SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO, CA (BRAIN)—Interbike has entered into new sponsorship and technical partnership agreements for its Media Center, a working news room on the show floor of the 2009 Interbike International Bicycle Expo, which runs from September 23-25, 2009 in Las Vegas at the Sands Expo and Convention Center.
Amgen Tour of California will be the title sponsor of the Media Center, and Universal Sports and Inside Cycling TV will provide the production and technical experience to provide live streaming and on-demand video content from the Media Center's TV studio.
"Because of the incredible demand from the cycling community for news of what's going on at Interbike, it's developed into an amazingly vibrant and dynamic news hub at the show," said Rich Kelly, Interbike marketing manager. "It's really exciting to see the constant flow of endemic and non-endemic print, online and video media professionals using it to report on the trends and product innovations they see at the show."
The Media Center was launched at the 2006 Interbike International Bicycle Expo. The 2009 Amgen Tour of California Media Center, powered by Universal Sports and Inside Cycling TV, will be a 30- x 70-foot booth, which includes a media work room and a TV studio interview area for media companies or exhibiting manufacturers to conduct, record or broadcast news about new products, celebrities, panel discussions, advocacy, etc.
Universal Sports will stream live content from Interbike through Interbike.com and UniversalSports.com. Universal Sports, a partnership between NBC Sports and InterMedia Partners, is the preeminent multi-platform destination for Olympic and lifestyle sports programming. With more than 1 million unique visitors per month to UniversalSports.com, this partnership will provide added exposure to exhibitors' products at the show.
"We are excited to partner with Interbike and Inside Cycling TV to power the Amgen Tour of California Media Center at Interbike," said Carlos Silva, president and chief operating officer of Universal Sports. "The Interbike Media Center is a successful trade show feature and something we've wanted to be a part of for a long time. There's no better place to showcase our company's reach and promote our ever-growing amount of cycling coverage."
Universal Sports will also host a viewing lounge in the lower lobby level next to registration in the Sands Expo and Convention Center. The lounge will include seating areas, free coffee, and TV monitors showcasing cycling events on Universal Sports television network, including the primetime premieres of the UCI Road World Championships, as well as encore presentations of the 2009 Giro d'Italia and Vuelta a España grand tours.
Inside Cycling TV, a division of Monde Productions, will provide the studio equipment and staff to help produce more than 12 hours of live online video streaming programming from TV studio users. Programming content will come from such news outlets as Dirt Rag, Quickrelease.tv, Rodale Publications, The Spokesmen and VeloNews, as well as industry/business related content from Bikes Belong Coalition, Bicycle Products Suppliers Association and from Interbike's own program Good Morning Interbike.
"We're looking forward to providing technical assistance to this year's Media Center TV studio," said Kevin Smith, founder and chief executive officer of Inside Cycling TV. "Our goals are to help studio users produce entertaining and informative show coverage, provide added value to exhibitor's show efforts and to create a multimedia experience for viewers during and post Interbike."
Interbike's Kelly adds, "Universal Sports' reputation as one of the premier distributors of sports programming, Inside Cycling TV's in-studio technical know-how, Amgen Tour of California's sponsorship of this year's Media Center, along with content provided by users of the TV studio, will provide some of the best Interbike coverage to date and valuable exposure opportunities for Interbike exhibitors."
Amgen Tour of California Media Center
Powered by Universal Sports and InsideCycling.tv
Broadcast Schedule
Wednesday, September 23
8:30 - 9:00 a.m. Good Morning Interbike
10:00 - 10:30 a.m. Bicycle Leadership Conference
11:00 - 11:30 a.m. Amgen Tour of California
12:00 - 12:30 p.m. Universal Sports & Insidecycling.tv
1:00 - 1:30 p.m. The Spokesmen
2:00 - 2:30 p.m. Rodale Publications
4:00 - 4:30 p.m. Dirt Rag
Thursday, September 24
8:30 - 9:00 a.m. Good Morning Interbike
10:00 - 10:30 a.m. Quickrelease.tv
11:00 - 11:30 a.m. Amgen Tour of California
12:00 - 12:30 p.m. Universal Sports & Insidecycling.tv
1:00 - 1:30 p.m. Rodale Publications
2:00 - 2:30 p.m. VeloNews
3:00 - 3:30 p.m. Bikes Belong Coalition
4:00 - 4:30 p.m. Dirt Rag
Friday, September 25
8:30 - 9:00 a.m. Good Morning Interbike
10:00 - 10:30 a.m. VeloNews
12:00 - 12:30 p.m. Universal Sports & Insidecycling.tv
4:00 - 4:30 p.m. Dirt Rag
