With 69 medal decisions the Winteruniversiade Innsbruck/Seefeld 2005 was the second largest sporting event in the world next to the Olympic Games.
Approximatley 450 program hours of the WU 2005 events have been broadcast in over 160 countries. sports tv media distribution has delivered the best international broadcasting result for all Universiades up to date.
In addition to the compulsory sports (Alpine skiing, cross-country skiing, ski jumping, Nordic combined, biathlon, snowboarding, figure skating, short track speed skating and ice hockey), the Winteruniversiade Innsbruck/Seefeld 2005 staged speed skating as optional sports. The compulsory sports were complemented by following events: ski cross (Alpine skiing), men's Big Air (snowboarding) and the women's competition at the normal hill (ski jumping).
Over 450 hours of footage worldwide! Never before has a Universiade been able to reach such a result. The 69 medal events of the Winter Universiade Innsbruck/Seefeld 2005 flickered across TV screens worldwide and were divided into highlight shows, magazine program stories (190 hours), live programs (250 hours), and news (50 hours).
Twice daily there have been news updates on news agencies EBU European Broadcasting Union, Reuters and SNTV Sports News Television. The news agency REUTERS reported over 132 minutes news footage to their members worldwide, SNTV feeded 82 minutes, EBU 95 minutes of news to all members.
18 TV stations have been on site for to film the second largest winter sport event in the world after the Olympic Winter Games.
According to Roch Campana, Secretary General of the International University Sports Federation (FISU), the Organising Committee has “delivered the best international broadcasting result for all Universiades. Regardless if Great Britain or Spain, Romania, Italy or Germany, Sweden or the United States of America – the WU 2005 is present and footage of the athletes - the stars of tomorrow - has been sent around the world."
The flagship of the Winteruniversiade 2005 TV production were the highlight shows. Exciting duels on the ski slopes and cross-country ski courses or beaming winners at the medal ceremonies – the highlights from each day in Innsbruck, Seefeld, Telfs and Hochfilzen have been summarized in 3 x 26-minute features and were broadcast in over 100 countries.
For the first time it has been possible to establish a Universiade as a TV brandname.