The 2015 edition of Sportel, the major event for sports and media, ended this Thursday at noon. Between conferences, competitions, and negotiations, the 2015 vintage was a sought-after delicacy.
The sports enthusiast probably doesn’t realize it, but over the course of just over 72 hours at the Grimaldi Forum, a large part of the upcoming years’ television rights were at stake. The American giants wouldn’t have missed this event for the world (NFL, NBA, MLB, ESPN, FOX…) even if the two main showcase stands of the 2015 event were European and from the world of football. La Liga, the Spanish championship, presented its new globalization project on Monday. For nearly an hour, its president, Javier Tebas, captivated the conference room with its 10 different schedules and strategies to become the best league in the world. Accompanied by a heavyweight ambassador, Luis Figo, the president of LaLiga was pleased with the steadily increasing figures and continuously aims higher. Another prominent stand was that of the Bundesliga, the German league seeking better visibility in Europe and beyond.
Other highlights included the launch of the Olympic Channel. A few months after the Rio Olympic Games, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) will have its channel thanks to a 460 million investment over 7 years. On the internet and through a dedicated app, all Olympic sports will be visible, from rowing to field hockey and sailing.
We will also remember the presentation of the setup for the upcoming Rio Games, which are fast approaching. The Director of Programs at OBS (Olympic Broadcasting Services), Mark Wallace, was present for a debate alongside other leaders of broadcasting groups and television channels. The setup will be massive, the largest ever used for a major international competition, proof of the ever-growing enthusiasm of sports fans and ordinary viewers for the summer event, every four years.
Finally, Wednesday morning was reserved for the Startup competition. It was a young German company, Kickrs.net, that won in the final against the French company Push Pull TV. Their project, to assist young players in achieving excellence through crowdfunding, impressed the jury. They won a stand for the 2016 edition of Sportel and exceptional visibility at a highly sought-after trade show.
Tuesday featured the traditional Sportel Awards night, which rewards the most beautiful works and sports sequences. Among the winners were, in no particular order: Daniel Herrero and Jean-Luc Gatellier (L’Equipe) for their books, Canal+ for its Rugby World Cup 2015 trailer, its sequence on Dibaba at the Herculis Meeting, as well as France Télévision and A.S.O. for a documentary about the marathon.
