(21 February 2008 3:00 pm)

MUMBAI: GlobeCast has extended the deal with IEC to provide sports marketing agencies with contribution and distribution services until December 2009, bringing the relationship up to the 10 year mark. The partnership began in 2000.

As part of the deal, more than 3,000 hours of live programming from more than 250 sporting events will be distributed worldwide each year via GlobeCast's content delivery network, with facilities on offer including downlink, uplink, capacity, encoding and encryption as well as station facilities.

IEC in sports has become a big name in the acquisition and distribution of sports television programming and GlobeCast has adapted its solutions to fit with the company's changing requirements and portfolio.

IEC is the official television agent for a number of sports governing bodies including the world swimming association (FINA), International Volleyball Federation (FIVB), International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) and Badminton World Federation (BWF). It supplys feeds of sporting events to broadcasters across the globe, including major broadcasters NBC, TV Globo, CCTV, Fuji Television, PCCW, Al-Jazeera and Eurosport etc.

GlobeCast is also responsible for the European and Asian distribution of IEC's four weekly television productions - World of Athletics, World of Tennis, FINA Aquatics World and Road to Beijing.