SailGP to be broadcast free-to-air around the UK across ITV networkOFFICIAL PRESS RELEASENEWS PROVIDED BY ITV Press Centre SailGP to be broadcast free-to-air around the UK across ITV network The world’s most exciting racing on water, SailGP, will now be seen by more viewers than ever across the UK with the announcement of a free-to-air broadcast deal with ITV. Exclusive live coverage of nine event weekends will be shown on ITVX in the first standalone live sports commission for ITV’s streaming service which was launched in late 2022. And all events in Season 4 of SailGP will be available across the ITV digital and linear network, including ITV1, ITV4 and ITVX. SailGP is launching its biggest season ever opening with the Rolex United States Sail Grand Prix at Navy Pier, in Chicago, on June 16 and 17, which will be streamed live on ITVX in the first of 18 live 90-minute race day shows on the streamer. National teams in the mixed gender championship will battle at 12 iconic venues around the world across 2023 and 2024. Taking on the world’s best will be the Emirates Great Britain SailGP Team, led by the two most decorated Olympic sailors of all time, driver Sir Ben Ainslie and strategist Hannah Mills. The British team dramatically qualified for last season’s three-boat Grand Final race for US$1million on the final day of the season, but finished third behind Tom Slingsby’s now triple defending champion Australia team and Peter Burling’s New Zealand SailGP Team and will be out to settle this score in Season 4. After Chicago the action will head to Los Angeles with highlights for both events broadcast on ITV4 and live racing all weekend on ITVX. Later this summer the league will then head to Europe and the France Sail Grand Prix in Saint-Tropez will be shown on the network’s flagship channel ITV1, which coincides with the broadcasters’ coverage of the Rugby World Cup. A full highlights show of the Season 4 Grand Final in San Francisco will also be seen on ITV1. All other events in the season will have highlights programs broadcast on ITV4. The SailGP Season 4 events in Sydney, Auckland and Canada will be shown on ITV4 on delay to ensure the best possible viewing times for UK-based fans. All other events can be enjoyed in full either live or on-demand on ITVX, ITV’s streaming service along with coverage of SailGP’s behind the scenes series ‘Racing on the Edge’. This broadcast deal extends further than the action-packed, adrenaline-pumping racing as both companies have robust commitments and rigorous plans in place to hit key sustainable targets. SailGP has set a target of 55 percent reduction of its carbon footprint - based on science - by 2025, as well as committing to being fully powered by nature by 2025 on shore and on water. ITV has been recognized as a leader in transparency and governance of its ambitious climate action programme, ranked in the top 2 percent of companies worldwide by the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP). As the first sport to disclose its carbon strategy to CDP, SailGP is looking forward to furthering ITV's mission to deliver shows with the biggest impact on audiences and the smallest impact on the planet. SailGP global head of broadcast and media Tom Gracey said: “We’re looking forward to continuing to re-imagine the sport of sailing and building on our significant growth trajectory through an integrated partnership with ITV, although rumors of Sir Ben entering the Jungle are entirely premature!” Ainslie said: Niall Sloane, ITV Director of Sport, said: This new deal adds to ITV Sport’s portfolio of first class events, which also includes Six Nations rugby, The Rugby World Cup, England Women football team matches, UEFA EURO 2024, the FA Cup, EFL highlights including the Sky Bet Championship, Sky Bet League One, Sky Bet League Two, Carabao Cup and the EFL Trophy, La Liga, the Tour de France, the NFL, Heinekein Champions Cup, Gallagher Premiership Rugby and, in motosport, Extreme E, plus British Touring Car Championships and MotoGP, plus major competitions in snooker and darts. ABOUT SAILGP // SailGP is the world’s most exciting racing on water. The global championship features national teams battling in short, intense races at iconic stadium-style venues across the globe. The high-tech, high-speed action features sailing’s best athletes racing in identical hydrofoiling F50 catamarans, flying at speeds approaching 100 km/h. SailGP also races for a better future, championing a world powered by nature. Visit SailGP.com for more information.
Source ITV Press Centre
June 15, 2023 3:00am ET by ITV Press Centre |