Roseto di Abruzzi, 14 May 2004: Even the name fits perfectly with the product: Eurosport will broadcast this year’s beach volleyball European Championship Tour.

Shortly before the start of the first tournament in Roseto degli Abruzzi Global Sports Marketing (GSM) from Zurich, who is planning, marketing and executing the tournament series in cooperation with the European Volleyball Federation (CEV), reached an agreement with the TV station on a partnership. ‘We are very pleased to have found a television partner like Eurosport to promote the European Championship Tour on a European level’, Christian Scholbrock, Managing Director at GSM, says.

Eurosport will broadcast from all tournaments on the European Championship Tour (the Italian Open, Roseto degli Abruzzi from 13 – 16 May, the European Championship Final in Timmendorfer Strand/Germany from 10 – 13 June as well as the Spanish Open to be held in Cadiz or Valencia from 9 – 12 September) throughout the entire European transmission area. The two parties agreed to a minimum of a one-hour broadcast per tournament. If possible the broadcast will be live, if not tape-delayed. According to the present programme schedule Eurosport will report from the Italian Open on Monday, 17 May from 13 to 14 o clock.

Eurosport reaches a total of 98 million households in 54 different countries, the broadcasts are commented on in 19 different languages. In addition, the station can be viewed in millions of hotels, restaurants, bars and public spaces. ‘With this partner’, Scholbrock says, ‘we will continue to expand the media platform for the European Championship Tour.’

The worldwide television interest is remarkable. Among other stations, the ESPN Network will broadcast the European Championship Tour in 30 Asian countries, as well as South America, the Caribbean, to Africa and the Middle East.

The Italian Open, taking place in Roseto degli Abruzzi at the moment, will also be televised on Sky Italy, the women’s final is broadcasted tomorrow from 5.30 to 6.30 pm. In addition, the Russian television will feature an extensive broadcast of the semifinals and the finals. The coverage will be completed with highlight programmes, news and summaries that will be offered extensively by the European Broadcast Union (EBU) and Reuters.

Last Year the European Championship Final in Alanya, Turkey, was broadcast in 100 countries worldwide. The television coverage for this tournament alone exceeded 60 hours. The excellent television exposure the European Championship Tour received in its inaugural year in 2003 will clearly be exceeded this year.

The European Championship Tour is the highest ranked series of European Beach Volleyball tournaments that promotes the sport and its star players on a European level. The series of tournaments culminates into the European Championship Final as the season’s highlight.

For further information please visit www.eurobeachtour.com and/or contact the Communication Managers of the European Championship Tour Klaus Wegener and Felix Meininghaus at communications@eurobeachtour.com.