HBA Media has secured agreements to cover the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe with 22 broadcasters.
Of particular significance for UK viewers, ITV Racing has signed an agreement with HBA in a three-year broadca deal of the fixture across the ITV1 and STV channels from 13:00 to 15:30 on raceday, 2 October.
The broadcaster will include a studio programme hosted by Ed Chamberlin, Adele Mulrennan and Matt Chapham, whilst Rishi Persad will conduct on site reporting and Richard Hoiles will provide commentary. Furthermore, the BBC will also cover the event on Radio 5Live sports channel.
The latest in a series of sports deals secured by the free-to-air network, the partnership follows from ITV’s agreements with the NFL and LaLiga, broadcasting the tournaments to UK customers for the next three years.
Niall Sloane, ITV Director of Sport, said: “The Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe is one of the highlights of the racing calendar and we are delighted to be able to continue to bring exclusive, free to air coverage of this unique event to our viewers for the coming years.”
Further European coverage will see Viaplay distribute the Prix over its OTT platform across Scandinavia, with additional distributors including Sky Sports Racing, Virgin Media in Ireland, RAI in Italy, WeDoTV in Germany, Switzerland and Austria and Silknet in Georgia.
Outside Europe, HBA – which partnered with France Galop as official racing content distributor in May – has secured deals in two ‘untapped’ continents, Africa and Australia.
In the former SuperSPort will distribute the race in 48 countries, whilst in the latter Entain’s OTT platform and Racing.com’s FTA will stream the fixture.
Henry Birtles, HBA Media Chief Executive, remarked: “We are delighted that within our first year representing France Galop and its powerful racing portfolio HBA Media has achieved coverage in two previously untapped continents.
“Alongside this and the multiple broadcast agreements, the Arc has genuinely secured global recognition. With the quality of international contenders in the Arc, the extensive worldwide audience are in for a real treat and will enjoy one of Europe’s greatest sporting occasions.”
Wider international coverage will include FOX Sports in the US with a live one-hour programme; CBC in Canada; the Green Channel, Radio Nikkei, Fuji TV and Continue in Japan; DMI across the MENA region and both Al Kass and Al Rayyan in Qatar, broadcasting on Saturday/Sunday and Sunday respectively.
Of the 22 broadcasters will show the race following negotiations with HBA, 15 TV channels will feature a two-hour programme around the event, and Reuters and Transworld Sports distributing content across their news networks.
Delphine Violette, Director Commercial and Marketing for France Galop, added: “The international exposure of the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, voted the greatest race in the world five times in the last seven years, is a major challenge for France Galop and the influence of French racing abroad.
“The increase in the number of broadcasters and the relevance of the territory covered are real satisfactions for this first year of collaboration with HBA Media.”
