Host Broadcast Services (HBS)
Infront’s role as host broadcaster of the 2010 and 2014 FIFA World Cups™ could best be summarised as “from pitch to home viewer.” It includes every aspect of the production of the signal for the event and is doubly important as like South Africa, Brazil will need and welcome the proven expertise that we can provide.
HBS’s responsibilities are considerable. They include filming and transmitting the signal, as well as providing broadcasters with unilateral production, transmission and commentary facilities and services. Also building out the International Broadcast Centre (IBC), as well as the multi-lateral and unilateral broadcast facilities at the IBC and all stadiums where matches are played.
In logistical terms, HBS takes on a huge task. It has a core team, which defines the FIFA World Cup™ project in management terms by putting thousands of tasks into charts, tables and dedicated software, cutting every area into manageable units and then creating the interfaces to make sure that the project works as a whole.
For the 2010 FIFA World Cup™ in South Africa, there was a field force of approximately 2,500 international and local team members working countrywide. These teams work from blueprints designed by the HBS core team and are tested at various events, in the months and weeks leading up to the main event.
www.hbs.tv
Football Media Services (FMS)
FMS is a joint venture established between two of FIFA’s long-term partners, Infront Sports & Media and Dentsu, the Japan-based advertising company.
The joint venture company is headquartered in Singapore, where it carries out the marketing activities as FIFA's exclusive sales representative for the Asian region. The rights included in the appointment are in the categories of television, radio, broadband internet and mobile broadcasting in the key Asian territories.
www.footballmediaservices.com
Broadcaster Servicing
On behalf of FIFA, Infront’s broadcaster servicing team looked after all Media Rights Licensees (MRLs) for the 2010 FIFA World Cup™, ensuring that contracts were implemented correctly, handling liaison on bookable services and providing a first point of contact at the venues. The experienced team built the link between broadcasters and the production operation. For the 2006 FIFA World Cup™ Infront also handled all accredited broadcast journalists and crew members of around 500 Media Rights Licensees.