Assumption is controversial: Swiss agency secures marketing rights in the World Cup

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The International Ski and Snowboard Federation and Swiss agency Infront have agreed on a contract to distribute the international media rights for World Cup events. The agreement will take effect from the 2026/27 season and will run for eight years.

Those responsible at FIS see the signing of the contract as an important step towards the centralization of media rights. “Since much of what we want and need to do depends on it, this agreement has been an important part of our strategy for our sport. With today’s announcement of a new framework enabling a centralized approach, a new chapter of prosperity begins for the FIS family,” said FIS President Johan Eliasch.

The contract gives the FIS more possibilities for the digital marketing of its sports and guarantees extensive rights for photos and the production of documentaries, television series or feature films.

method is controversial

The central marketing of World Cup events is the lighthouse project, which Eliasch committed to when he took office last year. The new path should bring greater financial benefits to key stakeholders – the FIS, the National Federations and the local organizers.

This assumption and especially the procedure of the FIS president are controversial at Swiss-Ski, but also at the ski associations of Austria, Germany and other countries. They have repeatedly accused Eliasch of going it alone and a lack of communication.

Swiss ski president Urs Lehmann once again frowned. “We were surprised to hear the news because, according to my information, it was not an issue either in the FIS council, where I am stationed, or in the FIS executive,” Lehmann said when Blick asked.

The deal itself does not worry the Swiss. Swiss-Ski assumes that Eliasch will keep its promise to raise significantly more money. Monday’s FIS communiqué mentions at least 100 million euros more than before. “So we’re not worried,” says Lehmann. “Again, it’s about how this decision was made and communicated.” (mwp/SDA)

Source : Blick