Gravity Media appointed broadcast partner for Sub7 and Sub8 Project

Mana Sports and Entertainment Group has named Gravity Media as the broadcast partner for the Pho3nix Sub7 and Sub8 Project, set to take place on 5 to 6 June 2022 at the Dekra Lausitzring in Germany.

Gravity Media’s pedigree spans the inaugural Super League Triathlon broadcast at Hamilton Island and Ironman documentaries, as well as providing production teams to service large projects such as the Olympic Games and technical provision for global broadcasts such as the Australian, US, and French Opens.

The broadcast requires top-notch production capability to showcase the audacious attempts of Alistair Brownlee and Kristian Blummenfelt to go under seven hours and Nicola Spirig and Lucy Charles-Barclay to go under eight hours over the demanding full distance of triathlon.

The Sub7 and Sub8 Project involves a 9.5-hour live broadcast: eight hours of live racing bookended with pre- and post-show content, featuring a host of guests, pre-recorded content and technical analysis. The broadcast will be globally available for free via streams on sub7sub8.com, as well as on the Pho3nix Foundation YouTube and Facebook platforms.

With a new standard of human physical achievement likely to be set, the live broadcast will also be supported by a widely distributed one-hour highlights programme to tell the story purely from the athletes’ perspective and cover the full lead-up and race week experience.

“It’s a pleasure for Gravity Media to be working alongside Mana Group to bring the Sub 7 Sub 8 Project to global screens,” said Mike Purcell, head of production for Gravity Media in Australia. “This innovative and gruelling triathlon world record event will be matched by our innovative broadcast technology to engage fans through interactivity and immersion by being put in the athletes’ shoes through backstories and on-screen race data analytics.”

Pho3nix Foundation board member and Mana CEO Chris McCormack said: “Gravity Media and Mana’s senior leadership team have a long track record of collaborating on world-class, innovative broadcast productions, including the development of the inaugural Super League Hamilton Island broadcast. Gravity Media is a willing partner who shares our vision, is willing to challenge the norm and has a thirst for entertainment-led sports productions. We can’t think of a better partner to bring this extraordinary attempt to screens across the globe.”