36th America’s Cup to be broadcast by new production company for 2021 event

Austrian production company West4Media and German broadcast manufacturer Riedel Communications have joined forces to create circle-o Broadcast Productions, a new company that will produce TV coverage of the 36th America’s Cup.

Making the announcement about circle-o Broadcast Productions is (L to R) Werner Eksler, Jürgen Eckstein, and Thomas Riedel with Charlie Webster (host)

In 2021, the America’s Cup will set sail toward Auckland, New Zealand. The battle for America’s Cup, the oldest international sporting trophy, pits the world’s most renowned yacht clubs against each other in a series of thrilling races.

To win the right to challenge the title defender from New Zealand, one team must come out on top at the prestigious Prada Cup qualifying races in spring 2021.

In a global call for tenders, West4Media and Riedel Communications prevailed in their bid for the production rights to the America’s Cup, including the America’s Cup World Series and the renowned Prada Cup.

Their bid was a technically and substantially innovative 360-degree concept that combines live TV production and race management systems to bring the live coverage of yacht racing to a new level.

West4Media and Riedel Communications have nearly 60 years of combined experience with major sporting events. Between them, they have six sports production Emmy Awards.

As specialists in broadcast production, camera technology, and communications, West4Media and Riedel Communications have further honed their skills by broadcasting and producing events such as Formula 1, summer and winter games, Red Bull Air Races, and the Red Bull Stratos Jump.

“This production is a tremendous challenge. We approach it with great anticipation, but also with great respect,” said Werner Eksler, circle-o MD and co-founder of West4Media. “It is an incredible privilege to have the opportunity to produce the 36th America’s Cup.“

In order to bring the audience closer to the races than ever before, a team of circle-o developers is already hard at work on new products and technologies for the 36th America’s Cup. These include innovative camera solutions, entirely new audio technologies and techniques, and real-time visualisations.

“The extreme conditions in sailing present us with many new challenges in sports production,” said Thomas Riedel, CEO, Riedel Communications. “Showing a penalty kick in a stadium is a lot easier than capturing the activity onboard monohull sailboats moving at 80 kilometres per hour on the open sea. But that’s why I’m all the more excited to embark on this voyage!”

“For the first time in the history of America’s Cup television coverage, technical innovation and creative content will be interwoven in a way that offers a truly cinematic view of this fascinating event,” added Jürgen Eckstein, MD at circle-o.

“Audiences can expect to see unconventional approaches and extraordinary vantage points that will make them feel like part of the action.”