29th April, 2012
DTM on the ARD at least until 2014 - option for another year
DTM
Positive news for the fans of the most popular international touring car series during this weekend’s season opener of the DTM at the Hockenheimring: the long-standing co-operation between DTM rights holder and promoter ITR e.V. and television partner ARD was extended for another two years. Thus, DTM coverage will be broadcast on the first German TV channel at least until the end of 2014, without any commercial breaks and with a significantly extended coverage concept. Moreover, parties agreed on an option for 2015.
“Long-term partnerships are an important factor for the DTM’s success. Certainly, this also applies to the television coverage of our series”, says Hans Werner Aufrecht, chairman of the ITR e.V. “In Germany, television viewers know that they are on the front row with the ARD as far as the DTM is concerned. This will remain the case in the years to come, too, and even more so, because the ARD will significantly increase its activities around the DTM.”
“I am delighted that we were again able to secure the rights for this premium product once more and thus can continue our long-standing successful partnership with the DTM. We will continue to push, so that motorsport fans will also enjoy our comprehensive coverage of this great race series, which promises even more excitement because of the involvement by BMW as the third manufacturer, in the coming years”, says ARD programme director Volker Herres. He also points out the significance of the co-operation for the ARD: “The DTM is a major part of our varied coverage of sports events during the summer. Coverage of other sports like swimming, athletics, triathlon or rowing also benefit from the huge interest for the DTM.”
Since the re-start of the DTM in the year 2000, the ARD has been involved as a television partner. Since the 2005 season, the ARD has held the exclusive rights for the live-coverage of the DTM in Germany. Last season, the ARD showed all the live-footage from the DTM’s qualifying sessions and races in high-definition quality for the first time. With top-class broadcasting technology, state-of-the-art camera equipment and professional expertise, the ARD is bringing the fascination of the successful touring car series on the screens. In the process, the thrilling on-track battles are captured in the same way as the detailed work in the pitlane or the emotions during the prize-giving ceremony. Personality stories, interesting features and technical insights round out the DTM coverage on the ARD. Moreover, the ARD provides top-class musical entertainment in the paddock during the DTM events in Germany with the popular DTM Chartshow.
