Biathlon international ruling body IBU is aiming to reach a younger audience with this weekend's Loop One Festival in Munich. While biathlon has been one of the most popular winter sports on German TV, it still doesn't play a significant role among the generation Z (people born between 1997 and 2012).
Biathlon international ruling body IBU is aiming to reach a younger audience with this weekend's Loop One Festival in Munich.
While biathlon has been one of the most popular winter sports on German TV, it still doesn't play a significant role among the generation Z (people born between 1997 and 2012).
"It's an investment for the future," IBU sporting director Daniel Böhm told dpa ahead of the start of the Loop One Festival on Saturday.
The IBU promoted it as an event that will blend high-performance sport with "a vibrant festival atmosphere to captivate both avid fans and newcomers to the sport."
On Saturday, fans will be able to enjoy roller ski races in para biathlon and youth competitions, as well as try the sport from themselves.
In the following day, 60 of the world's best biathletes per gender will compete on roller skis in a super sprint format. Four qualifying heats will lead to the final.
Women's World Cup champion Franziska Preuss of Germany and Norwegian star Sturla Holm Laegreid are among the participants. French top biathletes Julian Simon, Lou Jeanmonnot, Quentin Fillon Maillet and Emilien Jacquelin will also be competing.
"Sport comes to the people, not them to the forest," Böhm said. "We need to address the issue of reaching younger target groups earlier, through other channels and other formats."
Last year, biathlon was the most watched sport on German TV after football, according to broadcaster ARD.
But traditional television is uninteresting for a younger generation that prefers short and entertaining clips on social media.
The average attention span of the generation Z is estimated to be only around eight seconds. The fastest biathletes need around 15 seconds to complete a shooting stage, while the longest races last over an hour.
"Biathlon has everything it takes to capture the imagination of the next generation. But we must continually adapt the way we present and share our sport," Böhm said.
Another major issue is the climate change, which is affecting all winter sports.
Asked whether the competition format on roller skis like in Munich are the future of the sport, Böhm said: "Yes and no. But it's a way to be prepared for the future."
He believes that with "good snow management and production of artificial snow will enable winter sports to continue at the highest level for the next 15 to 20 years."
Category: General Sports
