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Johan Eliasch wants to make skiing more popular around the world.
FIS President Johan Eliasch has big visions: He wants to make skiing better known and more popular worldwide.
“The goal is to make skiing and snowboarding the most sustainable, exciting and integrative sports in the world,” says the Swede in an interview with “Bilanz” as part of the race in Kitzbühel (Austria). How is he going to do that? Running races in places where there were none (or only a few): «We need all FIS disciplines everywhere. After the Olympic Games, we have huge opportunities in China.”
The plans in Asia are advanced, says the 60-year-old: “We hope that lighting systems will be installed. Then we could do night races there that you could watch live here in Europe and even the US.” Eliasch and the FIS – who until 2030 their CO2-Would like to reduce emissions by 50 percent – hopes to be able to hold China races from the 2024/25 season. There should also be competitions in South America because there are people “who demand it”.
TV broadcasts should become more attractive
A central aspect of the global presence is the modernization of skiing. If Eliasch has his way, TV broadcasts using drones and telemetry (transmission of measured values via sensor technology) should be made “more attractive”: “A few drones have already been used here in Kitz, and there will be even more in the future. We pushed that – until this season it was still forbidden.”
On the other hand, he wants to tackle the marketing of the TV rights. For example, Eliasch intends to offer the races on streaming platforms: “Not in competition with the national TV stations, but in countries where there is no transmission. So you can watch ski races from anywhere on the planet.”
“So it’s about taking control and choosing our own destiny.”Johan Eliasch (60), FIS President
The problem: the international rights do not yet belong to the World Ski Association, but to the Zug marketing company Infront. However, Eliasch is optimistic that they will be in the hands of the FIS “soon”. The centralization of these rights with them is necessary, “the status quo makes no sense”.
“We’re not even allowed to take a photo in the finish area and use it. So it’s about taking control and determining our own destiny,” says Eliasch. The income would thus double to an estimated 30 to 40 million euros a year and should flow primarily into the prize money. (che)
Attention ski fans! Now quiz and type races
The 2022/2023 ski season is in full swing and so is the “Blick Ski Trophy”: Answer questions every day, type ski races and crown yourself as ski champion. Lots of great prizes await.
To take part in the “Blick Ski Trophy”, you have to register here.
Have fun and good luck!
The 2022/2023 ski season is in full swing and so is the “Blick Ski Trophy”: Answer questions every day, type ski races and crown yourself as ski champion. Lots of great prizes await.
To take part in the “Blick Ski Trophy”, you have to register here.
Have fun and good luck!