With just 16 months between signing as host broadcaster for the inaugural European Games until going live with pictures, Int'l Sports Broadcasting Managing Dir & CEO Manolo Romero said that "initial feedback has been better than expected," according to AROUND THE RINGS. ISB's role serving the new multi-sports event is "two-fold." It is producing more than 1,000 hours of coverage over 17 days from Baku. Additionally, ISB has assisted the European Olympic Committees with rights sales. Romero: "I would say the broadcast is one of the great successes of these Games. People believed in this project and then offered their money for the broadcast. They've had the opportunity to showcase the Games to their countries." Forty five of the 50 countries participating in the Games are providing coverage, with Kosovo -- only recognized by the IOC last December -- "coming on board just one day before the June 12 opening ceremony." The five participating nations not providing coverage are Malta, Iceland, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro and Macedonia. Macedonia "pulled out just one day before the Games opened." Of the 45, 27 are Olympic rights holders, while 34 are free-to-air rights holders. The average daily amount of programming being seen is 5.7 hours. Romero said, "Feedback has been very positive. Some broadcasters have reported that ratings have been better than average." The Games can also be seen on a dedicated YouTube Channel. There is "also livestreaming of events with commentary on Baku2015.com" (AROUND THE RINGS, 6/18).
SEVEN POSSIBLE REPLACEMENTS: REUTERS' Tom Hayward reported EOC President Patrick Hickey said on Saturday that seven potential candidates have emerged to replace the Netherlands as host of the 2019 European Games. The Netherlands withdrew as host for the second edition "just days before the extravagant opening ceremony of the inaugural Games in Baku," with the Dutch government "refusing to support an event it believed would be too big a 'burden' on resources." Hickey: "We had six in the beginning, but the Netherlands fell by the wayside so that left five. We have now two additional candidates. But there will be no decision for a while. Two of the original five said 2023, so we brought them back to 2019, but others have asked to reopen talks." Reports suggested Turkey is "among the front-runners for 2019 edition" (REUTERS, 6/20).
