First Time The World’s Prestigious Cycling Event Will Be Exclusively Streamed On A Digital Only Platform In Canada Allowing The Tour To Come To Life Utilizing All-New Enhanced Viewing Experiences
Innovative Sports Streamer’s Broadcast To Include On-Location Reporting, Champion Canadian Cyclists For On-Camera Commentary & Analysis, Dedicated Shows With Special Guests, English & French Language Broadcasts, Live In-App Watch Parties Hosted By Prominent Cycling Journalists & Athletes, Exclusive Fantasy League Contest And More
AUSTIN, Texas, Aug. 28, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- FloSports, the innovator in live sports streaming and original content, today revealed its extensive broadcast and content plans supporting the company’s exclusive Canadian broadcast of the 2020 Tour de France™. Following its postponement earlier this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the highly-anticipated, premier cycling event is now scheduled to kick off on August 29 and will be exclusively broadcast in Canada on FloBikes, one of the world’s leading streaming platforms dedicated to cycling. This year’s Canadian broadcast on FloBikes also marks the first time that Amaury Sport Organisation’s (A.S.O.) Tour de France™ will be available on a digital-only OTT platform in Canada. This means that fans who tune in to watch this prestigious event will be treated to a completely unique and exciting viewing experience curated specifically with cycling in mind. FloSports broadcast and content plans for this year’s race includes a comprehensive offering that will feature on-location reporting from expert cycling reporters, on-camera commentary and analysis from some of Canada’s most respected cyclist champions, dedicated cycling broadcast shows hosted by FloBikes editors featuring special guests, a concurrent French-language broadcast, live in-app watch parties hosted by prominent cycling journalists and athletes, and a brand new exclusive fantasy league that will be available to FloSports subscribers in both Canada and the United States. Subscribers outside of Canada will have full access to complete FloBikes’ Tour de France™ race news and editorial coverage, video highlights, interviews and other content as well. A full outline of the offering is below.
The Tour de France™ is the world’s biggest and most prestigious cycling event. The race features the top 22 cycling teams in the world as they compete for the sport’s highest honor over a grueling route of more than 3,500 kilometers. This year will present a unique challenge to the tour’s organizers where only a limited number of cycling fans will be permitted to watch the race in person due to crowd restrictions in place resulting from COVID-19 and therefore making the global broadcast of this event even more urgent and special for fans around the world. FloSports is proud to partner with A.S.O. to bring this incredible event to life to enthusiastic sports fans across Canada. Included in this year’s broadcast will be all 21 stages of the Tour (in both English and French), the team presentation as well as the women’s race, ‘La Course by Le Tour de France’ (in English only).
“FloSports has shown an unwavering commitment to cycling and we share their drive to transcribe thrills that transcend sporting disciplines,” says Yann Le Moenner, Managing Director A.S.O. “We are very pleased with the ambitious broadcast and editorial plan presented by FloBikes for this first year of our long-term partnership and are convinced they will carry - through innovative initiates - all the great storylines from the 2020 Tour de France to the Canadian audience whether French or English-speaking!”
“With the Tour de France approaching, FloSports wanted to demonstrate its commitment to the sport of cycling and our Canadian subscribers by presenting a comprehensive broadcast plan,” says Ryan Fenton, FloSports Director of Global Rights Acquisition. “We're bringing this prestigious event to Canadian fans in a way that's never been done before and we are proud to have a partner like A.S.O. who is so supportive of investments in technology and innovation to create a better viewing experience.”
FLOBIKES 2020 TOUR DE FRANCE™ BROADCAST & CONTENT OFFERING
On Location Reporting
In the age of COVID-19, local on-site reporting at sporting events has been challenging. FloBikes however will have its European-based International Correspondent, Gregor Brown, on the ground throughout each stage of the race to provide detailed, real-time coverage, commentary, on-the-spot interviews and informed analysis. Gregor Brown has covered races around the globe and in Europe for more than a decade. Brown honed his skills at CyclingNews and Cycle Sport magazine, and most recently, delivered news and videos for Cycling Weekly and VeloNews, as well as via his popular YouTube channel. Over the last two seasons, Brown has worked as a contributor delivering on-site content to FloBikes viewers at events including the Flanders Classics and Giro d'Italia.
On-Camera Commentary & Analysis Featuring Champion Canadian Cyclists Including Alex Stieda & Svein Tuft
Joining the FloBikes editorial team for this year’s Tour de France™ are two champion Canadian cyclists – Alex Stieda and Svein Tuft. Both athletes will provide post-event analysis with FloBikes editorial staff including Ian Dille and Michael Sheehan on the daily show, Ian & Friends, and will join in-app watch parties for interactive discussions with fans during select stages of the race. Alex Stieda hails from Vancouver, British Columbia and is one of Canada’s most respected cyclists. Stieda led five classifications of the Tour de France™ in 1986 - general, mountains, combination, intermediate sprints and young rider - becoming the first North American to lead the Tour de France™. He finished in 120th place, in his only Tour de France™, riding on the 7-Eleven - Hoonved Cycling Team. He also placed bronze in the 1982 Australian Commonwealth Games and competed at the 1984 Summer Olympics for his native country. At the 1983 Summer Universiade he won the bronze medal in the men's individual pursuit. He also competed in the individual pursuit and points race events at the 1984 Summer Olympics. Svein Tuft, from Langley, British Columbia, is a Canadian former road bicycle racer who rode professionally between 2005 and 2019 for the Symmetrics, Garmin–Transitions, SpiderTech–C10, Mitchelton–Scott and Rally UHC Cycling teams. Tuft was the winner of the 2006–07 UCI America Tour, and was a thirteen-time champion at the Canadian road cycling championships: twice in the road race, and eleven times in the time trial.
Dedicated Cycling Broadcast Shows
FloBikes Editor, Ian Dille, leads the conversation each day on Ian & Friends, a dedicated cycling show covering all the latest news and developments in the world of cycling. Throughout the Tour, Ian will be checking with Gregor Brown and other notable athletes to discuss how the world’s premier cycling event unfolds.
Concurrent French-Language Broadcast
In addition to the English-language broadcast, FloBikes will concurrently stream a French-language program for French-speaking cycling fans throughout Canada. Two internationally-recognized and respected cycling personalities will provide live on-air commentary and analysis this year including accomplished Canadian cyclist, Audrey Lemieux, and highly-respected announcer, Randy Ferguson. Audrey Lemieux is a former professional cyclist. She who has represented Canada at the World Championships and as a tandem pilot at the Paralympics. Sports journalist Randy Ferguson has commentated on five Summer and Winter Olympic Games and is the official announcer for the UCI Road Cycling World Championships, UCI Mountain Bike World Cups and World Championships. He has hosted and contributed to TV and radio shows in North America including CBC/Radio-Canada, Versus, Sportsnet, RDS, TVA and Global NESN.
Live In-App Watch Parties & Influencer Chats Hosted By Prominent FloSports Cycling Journalists & Canadian Athletes Including Mike Woods
FloSports is one of the first OTT platforms to offer unique and engaging in-app experiences including the brand new Watch Party feature integrated into the app by FloSports’ technology partner, LiveLike. The feature includes an on-screen chat function running alongside the live stream allowing fans to discuss the race with each other, hosts and celebrity athletes in real-time – analyzing the race, understanding more about each stage, the road conditions and quality and so much more. The feature also allows for a simultaneous secondary live stream with video of the hosts discussing the race and speaking with cycling fans live on-air – bringing an entirely new and unique experience to the Tour de France™ broadcast for the first time ever and only for Canadian fans! No other fans in any other country watching the Tour de France will have access to this feature. Highly-regarded Canadian cyclist Mike Woods will join select watch parties along with FloBikes editorial staff and other prominent athletes in the world of cycling. The Tour de France™ will come to life for Canadian fans like never before and only on the FloSports app.
Exclusive Tour de France™ Fantasy League
FloBikes subscribers in the United States and Canada will have exclusive access to compete in the 2020 Tour de France™ Fantasy League by Tissot. The fantasy league platform will be integrated with FloBikes website and will allow participants to select their Tour de France fantasy team of up to 8 riders comprised of this year’s competitors. Participants will select team captains and will earn points based on the real performance of their riders. They’ll also be able to compete against other players around the world or create their own private leagues and compete against friends. Prizes will be awarded to the top participants with the grand prize being VIP tickets to watch the final stage of the 2021 Tour de France™ race from the Champs-Elysees in Paris! Visit FloBikes to learn more.
A.S.O.’s partnership with FloBikes also provides Canadian subscribers access to more than 10 Grand Tour and World Tour events, including Paris-Roubaix, La Course by Le Tour de France, and the Vuelta a España over the next three years.
A.S.O. cycling events on FloBikes and the FloSports app between 2020-2023 include the following:
Grand Tours: Tour de France, Vuelta a España
UCI World Tour: Tour Down Under, Paris-Nice, Paris-Roubaix, Flèche Wallonne, Liège-Bastogne-Liège, Critérium du Dauphiné
UCI Women World Tour: La Course by Le Tour de France, Madrid Challenge by La Vuelta
UCI Asian/Europe Tour: Tour of Oman, Tour de Hongrie, Paris-Tours
The 2020 Tour de France™ and other A.S.O. events are just one piece of a robust cycling broadcast schedule for 2020 on the industry-leading FloBikes platform. Despite the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on the global cycling event schedule, FloBikes still has seen an incredibly successful start to the 2020 cycling season with average event viewership is up 352% over last year.
This year’s broadcast schedule has already included the Vuelta a Burgos, Milano-San Remo and The Criterium du Dauphine and still will see high profile cycling races such as the Tour de France™, Giro d’Italia, Men’s and Women’s Tour of Flanders, UCI Road World Championships, La Vuelta a España, DVV Trofee Cyclocross Series, and more to be announced.
To access live and on-demand coverage of these cycling events, visit FloBikes to become an annual PRO subscriber. The annual subscription unlocks access to premium content and live events across the entire FloSports network. Watch the events across all screens by downloading the FloSports app on Amazon Fire TV, Roku, Apple TV, the App Store, and Google Play Store.
Learn more at FloBikes or FloSports.
About Amaury Sport Organisation (A.S.O.)
Amaury Sport Organisation is a company that owns, designs, and organizes top international sporting events. Specialized in the “non-stadia” events, it has in-house knowledge of professions linked to organization, media, and sales of sports events. A.S.O. organizes 210 days of competition per year, with 75 events in 25 countries. A.S.O. is involved in five major sports, including cycling with Le Tour de France, motor sports with Le Dakar, sailing with Le Tour Voile, mass events with the Schneider Electric Marathon de Paris, and golf with the Lacoste Ladies Open de France. Amaury Sport Organisation is a subsidiary of the Amaury Group, a media and sport group that owns the newspaper L’Equipe.
About FloSports
Founded in 2006, FloSports is a venture-backed subscription video streaming service dedicated to sports, offering live and on-demand access to hundreds of thousands of competition events across 25+ vertical sport categories in the US and abroad. FloSports’ vision is to give underserved sports the love they deserve. With a growing library of more than 300,000 hours of premium content including news, expert commentary, films, documentaries and more, FloSports has established itself as an innovator and leader in sports streaming. Finally, your sport has a home. For more information, please visit: flosports.tv.
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at: https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/bdee79c1-778a-484a-b791-f575e47a093a
Contact Info
Victor Trevino
victor.trevino@flosports.tv