India’s Tata Communications has announced a five-year agreement to provide host broadcasting services for the World Athletics Series of events, starting in 2025. This strategic partnership aims to revolutionise the coverage and audience engagement for athletics events on a global scale.
Elevating Global Athletics Coverage
The collaboration between Tata Communications and World Athletics is set to commence in a significant year for the sport, which includes the World Athletics Indoor Championships in Nanjing in March, the World Athletics Relays in Guangzhou in May, the World Athletics Road Running Championships in San Diego in September, and the marquee World Athletics Championships in Tokyo from September 13-21, 2025. The World Athletics Championships, a flagship event, attracts a global viewing audience of one billion people.
Dhaval Ponda, Global Head of Media & Entertainment Business at Tata Communications, expressed his excitement about the partnership, stating, “It is an exciting time of new content and changing viewer demands. We offer the global footprint and scalable, resilient solutions necessary to carry these stories from arenas directly to viewers, whether from the UK, Tokyo, USA, or beyond.”
“Tata Communications is ideally placed as a global connectivity provider to help World Athletics meet its ambition of bringing athletics and inspirational stories to fans around the world.”
Part of the Tata Group, Tata Communications is a global digital ecosystem enabler operating in more than 190 countries and territories. The company provides collaboration and connected solutions, core and next-gen connectivity, cloud hosting, security solutions, and media services, serving 300 Fortune 500 companies and connecting businesses to 80% of the world’s cloud giants.
Transformative Broadcasting Capabilities
Under this agreement, Tata Communications will serve as the host broadcaster for World Athletics, responsible for delivering customized, world-class live content to broadcasters across continents. This role includes creating immersive coverage for World Athletics events globally and enabling broadcasters to enhance the viewer experience with localized regional feeds.
The company’s global media platform, supported by a video native edge platform and application stack, will ensure reliable end-to-end coverage for the sport’s extensive calendar of international events.
World Athletics President Sebastian Coe commented on the partnership, “World Athletics is committed to increasing the reach of the sport across the world.”
“Tata Communications shares this vision with us and will support our initiatives within India, helping us to bring the vibrancy of global athleticism to screens and inspire the next generation of sporting excellence.”
World Athletics, the international governing body for athletics (track & field and running events), aims to use the power and accessibility of athletics to create a healthier and fitter world. With 214 national athletics federations, World Athletics works closely with these federations and local organizing committees to stage major international athletics events, engaging fans globally.
Sustainability and Innovation
Beyond broadcasting, Tata Communications and World Athletics are united in their commitment to sustainability. The partnership will leverage technology to advance World Athletics’ sustainability efforts, which are central to its future strategy.
Ponda emphasized this aspect, saying,
“As we bring the vibrancy of global athleticism to screens, I’m eager to see those stories inspire the next generation of Indian sporting excellence while also promoting sustainability.”
Impact on the Global Sports Landscape
This deal signifies a major step for Tata Communications in the realm of sports broadcasting, enhancing the company’s profile as a leader in digital transformation and connectivity solutions. By integrating cutting-edge technology and innovative broadcasting methods, Tata Communications aims to elevate the experience of athletics fans worldwide.
The partnership also reflects a broader trend of increased collaboration between technology providers and sports organizations, aimed at leveraging digital solutions to enhance fan engagement and operational efficiency.
With this partnership, Tata Communications and World Athletics are set to transform the global athletics landscape, bringing innovative and engaging content to fans around the world and promoting a sustainable future for the sport.
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