TVNZ To Cover Sailing And Softball At Olympics

Friday 8 October 1999 MEDIA RELEASE

TVNZ WINS CONTRACT TO COVER SAILING AND SOFTBALL FOR THE SYDNEY OLYMPICS.

TVNZ has won two large production contracts for the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games – providing the international coverage of sailing and softball.

The contracts have been awarded by the Sydney Olympic Broadcasting Organisation (SOBO), host broadcaster for the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games.

It will be the second time that TVNZ has been asked to provide its expertise in Olympic coverage. In 1996 the Atlanta Games organising committee contracted TVNZ to provide the international signal for sailing.

This time the level of coverage will be a significant advance on 1996 both in terms of the resources, which will be applied, and the coverage which can be expected, says TVNZ’s Head of Sport, Doug Harvey.

The coverage will include cameras and microphones aboard four of the Olympic classes – the 49er skiffs, the Tornado catamarans, the Star and Soling classing. Each day SOBO will be providing live coverage from at least one of the designated race courses, with highlight summaries from all the other classes.

The TVNZ participation will involve more than 30 staff members, out of a total team of over 100, providing core production experience, the cameras and audio covering both on and off the water activities, and some of the behind the scenes technical staff.

“The coverage will also reflect the far greater interest being shown in Olympic sailing by other international broadcasters. In Sydney there will be 22 broadcasters taking commentary positions compared with only four at the Atlanta Games.”

TVNZ Sport has also been contracted for the softball. It will involve a further crew of around 27 TVNZ staff providing daily coverage of every match played in the competition.

“It is especially pleasing that we will be covering particular events in which New Zealanders can expect significant performances from our athletes,” says Mr Harvey.

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