should the broadcaster become a customer.
