WSG Wanda Sports Group Company Ltd

The Men’s EHF EURO 2020 will broaden its audience through innovations as Infront, a Wanda Sports Group company (Nasdaq: WSG) and the exclusive media and marketing partner of the European Handball Federation (EHF), prepares to deliver the tournament once again.

The introduction of new cameras and court angles will be complemented by an enhanced online offering for both the EHF and sponsors when the event takes place across Sweden, Austria and Norway from January 9-26.

Julien Ternisien, Senior Vice President Summer Sports said: "This edition of the tournament has allowed Infront and the EHF to successfully introduce new technology and broaden the tournament's online footprint. It will bring tremendous benefits for clients, sponsors and – ultimately – fans."

Hengming Yang, President and CEO of Wanda Sports Group said: "The Men's EHF EURO 2020 is another example of a Wanda Sports Group company combining technology with traditional commercial models to drive its Spectator Sports business. Innovation is key to growth, and introducing it to competitions such as this offers the opportunity to discover potential revenue streams."

New levels of production and delivery

For the first time in the tournament's history 24 teams will compete for the title with 65 games taking place across six venues. The increase in matches and further behind the scenes video content for TV and social media means around 160 hours of coverage will be delivered by Infront Productions, Infront's specialist broadcast production arm.

This year sees the introduction of two super slow-motion cameras from the start of the tournament, providing new options for broadcasters to use during breaks in play and highlights.

A total of 11 cameras will film the Preliminary Rounds, increasing to 13 in the Main Round and 15 in the Final Round.

The tournament will be broadcasted worldwide via 85 global broadcasters and the dedicated OTT handball channel EHFTV.com. ARD and ZDF, which broadcast Germany's most watched sporting event in 2019 – the IHF World Men's Handball Championship semi-final match between Norway and Germany – to almost 12 million viewers, will ensure free-to-air broadcast in the country. Free-to-air agreements have also been reached with ORF in Austria, TF1 in France and Nordic Entertainment Group in Denmark, Norway, Sweden and Finland ensuring handball fans in key markets can watch the action.

Infront's broadcaster servicing team will be present at all six venues ensuring rights holders can deliver the best possible broadcast for viewers.

Driving innovation to broaden handball's reach

Infront's partnerships with technological start-ups will also enhance the tournament's impact.

The Women's EHF EURO 2018 introduced automated highlights through Infront's collaboration with WSC and over 1,200 videos were produced – approximately 10 times more than any previous event. This led to almost 20 million views through media partners, participating teams and influencers.

Automated videos will return for the Men's EHF EURO 2020 with sponsors benefitting from branded highlights which can be shared via their social channels.

Minute.ly, Infront’s strategic investment, will be used for the first time at an EHF tournament, automatically generating eye-catching teasers resulting in higher video engagement.

DEEP, another of Infront’s strategic investment, will also create data-driven infographics whilst Antourage will enable the EHF content team to livestream from one device to multiple social media channels at the same time, simplifying the process and ensuring more exclusive live video content from all venues, bringing fans closer to the action.

This will all be tracked by Videocites, an AI-based tracking and analytics tool which calculates engagement and reach of all EHF-produced content, providing valuable insights into earned media value for sponsors.

A pan-European foundation for sponsors

Fan activation will form a large part of activity onsite. LIDL's Fan Sofa has been reintroduced, giving selected supporters a unique view of the match at all venues. Grundfos will sponsor the Player of the Match award for the first time while all partners will benefit from automated highlights for their own channels through WSC's technology.

Martin Hausleitner, General Secretary of the European Handball Federation said: “The biggest EHF EURO in history will not only be one to remember on the court but off the court. Millions of fans watching across the world will benefit from the highest level of production from the comfort of their own homes.”

About Wanda Sports Group Wanda Sports Group (Nasdaq: WSG) is a leading global sports events, media and marketing platform with a mission to unite people in sports and enable athletes and fans to live their passions and dreams. Through our businesses, including Infront and The IRONMAN Group, we have significant intellectual property rights, long-term relationships and broad execution capabilities, enabling us to deliver unrivalled sports event experiences, creating access to engaging content and building inclusive communities. We offer a comprehensive array of events, marketing and media services through three primary segments: Mass Participation, Spectator Sports and Digital, Production, Sports Solutions (DPSS). Our full service platform creates value for our partners and clients as well as other stakeholders in the sports ecosystem, from rights owners, to brands and advertisers, and to fans and athletes. Headquartered in Beijing, China, Wanda Sports Group has more than 60 offices and 1,600 employees around the world.

About Infront

Connecting fans and consumers to the greatest sports events, Infront, a Wanda Sports Group company, offers everything an event or commercial partner needs to be successful. With a team of over 1,000 experts working from 45 offices across more than 16 countries around the world, Infront is equipped to tackle any challenge – be it innovative digital solutions, world-class event operations, international media rights distribution, sponsorship sales and activations or cutting-edge media production. Headquartered in Switzerland, Infront is passionate and #AllAboutSports. @infrontsports www.infront.sport.

For more information, please contact: Wanda Sports Group Edith Kwan Tel: +86 (10) 8558 7456 E-mail: ir@wsg.cn