European Athletics recently laid out its plans for how the Berlin 2018 European Athletics Championships would be organised as part of the inaugural multisport European Championships at the World Broadcaster Meeting in the German capital.
The meeting – staged by the Host Broadcaster, Eurovision Production Coordination, in conjunction with European Championships Management, who are centrally coordinating the inaugural multi-sport European Championships next summer – attracted broadcasters from across Europe.
“Berlin 2018 will showcase the best our sport has to offer. There will be 1500 elite athletes from European Athletics’ Member Federations competing from 7-12 August,” commented European Athletics Vice President Jean Gracia.
“And we can assure you that our best athletes will be present: European, world and Olympic Champions; past, present and future.
“As shown by us being part of the innovative European Championships, European Athletics is committed to adapting our sport to make sure it maintains its appeal for television viewers, spectators, media and athletes.
“We want to find new and exciting ways of presenting our sport on television and new ways of using modern technology.”
Gracia reiterated that European Athletics has acquired a deep understanding of the importance of first-class television production in the promotion of athletics.
“In Berlin, we will have a very exciting, fast-paced timetable, innovative new cameras, and an excellent television director in Johan Bernhagen. At the Olympic Stadium, on the Breitscheidplatz, and elsewhere in the city, we are sure hundreds of thousands of passionate Berliners will make these Championships a memorable event. We all remember the incredible world championships hosted here in 2009 and we are confident that Berlin will deliver once again.
“The European Championships is a new multi-sport vision for major sports on the continent, and our collective vision is simple: to create a must-watch and must-attend experience that elevates our sporting champions of Europe.
“The European Athletics Championships is an integral part of this because of its existing power to attract broadcast viewers.
“The compact timetable of the 2018 European Athletics Championships will be fully co-ordinated into one overall TV-friendly 10-day European Championships sports programme to maximise media exposure.
“The enormous power of free-to-air television, digital media and social media also presents the biggest opportunity to engage these audiences ahead of our event.
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Berlin 2018 Managing Director Frank Kowalski added: “After the fantastic IAAF World Championships in 2009, our spectators can now look forward to another athletics festival in one of the world’s most beautiful cities. Berlin will be a colourful, diverse and friendly host and the German capital will make Germany’s biggest sporting event in 2018 a unique experience for athletes, stadium visitors and worldwide television audience.
“Furthermore, we are convinced that with the European Championships, the EBU will provide a first-class product to the international TV audience. Berlin 2018 will do its best to create a thrilling and inspiring event that is in no less spectacular than the world championships.
“In this sense, we have had a successful World Broadcaster Meeting with many innovative and inspiring ideas,' said Kowalski, adding to the air of anticipation about what might be on offer next summer in the German capital.
More information on the 2018 European Championships:
- The Berlin 2018 European Athletics Championships will be part of the first multi-sport European Championships along with co-hosts Glasgow.
- It will be a must-watch, must-attend experience that elevates the status of European Champions, uniting existing European Championships to celebrate the highest honour in European sport and celebrating the defining moments that create Champions.
- It is the continent’s ultimate multi-sport event, an 11-day celebration of European sport staged every 4 years.
- Seven of Europe’s leading sports (athletics, aquatics, rowing, golf, cycling, gymnastics, triathlon) will be brought together for the first edition.
- The European Athletics Championships in Berlin will be staged 7-12 August. The six other sports will be staged in Glasgow through 2-12 August.
- 4,500 athletes and 52 nations will compete across the seven sports.
- Potential TV audience of over 1 billion with millions more across multiple digital platforms.
- Over half a million spectators expected.