Zug, Switzerland/ Rome, Italy – Television coverage of the 2010 HANNspree FIM Superbike World Championship, organized and promoted by Infront Sports & Media, has increased its audience by 33% compared to 2009 figures. With more than 3,000 broadcast hours this year’s edition of the world’s leading production-based bike racing championship reached a cumulative audience of 498 million motor sport fans worldwide and provided excellent returns for the sponsors involved. The online demand is also on the rise, with the official website seeing a 30% increase of unique visitors compared to 2009. Broadcast coverage in 175 countries The 2010 FIM Superbike World Championship visited prestigious circuits across four continents and was broadcast in a total of 175 countries. Besides Italy, where the series is a constant in the annual sports calendar, audience figures were remarkable across Asia, as well as in South Africa, Australia, Brazil and the UK. Overall live TV coverage also increased by 18%. This year’s series was broadcast across 94 channels such as Eurosport (Europe), ESPN STAR Sports (Asia), SuperSport (Africa), Speed Channel (USA) and Al Jazeera (Middle East), totalling at 3,015 broadcast hours worldwide. On average, each of the 13 rounds generated 223 hours of coverage and was watched by a cumulative audience of 40 million people. More than 35 million visits on www.worldsbk.com The increasing popularity of the FIM Superbike World Championship is not only indicated by the TV figures, but also by the growing demand for additional online content. The www.worldsbk.com website is today a state-of-the-art reference point for all news and data related to the series. Fans appreciate the new design and improved navigation as well as the real time information given and the video streams. As a result, the number of unique visitors reached 4 million in 2010, while total visits have also increased to over 35 million. The interaction between SBK and its fans is also on the rise on other new media platforms. The official SBK channel on YouTube saw a total of 11.6 million video views and the SBK fan group on Facebook is constantly growing, therefore further multiplying the scope of the series. Enhanced value for sponsors Be it on television or online, the increasing popularity of the FIM Superbike World Championship is good news – not only for the sport and its fans, but also for the partners involved. In the 2010 season, Title Sponsor HANNspree and Top Sponsors Pirelli and Alfa Romeo each received over 400 hours of brand exposure from television coverage. The various opportunities for online interaction further enhance the contact between fans and brands. Paolo Flammini, CEO of Infront Motor Sports said: “The worldwide broadcast distribution and audience figures for the 2010 FIM Superbike World Championship clearly demonstrate the value of the series as a communication platform for established as well as upcoming brands. Its growing fan base and outreach of the motor sport series provide sponsors with an effective platform for targeting an attractive demographic within sport.” Extended HD coverage with on-board cameras The 2011 season will consist of 13 rounds starting on 27 February in Phillip Island, Australia. As promoter of the motor sport series, Infront handles not only the media and marketing rights, but also oversees the new media and host broadcast production of the series. In 2011, the TV audience can look forward to extended HD coverage, including the introduction of new on-board cameras adding even greater excitement for the audience as they experience the fast on track action from the viewpoint of the rider. About FIM Superbike World Championship FIM Superbike World Championship is the leading road racing World Championship using production-based motorcycles. The series is one of the sport’s fastest growing and most promising properties; popular with fans, manufacturers, broadcasters and commercial partners. It is promoted by Infront Motor Sports in Rome, the motor sports division of the Infront Group and sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM). The 2011 season will be the 24th in the history of the series.