By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
FIBA, the International Basketball Federation, on Friday announced a ground-breaking strategic partnership with Perform, a leading digital sports content and media group.
For the period of four FIBA Basketball World Cup cycles (2017-2033), Perform will be FIBA’s worldwide partner for the distribution and sale of all media-related rights, with respect to FIBA national men’s and women’s team competitions.
The partnership will cover more than 5,000 live games including qualifiers and major championships – such as the FIBA Basketball World Cup and FIBA EuroBasket – over the term of the agreement, with more than 1,500 live games in the first cycle (2017-2021).
The partnership will see the creation of FIBA Media, a joint venture between the two organisations, committed to increasing the value of the basketball fan experience. FIBA Media will also deliver maximum exposure, on multiple platforms, providing fans with unprecedented access to content.
Perform will guarantee and invest close to EUR 500 million in the strategic partnership, enhance live production, broadcast services and data and editorial distribution through the dedicated FIBA Media unit, along with providing FIBA with its industry expertise and experience. FIBA will have an active role in respect of all major strategic and commercial activities of FIBA Media, and will share in any future revenue growth beyond the guaranteed amount. This long-term agreement is another tangible result of FIBA’s ambitions to accelerate growth by unlocking the true potential of national team basketball, bringing the game to a new level globally and tapping into emerging markets in Asia, Americas and Africa.
Perform will support FIBA in this goal by packaging and distributing all live FIBA content to broadcasters and digital platforms. Committed to promoting live international basketball across its leading consumer portals, such as Sporting News, Perform will also collect and distribute live data via its RunningBall and Opta brands.
FIBA’s new competition system, which comes into in effect in November 2017, will herald a new era for basketball. Over a four-year cycle, more than 140 national teams will play regular home and away qualification games to guarantee their place at their Continental Cups and the FIBA Basketball World Cup, the pinnacle of national team basketball. Fans will be able to follow their national teams live through every step, with exciting content from both on and off the court.
FIBA and Perform have already enjoyed a successful relationship developing FIBA’s digital assets in recent years. This new agreement marks a step forward in a fast growing and developing strategic area for FIBA and its international competitions.
FIBA Secretary General and International Olympic Committee (IOC) Member Patrick Baumann said: “This strategic and innovative partnership marks a new era for FIBA. It allows us to combine the strength and benefits of our successful commercial subsidiary – FIBA Media & Marketing Services SA – with the extensive global resources of Perform. This partnership will support FIBA’s objective of making basketball the most popular sports community in every part of the World, by delivering great action of our sport across the available media offerings.”
Perform CEO Simon Denyer said: “We are delighted to be working with FIBA on this long-term, ground-breaking partnership. Basketball has long been a major focus for Perform and FIBA is a fantastic partner that continues to evolve the game globally. FIBA and Perform’s strategies are perfectly aligned. We want to grow its properties through investment in production, sales and distribution to ensure fans around the world have access to the full portfolio of FIBA games on all platforms.”