Audi quattro Winter Games NZ 2013 draws huge global TV audience

Global television coverage of next month’s Audi quattro Winter Games NZ will reach an audience approaching one billion households as the world’s best snow sports athletes compete against the stunning backdrop of New Zealand’s Southern Alps. For the first time ever the action is free-to-air for New Zealand viewers.

A partnership with IMG Media, part of IMG Worldwide, the world’s leading sports, fashion and media company, will see NZ-filmed footage broadcast around the world via both traditional TV and digital platforms just six months out from the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia.

Universal Sports are broadcasting ten 22-minute highlights packages to 63 million homes in the USA alone. The same packages will reach 50 million households in China via PPTV, 75 million households across Asia-Pacific via Eurosport, an additional 2.8 million households in Australia and New Zealand via ESPN plus millions more in Europe, Asia, the Middle East and Africa.

Through its partnership with IMG Media, daily video news releases from the Games will reach a global audience of 400 million households via SNTV while the magazine programme, Trans World Sport will carry highlights to 220 million households.

Untold millions will also be able to watch the action on their computers and mobile devices via digital platforms including YouTube (worldwide), YOKU (China), Telstra Bigpond and Fairfax (Australia).

For the very first time, New Zealanders will enjoy free-to-air domestic coverage of Winter Games NZ with daily highlights packages and live news links on TV3 as well as radio coverage on MediaWorks’ stable of radio stations including MORE FM, The Edge, RadioLIVE and LiveSPORT.

TV3 will be broadcasting live during 3 News at 6pm for six out of the 11 days of the Games, with a half hour round-up of the best action every evening including the lead-in to 3 News over the weekends of 17-18 and 24-25 August

Audi quattro Winter Games NZ chief executive, Arthur Klap said the level of coverage was unprecedented and represented a fantastic opportunity to showcase not only the Games but also the whole country to a global audience.

“Our partnerships with IMG Media and MediaWorks will give winter sport in New Zealand its highest ever profile and cement the Games’ profile as one of the world’s top five winter sports events. This is absolutely critical for building a permanent legacy for the Games in terms of assisting the development of young New Zealand athletes. Winter Games NZ provides them with both world class competition and international TV exposure which also benefits our commercial agreements moving forward,” he said.

Television, radio and Internet coverage is backed by a comprehensive social media programme and international media hosting. Tourism New Zealand is working with Games organisers to bring targeted print and broadcast journalists to Queenstown, Lake Wanaka and Central Otago from key overseas markets including China, Japan and Australia.

Winter Games NZ 2013 takes place over 11-days from 15-25 August at the international resorts of Coronet Peak, Cardrona Alpine Resort and Snow Farm, along with the Maniototo Curling International Rink. Set against the spectacular backdrop of New Zealand’s Southern Alps, the Games also include a full Downtown Sessions festival programme featuring films, live music and entertainment in Queenstown and Lake Wanaka.

For further information, visit www.wintergamesnz.com.