More than 125 hours of live tv production planned for 11 days of competitions

Milan, 10 January 2025 – There are just three days to go until the opening ceremony in Turin, which will kick off the XXXII edition of the ‘FISU World University Winter Games’ (scheduled in Piedmont, Italy, from 13 to 23 January 2025).

The World University Winter Games, an event historically under the aegis of the FISU (International University Sports Federation), will be held in Piedmont, involving not only Piedmont’s capital city but also five other municipalities (Bardonecchia, Pinerolo, Pragelato, Sestriere and Torre Pellice). More than 2,000 student-athletes from 57 nations will compete in 9 different winter disciplines during the 11 days of competitions.

The international event

More specifically, Turin’s Palavela will host the short track and figure skating competitions, while the women’s ice hockey tournament and the men’s semi-finals and finals will be held on rink 1 of the PalaTazzoli (also in the Piedmont capital), in addition to the men’s and women’s curling tournaments on rink 2. The men’s hockey preliminaries will be held in the arenas of Torre Pellice (municipality of the metropolitan city of Turin) and Pinerolo, while the municipality of Bardonecchia will host alpine skiing, freestyle skiing, and snowboarding. Pragelato will host biathlon, cross-country skiing, and ski-orienteering competitions, while the spectacular discipline of ski mountaineering will be staged on the slopes of Sestriere.

Then, for the first time in the history of the Universiade (starting with this XXXII edition), able-bodied student-athletes and para student-athletes will compete on the same slopes in the disciplines of alpine and cross-country skiing (Standing, Sitting and Visually Impaired categories).

A strategic collaboration

EMG Italy, part of the EMG / Gravity Media group, leader in broadcasting and media production services at national and international level, confirms its support to FISU. In this new edition of the Winter Games, it aims at guaranteeing a high level of production and quality of the final product, to attract the largest number of winter sports enthusiasts (replicating what was already a positive success at the last event held in Italy, the 2019 Naples Summer Games).

Also,  for Torino 2025, EMG / Gravity Media Italy will act as the service provider selected for the supply of the broadcast media, all the directors and assistants for the sports coverage of all disciplines, as well as the specialised personnel and logistics (for the entire coverage of the event). The EMG / Gravity Media team will also provide live graphics services, time keeping (in cooperation with its partner Microplus) and the production of the event’s official opening title sequence.

Part of the strategic success for this TV production, is the distribution of the international ‘feed’, intended for rights holders, based at the TOC held in EMG / Gravity Media’s Italy’s Broadcast Center in Cologno Monzese (Milan). Finally, the Lingotto in Turin will host the MOC (Media Operation Centre) facilities.

Production commitment

EMG / Gravity Media Italy, in conjunction with this international multi-sport event, will field 150 professionals in different crews covering all indoor and outdoor venues. Six Unit Managers and a Project Manager are expected to coordinate all the activities necessary for the various live television productions of the Winter Games.

In total, the production schedule will include  over 125 hours of live coverage, guaranteeing rich coverage across all the event phases.    Allowing audiences to fully immerse themselves into the action, the use of drones is planned for   events,  including the Biathlon races and the Closing Ceremony. EMG / Gravity Media will also provide FISU with strategic advisory services, given its many years of experience in winter sports production and distribution.

Claudio Cavallotti – Managing Director of EMG / Gravity Media  Italy says: ‘Working closely with FISU, we have been engaged for several months in organising the TV production of the Winter Games, i. After the positive experience gained during the summer edition of Naples 2019, an even more impressive technological effort is planned for Torino 2025. In addition to this, as with all sporting events, we want to guarantee a high level of production and high quality final product, with the support of a team of highly experienced professionals. We aim to confirm EMG / Gravity Media Italy as a reliable partner for FISU, with the help of the most advanced technologies currently in the market’.

EMG / Gravity Media in Italy and Infront have recently renewed their contract, representing a strategic agreement that strengthens a long-standing collaboration.

This new deal covers the production of FIS World Cup events for the 2024/2025 and 2025/2026 seasons, providing Infront Productions—the division of Infront that manages sports event production—with the tools and resources to cover disciplines such as alpine skiing, Nordic skiing, and freestyle & snowboarding in Italy and France.

The agreement represents a significant commitment, both in organisational and production terms, positioning EMG / Gravity Media Italy as a benchmark for technical excellence in the production of winter sports events.

Strategic Partnership with Infront

Claudio Cavallotti, Managing Director  of EMG / Gravity Media in Italy, stated: “This contract renewal consolidates the relationship between EMG / Gravity Media Italy and Infront, strengthening a partnership that combines technical expertise and strategic vision. This synergy ensures high production standards and enhances sports events, offering viewers a top-tier visual experience. We rely on cutting-edge technologies and impeccable organisation that merge experience, innovation, and the ability to manage complex operations in challenging environments. Alongside Infront Productions and through this renewed partnership, EMG / Gravity Media Italy reaffirms its central role in the TV production of winter sports events, especially in preparation for the upcoming 2026 Winter Games.”

Organizational Aspects

“As always, the logistical and production commitment is substantial,” Cavallotti continued. “We will produce 27 events in just three months (December, January, and February). Despite this challenge, we aim to ensure consistency and quality across all operational phases.”

The organisation involves a significant number of professionals:

Focus on Key Events

Highlights of the season include the Bormio stages with men’s Downhill and Super G races, and Cortina’s two thrilling women’s speed events, Downhill and Super G. Both locations will also serve as preludes to the Milan Cortina competitions. In addition to these prestigious events, Nordic skiing competitions in the historic Italian locations of Val di Fiemme and Dobbiaco will take place during the Christmas period. Dobbiaco will host four stages, while Val di Fiemme will welcome three, including the spectacular climb to Alpe Cermis, an iconic feature of the Tour de Ski.

Antoine Bulos, Unit Manager for the event, commented: “The Tour de Ski production will be particularly demanding. There are seven races in just one week, spanning New Year’s Day to Epiphany. Advanced technologies will be heavily used, including 33 cameras for the Val di Fiemme stage, as well as RF cameras, steady-cams for complete and exciting coverage, and signals from cable cams, drones, and helicopter-mounted cameras.”

Festive Period Challenges and Resources

Each year, EMG / Gravity Media Italy involves new professionals in its TV productions, with a focus on young talents. However, producing snow-based competitions remains a substantial operational and organisational challenge. One highlight is the Alpe Cermis event, starting from the Tesero Cross-Country Stadium the day after the Skiathlon competition. This event requires significant technical production, utilising 33 camera feeds along the route. Infront Productions’ camera plan includes specialised setups such as helicopter-mounted cameras, drones, ground micro-cameras, and skidoos, providing comprehensive and dynamic coverage.

RF systems using 4G and 5G backpack technology ensure smooth, high-quality footage of the climb. Signals from the cameras, transmitted via approximately 5 km of dark fiber, are centralised and managed by the Nova 126 mobile control room housed in a garage under the stadium. A support vehicle is also stationed in the underground area near Lago di Tesero for backup. This setup allows for secure operations, minimising difficulties caused by variable mountain weather conditions. Cameras along the course are mostly mounted on low scaffolds, with a few elevated stations located at the steepest sections for better perspectives on the climbs.

Infrastructure Innovation and Preparations

Preparations for the event begin as early as Friday 20th December , with a technical team handling the cabling required for the race taking place on Friday 3rd January . EMG / Gravity Media Italy lays approximately 15 km of fiber optics, working in adverse climatic conditions and often on snowy or icy terrain.

In anticipation, fiber optic infrastructure around Lago di Tesero has been revamped. Pre-existing networks were dismantled, requiring the installation of new dark fiber cables for the upcoming races. Fiber optics on the Alpe Cermis climb are already in place, leaving only cable extensions from terminal stations to camera locations.

Indispensable Support

The local Trentino Fiemme World Cup sports committee offers essential logistical support each year, providing resources such as snowmobiles and snowcats to transport materials to inaccessible areas. For the Alpe Cermis race from 3rd to 5th January, EMG / Gravity Media Italy will also use mobile unit, Nova 209 to oversee the climb to the summit finish line. This vehicle will act as a hub for managing audio, video, data, and intercom signals generated by the 33 cameras used for the event. This configuration ensures efficient coordination and high-quality broadcasts, despite the large number of signals and challenging operational conditions.

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