USA Gymnastics and FloSports Sign Streaming Deal
The NGB’s events will be featured on the online platform through 2025
Posted On: January 28, 2021 By :USA Gymnastics and FloSports have reached a multiyear digital streaming partnership that will see the national governing body’s events streamed to a global audience. As part of the deal that goes through 2025, FloSports will broadcast more than 35 events to audiences across North America and the world.
The program, which will include events in acrobatic, men’s artistic, women’s artistic, rhythmic, and trampoline and tumbling, will begin with the 2021 Winter Cup, February 26–28 in Indianapolis. Coverage will include podium training and other elements that have not typically been broadcast at the event.
FloSports’ content from other events will also include rare access to events across all disciplines, and never-before-broadcast grass-roots events featuring up-and-coming athletes.
“We are thrilled to be welcoming FloSports, a partner who is aligned with our goals of expanding athlete health and wellness resources and providing outlets for our athletes to tell their stories,” said USAG CEO Li Li Leung. “We know the FloSports platform will provide a unique opportunity for us to continue growing the sport of gymnastics at all levels and across all disciplines.”
Among the events expected to be part of the deal: Various state and regional championship; Level 9 Eastern & Western Championships; National Elite Qualifiers; USAG Development Program Championships; USAG Collegiate Championships; and numerous rhythmic, trampoline and tumbling, and acrobatic events. The deal also includes an annual investment toward supporting athlete health and wellness initiatives.
“FloSports has been a strong advocate for Olympic sports since our founding and these have been at the core of our product and content offerings,” said Mark Floreani, CEO and co-founder of FloSports. “We live and breathe these sports daily and understand how to engage athletes and enthusiasts to build a strong community around them. We are proud to partner with the team at USAG to expand access to gymnastics to a wider audience, build a global community around this sport and support the health and wellness of their athletes.”
The deal has, however, has been met with criticism in sectors of the gymnastics community following a 2014 incident where a gymnastics website owned by FloSports linked to nude photos of gymnast McKayla Maroney, an incident that caused Floreani to apologize at the time.
In response to the criticism, USA Gymnastics issued a statement saying, “USA Gymnastics and FloSports are both committed to learning from past mistakes and implementing necessary changes to ensure those mistakes are not repeated. As we enter this partnership, we do so with the shared goals of increasing the reach of our sport at all levels and across all disciplines, empowering athletes and amplifying their voices, and enhancing the health and wellness resources available to USA Gymnastics members, while demonstrating consistent progress and accountability.”
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