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Formula One Inks Deal with Al Jazeera Sport for Broadcast Rights
Negotiations have been concluded to bring one of the biggest success stories in Formula One’s illustrious broadcasting history to fruition with the announcement that, starting with this weekend’s 2006 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix, every round of the FIA Formula One World Championship will be available free-to-view on Al Jazeera Sports TV Network.
Over 120 million new viewers across the Middle East and North Africa will now be able to watch the drama and excitement of Formula One live and for free as a result of a deal between the Bahrain International Circuit, rights-holder for Formula One in the Middle East and North Africa, and the Al Jazeera Sport channel, a household name in broadcasting.
Al Jazeera Sport is famed worldwide for its Arabic-language sports coverage and analysis, its state of the art production as well as its remarkable content portfolio, and the addition of Formula One to its roll-call of top-level sports broadcasting is an enormous coup for both sides.
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“Everybody knows Al Jazeera Sport and its commitment to broadcasting in the Middle East and North Africa,” said Martin Whitaker, General Manager of Bahrain International Circuit. “It is a huge honour for us here at Bahrain International Circuit not only to be the ‘Home of Motorsport in the Middle East’ through the Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix but also to see the rest of the Middle East and North Africa region now able to access the full 18-race season. The fact that Bahrain has been honoured with the first race to be broadcast free-to-view is a source of enormous pride in the Kingdom.”
Each of the 18 races in the 2006 season will be covered by the Qatar-based broadcaster, with a supporting programme of news and features surrounding the race weekend. Live coverage of the Startline Presentation at this weekend’s race will feature strongly in Al Jazeera Sport’s debut broadcast. For the first time in the sport’s history the lavish celebration of Arabic culture and heritage, planned for 13:25 on Sunday, a little over an hour before the race, will be covered live by FOM. The presentation is planned to be a major part of Al Jazeera Sport’s broadcast to the Middle East and North Africa.
“You have to put Formula One right up there with the World Cup and the Olympic Games in terms of its global importance as a sporting event,” said Al Jazeera Sport Official spokesman Hedi Smirani. “Unlike those events, Formula One is currently in the Middle East, with the honour of hosting the first round of the season falling to Bahrain. With this strategic move Al Jazeera Sport would bring absolutely the right sporting spectacle free into every home. This also illustrates that Al Jazeera Sport is definitely after the hearts and minds of its viewers and this new addition would pave the way for broadening our loyal audience’s sports culture”.
This new partnership also mirrors Al Jazeera Sport’s vision as best described by its slogan: “Sport is our World…and the World is our Field”.
Joining the global network of rights holders to the FIA Formula One World Championship, the deal with Al Jazeera Sport has increased the sport’s viewership by potentially 30% for the 2006 season. With the groundswell of interest in the sport gaining momentum year-on-year and a large expatriate community in the region keen to keep up with the sport, this can only be good news both for Al Jazeera Sport and Formula One. “Until now Formula One has been a welcome guest in the Middle East,” said Bahrain International Circuit chairman Talal Al Zain.
“This new deal with Al Jazeera Sport opens up a regular, high-quality flow of coverage, information and insight into the sport that must be applauded. It is part of our mission to increase ownership of the sport and nurture potential champions from the Middle East region and North Africa, and having access to Formula One through the best broadcasting available is going to be a major asset.”
PaddockTalk Perspective
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