FIVB teams up with IMG, Dentsu and XYZ to market commercial rights
It is the first time in the FIVB’s history that such a comprehensive marketing and media group has been engaged to work with the international volleyball’s governing body with the exclusive marketing and media rights agreement, which contains a relevant minimum guarantee, ensuring that the FIVB remains in control of its global marketing and media strategy.
All three agency partners will collectively work across marketing for the FIVB, while IMG and Dentsu have been appointed to handle the media rights sales to all FIVB events. The FIVB President Jizhong Wei signed the partnership agreement during the FIVB Executive Committee meeting in Lausanne with the President of IMG Media Michel Masquelier, the general manager of the Dentsu International Sports Department Soichi Takahashi and the XYZ Olympic Sports vice-president Fernando von Oertzen.
“This outstanding marketing alliance heralds another significant step in this new and exciting era for FIVB marketing,” President Wei said. “We are extremely proud to work together with three distinguished companies which bring unparalleled strength and depth when it comes to media and marketing and an extensive global reach to deliver on our very important marketing goals.”
The unprecedented decision, made recently by the FIVB Board of Administration, to work with three world-class marketing agencies – with IMG, Dentsu and XYZ providing unrivalled expertise and experience in volleyball and beach volleyball, and sports marketing across every market where the game is played – was formed to deliver on the FIVB’s vision of creating a ground breaking volleyball and beach volleyball Global Partner programme and follows on from the impressive initial phase of the FIVB’s new marketing strategy which has seen rebranding of FIVB events over the past two years and the introduction of the popular FIVB Heroes campaign.
IMG Media head of sales worldwide Ioris Francini said at the signing: “We are delighted to be working with the FIVB and alongside both Dentsu and XYZ over the next eight years with the shared goal of expanding and growing the marketing and media rights of all the sports’ assets. All three companies have well established relationships with FIVB and our objective is to increase the value of the sports, enhance the global awareness of the players and teams, widen the horizons of volleyball outside its core constituencies and develop the marketing programme by attracting global sponsors and the best official suppliers. It will be an exciting time for volleyball and its followers.”
Dentsu Inc. sports division director Kiyoshi Nakamura said: “We are delighted to be a part of this unprecedented historical consortium of IMG, XYZ and Dentsu that will be responsible for the central commercialisation of the FIVB’s programme of events and the sport of volleyball that continues to be extremely popular in Japan and across the rest of Asia.“
XYZ President Bazinho Ferraz: “Working with Dentsu and IMG on behalf of volleyball builds unprecedented and impressive potential to market and take FIVB properties to every corner of the world. It is a unique and historical opportunity to experience volleyball and beach volleyball’s cross cultural value at the highest level.”
