Universal Sports Network and Lagardère Unlimited announced plans for Beyond the Medals – The Business of Sport, a new, original sports program that provides viewers with an inside look at the world of Olympic sports.
Hosted by sports business expert Rick Horrow, the 18-episode one-hour magazine show will air on the third Wednesday of each month exclusively on Universal Sports Network beginning Jan. 21, 2015 at 7:30 p.m. ET. The series began production this week in Colorado Springs, CO. for the premiere episode which will feature an interview with U.S. Olympic Committee CEO Scott Blackmun and delve into the Olympic host city bid process.
Every month, Beyond the Medals – The Business of Sport will take an in-depth look at the economic, political and social stories affecting the Olympic sports industry on the road to the Rio Olympics. In each episode, Horrow will provide comprehensive analysis of a different sports business issue through interviews and features with key industry leaders, governing bodies, athletes and corporate sponsors.
A Universal Sports Original Production, Beyond the Medals – The Business of Sport not only examines the challenges and success stories surrounding Olympic sports, but it also takes a critical look at what these sports must do in order to thrive in today’s competitive market.
“The business of the Olympic movement, from bidding countries and cities to governing bodies of sport, are all stories that need to be told,” said Universal Sports Network SVP of Content & Communications Robert James. “Viewers will learn first-hand from the decision makers and become knowledgeable fans about the sports they hold dear. Beyond the Medals – The Business of Sport will provide fascinating insight and a perspective never before shared, while complementing Universal Sports in-depth event coverage.”
“Lagardère Unlimited is delighted to be partnering with Universal Sports on this fascinating `insider’s perspective of the Olympic business. Beyond the Medals goes beyond the Games and inside the sports business stories that impact the athletes and the companies that support them,” said co-executive producer Dennis Spencer, executive vice president of Lagardère Unlimited Media. “We will utilize our global footprint and rich media tradition to ensure a compelling series.”
Host and co-executive producer Horrow is Chairman of Horrow Sports Ventures and the architect of more than 100 deals worth more than $20 billion in sports and infrastructure projects. Horrow pioneered the public/private partnership concepts that have enticed more than $4 billion in corporate funding to urban development projects. A television veteran with successful sports business programs for Bloomberg, Versus, Fox Sports and PBS under his belt, he is also Harvard Law School Visiting Expert on sports law.
“In my infrastructure development and TV work, in addition to focusing on domestic and international `stick and ball sports I have had the privilege of covering the Olympic Games, from Sydney to London, Torino to Sochi,” Horrow said. “I am particularly excited that Beyond the Medals will give me the opportunity to dive deeper into the Olympic world, bringing all of my expertise and experience full circle.”
Universal Sports Network provides viewers with unparalleled access to a wide range of world-class sporting events, including the most year-round, Olympic-related programming of any network. The network showcases many of the world’s best athletes competing in more than 40 sports, and in 2015 will be the home to more than 25 world championships including such prestigious competitions as the FIS Alpine World Ski Championships, FINA World Aquatics Championships, IAAF World Championships, Boston Marathon and the highly-anticipated IRB Rugby World Cup.
About Universal Sports
Universal Sports, a partnership between NBC Sports and InterMedia Partners, LP, is the premier multi-platform media destination for Olympic-related sports programming in the United States. Offering more than 1,200 hours of original programming each year, Universal Sports has exclusive rights to world and national championship events in a wide array of sports, including swimming, track and field, gymnastics, cycling, skiing, figure skating and rugby. Whether on television, online, or on the go with mobile and tablet applications, Universal Sports offers a four-screen experience to fans of global sports every day of the year. For more information, please visit UniversalSports.com.
About Lagardère Unlimited
Lagardère Unlimited, a division of the Lagardère Group, is a world-leading sports and entertainment agency. As part of a network of more than 22,500 employees working across 30 countries worldwide, Lagardère Unlimited draws on its extensive global reach and deep understanding of the industry to develop strategies that connect brands with consumers through access to unique sports and entertainment properties. By leveraging its depth and breadth of experience, Lagardère Unlimited provides best-in-class counsel that works to identify and maximize opportunities in the areas of Events, Talent, Stadium & Arena, Consulting, Media, and Academies.
