Eurovision Sport launches sharing channel

Public broadcaster organisation the EBU’s Eurovision Sport has launched a new Sharing Channel for EBU Members, with a slate of sports content available for member broadcasters to download free of charge, in many cases, with the rights already cleared on their behalf.

The initiative comes with European countries still subject to lockdown as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, with a continuing freeze on sports events in most territories.

The EBU is encouraging rights owners to consider using the channel to gain visibility for national events, as they come back on stream, including esports competitions.

Content available this week includes a range of sports such as cycling, athletics, swimming and canoeing from recent international competitions and a variety of sport-themed shows.

Other themed content includes sports less familiar to the Eurovision Sport portfolio, such as motor sports, with touring car racing, women’s sport and extreme and esports strands also in the pipeline.

EBU Members are being encouraged to contribute to the channel with content ideas.

Separately, the EGU has extended access to the platform provided by technical partner WOCHIT to all EBU Members, giving them the opportunity to browse dedicated short clips and relevant sports content for social media.

Franck Choquard, Eurovision Sport’s Head of Content & Servicing, said: “With no more live international sports events scheduled in the next few months, the Eurovision Sport Sharing Channel has been created to provide a resource for alternative sports scheduling content on behalf of our Members. With a range of themed sports programming scheduled, plus some unique sports documentaries, the channel offers both rights-owners and our Members the chance to air sports content that will continue to engage audiences across Europe. What’s more, we hope that this initiative will provoke an exchange of content, ideas and best practice between Members and the sports community that will continue to be of value long after the present crisis has abated.”