The 2017 ISU Figure Skating World Championships in Helsinki marked the climax of a spectacular season as the deciding event before the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics. EBU Sport has a long-standing relationship with the ISU (International Skating Union) through a comprehensive media distribution agreement for skating events on behalf of its Members.

More than 30 broadcasters around the world covered the 5-day event which was delivered via the Eurovision network, with an estimated 500 hours of coverage broadcast by rights holders around the world. Finnish Member YLE produced over 40 hours of content for the international feed as the host broadcaster.

This year 193 skaters from 36 countries took part in some of the fiercest competition seen in the sport. A total of 4 world records (high scores) were broken at Hartwall Arena.

In a new digital venture to reach young audiences, EBU Sport worked with its broadcasters, the ISU and Snapchat on a live Snapchat story.  This was the second collaboration between EBU Sport and Snapchat following the 2016 European Athletic Championships in Amsterdam.

The ‘Figure Skating’ story pulled together ‘snaps’ from athletes, fans, broadcasters and organizers to give a unique, behind the scenes look at the sport.  Dedicated ‘snappers’ from Snapchat, the EBU and its broadcasters provided access to the whole venue to enhance the story, contributing to a fuller, all-round experience of the event. 

EBU Sports Rights Manager Beatriz Pastor y Puga said: “We’re dedicated to seeing this sport flourish in a new, digital age, which is why we at the EBU are continuously developing multi-platform solutions for these important events.”

EBU Sports Social Expert Christophe Pasquier further explained,  “Through clever initiatives - where the sports federation, our broadcasters and social platforms work together - we hope to give the sport the highest quality and maximum amount of exposure to young new audiences.”