RCS Sport hires IMG to boost Giro d'Italia TV coverage

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Giro d'Italia organiser RCS Sport has announced that IMG Media is its new audiovisual consultant with the remit to raise the race's international profile and reach more viewers around the world. The New York-based firm is the world’s largest independent producer and distributor of sports programming. The two firms have signed an eight-year contract.

According to the RCS press relase, Italian state broadcaster RAI has produced and distributed not only the Giro but also Strade Bianche, Tirreno-Adriatico, Milano-Sanremo, Gran Piemonte and Il Lombardi in recent years. “This could now change as IMG use their influence and expertise from tennis and golf to introduce high definition television coverage, more digital interaction and better internet streaming.”

RCS Sport managing director Michele Acquarone said: “We are working hard to make the racing and the television coverage of the Giro d'Italia as spectacular as we can for a global audience.

"The last Giro d'Italia attracted huge interest around the world and was broadcast in 165 countries across all the five continents reaching 125 million households and a global accumulated audience of 775 million people. We're confident that by working with IMG, we can increase those numbers considerably."

IMG Media already works with the Tour de Romandie and the Tour de Suisse and is looking to add more cycling to its portfolio. It's mission “is to further expand the success of the Giro d'Italia and the other Italian classic races, across all five continents. The sponsor and media appetite for road cycling is as strong as it has ever been,” said Ioris Francini of IMG Media.