The new company, to be called FIS Marketing AG, will be based in Switzerland, and will be headed by Christian Pirzer, chief executive of Tridem Sports. Tridem is a Swiss-based sports marketing agency which currently handles the commercial rights of the FIS Alpine and Nordic World Ski Championships in 2011 and 2013 on behalf of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU). FIS is the majority shareholder, with Infront and Tridem holding the remaining shares as equal partners.
FIS Marketing AG will be run as a separate entity, with its own staff, and will be responsible for enhancing the value of FIS marketing rights, developing sponsorship projects, and providing an improved service to existing FIS partners.
The rights it will control include FIS World Cup title sponsorships and data/timing packages across all disciplines.
FIS president Gian Franco Kasper said: “This is a milestone in the history of FIS. It represents the realization of a long-standing intention to strengthen our marketing expertise and resources, in order to exploit the commercial rights to our flagship events to the full benefit of the sport.
“This is a win-win proposition for all parties involved. Equally importantly, it will deliver tangible benefits for the commercial partners of skiing. FIS remains in full control of its rights while taking advantage of external, specialist know-how from tried and trusted partners.”
