SailGP announces comprehensive broadcast coverage for Season 2
by SailGP 20 Apr 2021 15:25 BST
21 April 2021
Spain SailGP Team co-helmed by Florian Trittel and Phil Robertson practise alongside France SailGP Team helmed by Billy Besson © Ugo Fonolla /SailGP
With the highly anticipated SailGP Season opener less than a week away, the global championship has announced comprehensive broadcast coverage, with viewers in 175 territories globally able to watch the sports pinnacle league, which promises high-speeds, high-tech and high-drama in its second season.
Broadcasting of the event will feature the most immersive, multi-platform experience the sport has seen through its international broadcast feed with new innovative and data-driven enhancements to significantly expand on the exciting content. New features include improved LiveLine-Fx 3D boundaries and augmented graphics, explainers for those new to the sport and enhanced on-board audio and camera feeds. Real-time data analysis and team comparisons will be provided through SailGP Insights powered by Oracle. The broadcast will be coordinated through SailGP's innovative and award-winning remote production hub in Ealing, London, providing a remote production solution that reduces SailGP's carbon footprint, making a significant contribution towards SailGP being the first carbon positive sports and entertainment property and supporting the global league's #RaceforfheFuture goal to accelerate the transition to clean energy.
This season, fans will watch the ultimate line-up of the world's best sailors including Sir Ben Ainslie (GBR), Tom Slingsby (AUS), Jimmy Spithill (USA), Peter Burling and Blair Tuke (NZL) and Nathan Outteridge (JPN). They will battle it out on equal boats for the ultimate bragging rights and the sport's largest monetary prize of US$1 million. All the excitement and action will be brought to life with a new presenting line-up. Aly Vance, a former pentathlete and versatile sports broadcaster, joins as on-water reporter for Season 2, in the commentating booth is prominent US sports announcer Todd Harris along with World Champion sailor Steve Morrison, with data insights and analysis provided by America's Cup sailor David 'Freddie' Carr.
Alongside the broadcast, is the award-winning SailGP App with live feeds, fully customizable camera angles, the ability to switch focus onto the teams' fans want and all the data they could need at their fingertips. Fans can even switch-off spoilers for when SailGP heads to different time zones.
In an effort to present the thrilling action of Season 2 to an expanded global audience, SailGP has announced broadcast partners in key territories, including:
CBS and CBS Sports (US and Canada): Has extended its deal following the inaugural first season and will showcase live coverage in the US and Canada on CBS Sports Network with highlights on CBS so fans can follow Jimmy Spithill at the helm of the new-look US team for the first time
SKY Sports (UK and Ireland): SKY Sports will remain the home of SailGP in the United Kingdom and Ireland and will broadcast live event coverage, in addition to regular highlights programming, over the next two seasons
FOX Sports and Kayo App (Australia): Home to the reigning champions the broadcaster will continue to showcase live coverage in Australia. New for Season 2, the Kayo OTT streaming service and App, which boasts over 1 million subscribers, will show all races live throughout the season on the new free-to-air service 'Kayo freebies'
Sky Sport (NZ): For fans in New Zealand, the racing has just got more exciting with the addition of two time America's Cup champions Peter Burling and Blair Tuke to the league as co-CEO's and stars of the newly formed New Zealand team. Alarms will be set early to watch the racing live on Sky Sport but with multiple replays throughout the day, Kiwi fans won't miss a second of the action
TV2 (Denmark): With the Denmark SailGP Team presented by ROCKWOOL featuring renowned ocean racer Nicolai Sehested and former World Sailor of the Year Anne-Marie Rindom for Season 2 plus a home event in Aarhus on August 20-21, TV2 Sport will feature live coverage and highlights for the next two seasons
Canal+ Sport (France and other French-speaking territories) will continue to provide live and delayed coverage for fans to follow les bleus led by multiple World Champion Billy Besson
Sky Italia (Italy): With the first-ever Italy Sail Grand Prix Taranto on June 5-6 and the addition of legendary Italian sailor Francesco Bruni to the Japan SailGP team, Sky Italia will air the Italy Sail Grand Prix live and offer coverage throughout the season
RTVE + TV3 (Spain): With the youthful and highly talented Spanish team in the starting line-up, Spanish fans can follow the racing live on TV3 in Catalunya with Spanish language highlights on Teledeporte (RTVE)
Bermuda Broadcasting Channel (Bermuda): With the first ever Bermuda event kicking off the season, the island's main channel will feature live coverage of the two-day showdown and the full season
ServusTV (Germany, Switzerland and Austria): Coverage will be offered through the commercial free-to-air broadcaster in these major European markets.
Racing fans in Sub-Saharan Africa, the Caribbean and Southeast Asia regions are able to follow live racing on SuperSport, FLOW Sports and Fox Sports Asia respectively. Jiangsu Broadcast Corporation Sports Channel, Fuijan Media Group Sports Channel, Zhibo TV, Tencent, iQIYI will all have coverage available to fans across China. Coverage of SailGP will also be available through partners in Russia (MatchTV), Portugal (Sport TV), Malta (Go), Belgium (VOO Sport World), Sweden & Finland (Cmore Sport), Brazil (Band Sports), Central and South America (ESPN Latin America), Turkey (TRT) and Israel (Charlton).
Find full details on viewing options in your country here.
SailGP will be available in-flight on Sport 24 and the broadcast will be streamed live on SailGP YouTube and Facebook pages where rights restrictions allow.
SailGP CEO Sir Russell Coutts said: "The success of our broadcast partnerships relies upon the distribution of a premium product that appeals to a wide range of people so we have been working hard this past year to look at new ways that we can deliver our adrenaline-fueled championship around the globe and create a better and even more innovative viewing platform through technology and innovation. We are delighted that SailGP will be broadcast in 175 territories globally this season - 30 more than last season - and with such a wide array of broadcast partnerships it truly highlights the appeal of SailGP and the eagerness to showcase these intense rivalries and cutting-edge boats to sailing fans and newcomers to the sport worldwide."
SailGP media rights distribution for 2021 was handled by IMG.
The SailGP App is available to download free via the App Store and Google Play.
About SailGP: SailGP races for a better future, championing a world powered by nature. The sport's pinnacle league, SailGP features rival national teams battling in short, intense races at iconic stadium-style venues across the globe, building to the grand final - and sailing's top prize of US$1 million. The high-tech, high-speed action features sailing's best athletes racing in identical supercharged F50 catamarans, flying at electrifying speeds exceeding 60 mph/100 kph. Visit SailGP.com for more information.