Press Release IBAF, www.ibaf.org
Fastest-growing channel in Europe to serve as broadcaster for September’s Pan-European World Championship
(LAUSANNE, Switzerland) – The International Baseball Federation (IBAF) today announced that Eurosport Group has agreed to televise on Eurosport 2 over 40 games of the 2009 Baseball World Cup, which will be held across Europe from 9-27 September. It marks the first time Eurosport 2 will serve as broadcaster for the event and will give the World Cup its first live television presence in Europe in the events’ 38 year history. Eurosport 2, the fastest-growing TV channel in Europe since its launch in 2005, already broadcasts to 36 million households in 14 languages across 46 countries.
“This is yet another positive sign of the growth of baseball globally, and it’s continued emerging in Europe,” said IBAF President Dr. Harvey Schiller. “The global interest in baseball, particularly across Europe and in emerging nations, continues to grow exponentially and this agreement is further validation that the efforts the sport is making to grow are being recognized. We are confident that Eurosport 2 will contribute to the popularity of baseball in Europe”.
Eurosport 2 also televised the European Cup Championship on 21 June, won by Italy’s Danesi Caffè’ Nettuno, 1-0 over fellow Italian club Fortitudo Bologna.
The 2009 Baseball World Cup will be held in Regensburg, Germany; Zagreb; Prague; Barcelona; and Stockholm from 9-12 September. The second round will be split between Italy and the Netherlands, while the final round will be in Italy finishing on 27 September. In total, 22 nations will compete for the coveted world championship. Additional television plans for the World Cup will be announced shortly.
About the International Baseball Federation (IBAF)
Founded in 1938, the International Baseball Federation is a non-governmental organization recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) as administering men’s and women’s baseball at the world level. Located in Lausanne, Switzerland – the Olympic Capital – and counting 125 National Member Federations, the IBAF organizes the IBAF Men’s and Women’s Baseball World Cup, the AAA (18U) and AA (16U) World Championships, the Olympic Games Baseball Tournament, and it sanctions the World Baseball Classic, among other international baseball tournaments. The IBAF works to develop and grow the game of baseball around the world. For more information, please visit www.ibaf.org.
