7th February 2013. While last September Sky Italia 3D, the only Italian stereoscopic channel celebrated its first birthday with a stunning success of subscribers and an incredible number of Sports Events broadcast in 3D in 12 months, Sky Italia is amidst a very rich tv schedule 2012/2013 on its many sports channels.
The sports offer is definitely huge, with the entire channel line up in HD (Sky Sport 1HD, 2HD, 3HD, Sport24, Sport Extra HD, Super Calcio HD) and is officially considered an “endless season” capable of exploiting all newest and exciting technologies as per production and transmission.
The main course is obviously football, and National Serie A, with main matches at least one per weekend and over 900 live broadcast hours among matches, in deep analysis and other programs like “Diretta gol” (6 shows in 7 days during weeks with Champions League and Europa League).
“The A Series is “still our main Production”, says Riccardo Botta, Head of Sport Productions and Operations; “we are relying on multilateral production feed produced by Lega Serie A using SkyItalia’ Directors and producers. Matches have on average 12 HD Cameras coverage; we are often sending there an OB-Van of ours unilateral integration to provide Sky Clients with a unique experience (Locker Room Footage, exclusive interviews, E-Motion cam, Electronic Off-Side + Tactical analysis) and to exploit our exclusive Rights”
As per last season's share, let's point out that 10 Serie A matches on SKY registered over 2 million viewers, just like Inter Milan-Inter Derby (the most followed with average 3 mln and over 4 mln counted only once viewers) and Juventus-Milan with a record share of 10,3%.
Thanks to a 3 year agreement with Lega Calcio, Italian Serie B (Bwin), is being broadcast from Sky Italy in all 470 matches in “Campionato”, Play Off and Play Out. Bwin matches will be available in PPV on various “Calcio” channels of the platform within on demand service called “Primafila”, while every Saturday a 4 hour tv marathon (from 2 to 6 PM) allows all subscribers of Sport and Calcio bouquets to follow the most significant B match of the day in HD with extended coverage.
Riccardo Botta says: “All bwin programs are obviously aired in HD just like any other SKY Sports channels programs.
In this new sports tv season SKY is following international soccer championship with 255 live matches from Premier League, and 34 matches from Coppa Libertadores, plus challenges of UEFA Europa League (xxx matches) siding those of UEFA Champions League (yyy matches), up to the final challenges in 2013, Amsterdam Arena (Europa League) and at London Wembley Stadium (Champions League).
Riccardo Botta specifies: “During Champions League matches played in Italy we also act as host broadcaster and the tv program is produced by 17 cameras plus slow motion and highlight equipments”
Rugby also remains important in Sky Sport coverage with all the matches of Heineken cup (6 produced in Italy) and full coverage of 6 Nations. In November an extra guft for subscribers was represented by LIVE Coverage of test match between Italia and New Zealand.
SKY Italy is on field also for the great Tennis challenge Paris-Bercy, almost 100 hours live on 2 dedicated channels Sky Sport 1 and Sky Sport 3 HD; and in the ATP Master Final from London Sky Sport has also produced “La Grande Sfida” tennis match from Milan.
Riccardo ends: “Started from Sunday 28th October, Cielo started “Cielo Che Gol” is border line for us -between sport and entertainment- because of production synergies with Sky Sport Operations: it is shot in Studio 6 at Milan Santa Giulia headquarters in an area of around 600 smq.”
