Italy‘s top commercial television network Mediaset has signed a contract to carry up to 10 hours of live television coverage throughout Italy of the highly anticipated America’s Cup World Series races, taking place from April 11 to 15 in Naples.
America´s Cup World Series 2011
Mediaset SpA., known as Gruppo Mediaset in Italy, through its Italia 1 and Italia 2 channels, will showcase the international Naples races with live, free-to-air coverage.
“Italian fans are the most passionate in the world and we are bringing them 10 hours of live coverage of this exciting sport, staged in one of the most historically important and beautiful cities in Italy,” said Luca Tiraboschi, Director of Italia 1 and Mediaset Italia 2.
The new look America’s Cup broadcasts put the spotlight on the sailors, with on-board cameras and microphones, and Liveline technology that overlays virtual graphics on the live television pictures, giving viewers more information than ever before.
Mediaset joins a group of leading broadcasters that already includes NBC in the United States, TVNZ in New Zealand, Sky Sports in the UK, Canal+ in France and Viasat in Scandinavia, among others. Similar to Mediaset, Sky Sports in the UK has scheduled up to 10 hours of live coverage from the AC World Series Naples.
The Naples event features 11 yachts with 9 different teams from 8 countries, including: Luna Rossa Challenge, Italy (Skipper Max Sirena), Two Boats – (two helmsmen TBA on April 4); Aleph, France (Skipper TBA); Artemis Racing, Sweden (Skipper Terry Hutchinson); China Team, China (Skipper TBA in China March 30); Emirates Team New Zealand, New Zealand (Skipper Dean Barker); Energy Team, France (Helmsmen Loick Peyron/Yann Guichard); Green Comm Racing, Spain (Skipper Vasilij Zbogar); ORACLE Racing, USA – Two Boats – Skippers Jimmy Spithill and Darren Bundock; and, Team Korea, Korea (Skipper Nathan Outteridge).
Currently leading the 2011/2012 America’s Cup World Series overall standings is Emirates Team New Zealand skippered by Dean Barker, who come into the Naples event leading by just 1 point from ORACLE Racing Spithill.
But the competition is getting stronger. In Naples, Luna Rossa will join the America’s Cup line-up again with two boats entered, reviving a presence in the America’s Cup which dates back to 1999.
“I think Luna Rossa might be considered the favorite in Italy,” commented Jimmy Spithill, the ORACLE Racing skipper, mounting pressure on the newcomers to perform on home waters. “To be honest, I would not be surprised if they were to win. They are in their home country with two of the best helmsmen in these boats.”
Mediaset will also provide live coverage of the AC World Series in Venice (May) and Newport, Rhode Island (June).
