{"id":392316,"date":"2019-08-27T22:27:46","date_gmt":"2019-08-28T05:27:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/?p=392316"},"modified":"2019-08-29T04:30:05","modified_gmt":"2019-08-29T11:30:05","slug":"islswimteams","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/islswimteams\/","title":{"rendered":"International Swimming League & Eurosport Sign Two-Year Deal For Global Broadcast Rights"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Eurosport To Broadcast International Swimming League For First Two Years of Pro-Team Tour<\/strong><\/p>\n

Eurosport<\/strong> has bought worldwide rights to broadcast the inaugural two seasons of the International Swimming League (ISL)<\/strong>, the global professional-team tour shaping a new chapter in the sport.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

The line-up for the first series of the ISL between October and December is a Who’s Who of the elite of the world of swimming, including Olympic gold medallists Katie Ledecky, Nathan Adrian<\/strong><\/a>, Katinka Hosszu, Mireia Belmonte, Cate Campbell, Federica Pellegrini, Adam Peaty, Ryan Murphy, Chad le Clos, Penny Oleksiak, Sarah Sj\u00f6str\u00f6m, Bronte Campbell,\u00a0 Kyle Chalmers, Florent Manaudou <\/strong>and Natalie Coughlin.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The ISL, which prompted the likes of Manaudou<\/a> and Coughlin<\/a> to make comebacks, gets underway on October 5-6 in Indianapolis, before more rounds in the USA as well as Naples, Budapest and London and a grand final on December 20-21 at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas.<\/p>\n

The first professional sports league for elite swimming is a team event in which swimmers from different nations will join forces and compete for points and dollars. It will take the sport away from the traditional championship program that, biggest occasions apart, has grown stale and been a barrier to new formats and growing audiences beyond the fan base.<\/p>\n

Another aspect of the League is the pending arrival of the first professional swimmers’ union or representative body. A gathering of more than 30 Olympic and World champions, podium placers and world record holders in London<\/a> last December made clear that they will insist on organising authorities such as FINA, the regulator and international federation for the sport, and the ISL, an event host, including their representatives in discussions and decision-making on issues that affect their careers, their work, their livelihoods and welfare.<\/p>\n

\"ISLlegal\"

The Swimmers’ proposed Class Action in Play<\/p><\/div>\n

In the meantime, legal action between the ISL and a class-action case led by Hosszu, Michael Andrew <\/strong>and Tom Shields<\/strong>, is proceeding, the League having won the latest round of to and fro<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Broadcast rights were among the missing pieces in the ISL’s puzzle before a new home for\u00a0 swimming opens its doors to the public in October.<\/p>\n

Eurosport, which has secured the exclusive rights (live and delayed) in Europe and the Asia-Pacific region in 2019 and 2020 (except Australia) to broadcast the ISL, says the series will “engage swimming fans and beyond through cutting-edge production and a never-been-seen before live show during the meeting itself”.<\/p>\n

Announcements about the deal, which include digital rights to the competition and exclusive sublicense rights worldwide (except USA and Australia), did not specify the the sums of money involved, nor were there details of what the arrangements might mean for other media.<\/p>\n

Laurent Prud\u2019homme<\/strong>, SVP Rights Acquisitions and Syndication for Eurosport, said: \u201cThe agreement with the ISL is strategically important for Eurosport, strengthening our portfolio of premium rights and continuing to tell our Olympic story with over 70% of Summer Olympic disciplines screened on our channels across the globe.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe ISL will give world-class swimmers the platform to perform and we are thrilled to be able to showcase this exciting new competition to millions of fans all over the world on all screens.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Konstantin Grigorishin<\/strong>, ISL President, added:<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are delighted to partner with Eurosport, one of the best and major sport fans destination on the planet. With this agreement, International Swimming League will benefit from an unprecedented massive coverage in Europe for a brand-new competition.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

ISL – Key dates<\/strong><\/h2>\n