No solution to the crisis – competing for black screens

Published 27/12/2024 at 15:02 GMT+1

It appears that Norwegian fans might not be able to follow how the Four Hills Tournament ends. No one has secured the broadcasting rights for the final rounds.

According to reports, the Norwegian ski federation has not been able to secure broadcasting for the last races in Innsbruck and Bischofshofen as the TV rights are being sold separately, and there has not yet been a buyer in the Norwegian market.

Jan Erik Aalbu, head of ski jumping, stated that without a resolution, it is disappointing not to have the events shown on Norwegian TV. As the time frame shortens, the possibility of resolution diminishes.

The recent rounds of the Nordic Combined also faced similar issues where they were not shown on Norwegian TV due to overpriced rights.

Aalbu emphasized that this issue is not the fault of the Norwegian Ski Federation but rather the rightsholder's pricing strategy.

With less than two weeks left until the third event at Bergisel in Innsbruck, he expressed the hope that the situation could be resolved but noted he is concerned about the lack of progress.

Performance-wise, Halvor Egner Granerud won the tournament two years ago, breaking a long drought for Norwegian competitors, and current athlete Johann André Forfang is expected to perform well.

Aalbu remains optimistic about attracting sponsors and insists that missing the races will not affect future sponsorships significantly as long as the World Championships are broadcast.

The discussion reflects broader concerns about maintaining visibility and support for winter sports in Norway during critical competitions.