ITV Sport has agreed a new deal to continue screening daily free-to-air highlights of the world famous Isle of Man TT Races for the next five years.
The event’s host broadcaster North One TV has confirmed a new domestic TV deal with ITV alongside agreements with other major international broadcasters which are set to deliver an increase in profile and revenues for the event and the island.
As part of the new five-year deal, which starts from the 2014 TT Races, ITV4 will continue to screen fifteen one-hour highlights programmes each year, with many of the shows featuring same day highlights of the various races from the Isle of Man.
ITV has covered the Isle of Man TT since 2002 when its former Men & Motors channel screened daily programmes, before ITV4 inherited coverage for the first time in 2008.
When North One TV took over from local producers Greenlight as host broadcasters for the event in 2009, ITV has since covered the races exclusively in the UK, broadcasting daily highlights programmes, special features and documentaries on ITV4 during the two-week TT festival.
This popular format will continue on ITV4 for at least the next five years and reinforces the channel’s bumper free-to-air motorsport portfolio, which also includes live British Touring Cars and Formula E, alongside MotoGP, British Superbikes and World Rally highlights.
Alongside ITV’s deal for UK highlights, new TV agreements have also been reached internationally with Velocity Channel in the USA and Fox Sports in Australia, underlining the event’s worldwide prestige.
Neil Duncanson, chief executive of North One TV, said: “The TT Races is truly a unique event in the world of motorsport and we enjoy the challenge of conveying it to a worldwide audience.
“These three new deals are the cornerstone of our distribution plans. “ITV have been excellent partners here in the UK and the figures for the USA and Australia are growing fast.”
Since 2009, the worldwide TT audience has grown from 8.1 million in 2010 to 24.4 million viewers in 2013 with North One TV’s programming going out to more than 130 countries.
In 2013, the Isle of Man TT Races received over 400 hours of global coverage through the international highlight shows.
North One has a strong track record in international motorsport and recently retained the contract to produce and promote coverage of the TT for the next two years.
Manx politician David Cretney MHK commented: “Working with North One, we are establishing a strong market for the TT’s worldwide television coverage.
“Specific broadcasters are beginning to bid against each other to secure the exclusive TV rights which bodes well for the future.
“The increased audience for the event has several benefits. It increases the global awareness and image of both the TT Races and Isle of Man, which helps to attract visitors and business investment.
“It also generates further revenue, helping to reduce the cost to the taxpayer.”
The 2014 Isle of Man TT Races will take place between May 24 to June 6 with comprehensive coverage on ITV4.
For further information about the Isle of Man TT, visit the official website.
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Fantastic news.. The best Motor Sport event of the year by a country mile ( F1 eat your heart out ) Brilliantly presented with awesome camera shots and analysis by Jamie Whitham and co.