Published February 21, 2012 10:41AM
WTC In Talks To Televise Ironman World Championship Live
The fact that Lance Armstrong will likely make the start in Kona has given the World Triathlon Corporation (WTC) more firepower.
Photo: Kurt Hoy
The fact that Lance Armstrong will likely make the start in Kona has given the World Triathlon Corporation (WTC) more firepower in talks with NBC.
World Triathlon Corp. is in discussion with Comcast Corp. (CMCSA)’s NBC network about televising live part of its 2012 Ironman World Championship in Hawaii as Lance Armstrong targets a spot in the race.
Andrew Messick, World Triathlon’s chief executive officer, said he’ll be “much more aggressive” in getting television coverage for its marquee race because of Armstrong, a seven-time winner of cycling’s Tour de France. NBC currently televises the annual championship race in Kailua-Kona on tape-delay about two months after it takes place.
“We want to investigate opportunities to be able to potentially put parts of the race live, something that has never been done in the U.S.,” Messick said in an interview yesterday in San Diego, California, where he is attending the Triathlon America Business of Triathlon conference. “Lance brings a spotlight to our sport that’s brighter perhaps than anything that has ever happened.”
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NBC Sports is “happy our long-term relationship with Ironman runs through 2018,” spokesman Chris McCloskey said in a telephone interview. He declined to comment further.
Read more: Bloomberg.com