Zug, Switzerland / Vienna, Austria, 5 March 2009 – Infront Sports & Media’s Austrian-based subsidiary, APF Marketing Services, has prolonged its exclusive marketing contract with the International Biathlon Union (IBU) up to and including the 2013/2014 season. This was an early extension of the existing contract which ran up to and included the 2009/2010 season. The renewal was unanimously ratified by the IBU’s board.

The agreement was announced to IBU members by IBU President Anders Besseberg during the President’s Conference, which took place during the recent 2009 IBU World Championships Biathlon in Pyeongchang, Korea. It includes sponsorship rights to the E.ON Ruhrgas IBU Word Cup Biahtlon and the IBU World Championships Biathlon.

IBU World Championships Biathlon 2009 – A marketing success
The sponsorship inventory for this year’s IBU World Championships Biathlon, which took place from 13-22 February 2009, was marketed with great success, despite the economic climate. With IBU World Cup title sponsor E.ON Ruhrgas (energy), there were the IBU World Cup Presenting Sponsors, Viessmann (heating systems) and DKB (banking), as well as Erdinger (beer), Bauhaus (DIY retail), Ehrmann (diary products) and Adidas (sports apparel).

Anders Besseberg said: “We are happy to renew our agreement with APF and Infront. Their concentration on winter sports and their specialist knowledge in this area helps us to target the right commercial partners for our sport. In the next few years, biathlon will receive much enhanced television exposure; an impressive 1,400 hours of programming per annum which will further raise the property’s value for sponsor brands.”

Dr. Stefan Seykora, Managing Director of APF, said: “We have shared a close and harmonious working relationship with the IBU since 1992 and carried out successful basic groundwork together, also with IBU‘ s long term TV partner EBU, during the past years. As a result, the sport of biathlon has developed from a niche sport into one of the most popular winter sports. Today it is an attractive and valuable marketing platform for major brands and we see strong potential for further growth.”

“Fortunately, we are in a position to make a significantly increased financial contribution to the IBU, despite the current economic chill. The increased guarantee adequately reflects the positive development of the IBU’s sponsorship platforms,” he added.

Bruno Marty, Infront’s Executive Director Winter Sports, said: “Biathlon is a cornerstone of our winter sports portfolio. Our degree of specialisation offers an important advantage for sponsors, when it comes to creating added value to their individual branding and communication needs.”

About IBU’s major events
The E.ON Ruhrgas IBU World Cup Biathlon runs throughout the winter season and consists of a series races. Selection of the best Biathletes is based on the top rankings in the previous year’s World Cup Total Score. The World Championships are also held annually, except during the year of the winter Olympics. Biathlon is broadcast most regularly where the sport enjoys its greatest popularity – Germany, Norway, Finland, Sweden and Russia.

Infront and Winter Sports
Infront Sports & Media, based in Zug, Switzerland, is the strongest, most experienced marketing agency in the winter sports arena. It has focused strongly on developing its role in winter sports in recent years, to the point that it now represents six of seven Olympic winter sport federations at international level. The Group is the commercial partner of more than 90% of all national skiing federations hosting FIS Alpine Ski and Nordic World Cup races. It also markets the FIS World Championships. It has a long term partnership with the IIHF in international ice hockey and relationships with the winter sports of biathlon, bobsleigh and skeleton, curling and luge.

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For further information, please contact:
Jörg Polzer
Manager, Communication & PR
Infront Sports & Media AG
Tel. +41-41-723 15 15
Fax +41-41-723 15 16
press@infrontsports.com
www.infrontsports.com