TVA Group’s new specialty channel, TVA Sports, will start broadcasting throughout Quebec at the beginning of the fall 2011 season and InterBox will be a big part of it. Pierre-Karl Péladeau, President and CEO of Quebecor and Quebecor Media, and Pierre Dion, President and CEO of TVA Group, officially announced the launch this morning, surrounded by sports executives, athletes and some of the prestigious channel’s future personalities. Mr. Péladeau wore an “IBF Champion” cap during the press conference that was signed for him by Lucian Bute the night Lucian won the IBF World title (October 19th 2007).
TVA Sports has signed an agreement with InterBox under which it will broadcast some live fights as well as replays of classic match-ups that thrilled boxing fans over the last 14 years of InterBox’s existence. Audiences will also get exclusive content, interviews, backstage visits and training reports on boxers such as Lucian Bute and blue chip prospect Pier-Olivier Cote.
Jean Bedard, CEO of InterBox, Eric Lucas, former WBC super middleweight champion (2001-2003), Lucian Bute, undefeated current IBF super middleweight champion and Pier-Olivier Cote, one InterBox’s brightest stars, attended this big announcement in Montreal as honored guests.
TVA has broadcast some of the biggest fights in the history of InterBox. They presented Eric Lucas vs Markus Beyer in 2003. They also aired Lucian Bute vs Alejandro Berrio in October 2007. That night, Lucian Bute became the IBF super middleweight champion. 1.2 million people tuned in to watch that fight. In February 2008, for the first title defense of Lucian Bute vs William Joppy, TVA drew an audience of 1.1 million people.
TVA Sports has also signed long-term agreements with a good number of leading sports organizations for broadcast rights to some of the most popular sporting events: Ottawa Senators Hockey (NHL), Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), Toronto Blue Jays (MLB), Champions League Soccer (UEFA), Champions Tour Montreal (Golf), Velirium of Quebec and Quebec Open Jeep (Beach Volleyball).
Drawing on Quebecor Media’s resources
The majority of InterBox’s events will still be PPV, but TVA Sports will help create a build-up and promotion before each major fight. TVA Sports intends to draw on the force of Quebecor Media, one of Canada’s largest media companies, wherever possible: “Our well-known convergence strategy is an effective and attractive way to offer television viewers the best content,” said Pierre Karl Péladeau during the press conference this morning. “TVA Sports will be able to count not only on the resources of TVA and LCN, but also Le Journal de Montréal and Le Journal de Québec, all our dailies and community newspapers across the country, and the QMI Agency.”
“Our closeness to the audience, our ability to bring people together, our unflinching opinions and our commitment to being first with the news will set TVA Sports apart,” said Pierre Dion. “I am confident that our sports news team, managed by Serge Fortin, director of TVA News and the QMI Agency will captivate sports fans on all delivery channels: television, Internet, mobiles and tablets.”
InterBox and Groupe Sportscene President Mr. Jean Bédard is extremely happy to be associated with such a prestigious group as TVA. “There is a lot of rich history between TVA and InterBox. They have always been there for us, and have always demonstrated a strong interest in our Organization. We look forward to helping them build one of the best sports channels in Quebec”.
