WBD unveils UCI Track Champions League Broadcast Academy

Warner Bros Discovery (WBD) Sports and AWS have teamed up to deliver the UCI Track Champions League Broadcast Academy.

During the 2024 UCI Track Champions League, WBD Sports gave three youth organisations a behind-the-scenes tour of the venues and broadcast facilities during the Apeldoorn and London rounds.

A group of students from MBO College Hilversum (Netherlands), Mulberry School Trust and the Global Academy (UK) were invited to a backstage tour of their respective velodromes for an inside look at the track cycling series.

As an official sponsor for the UCI Track Champions League, AWS has partnered with WBD Sports over the last two years to create learning opportunities for groups historically underrepresented in the broadcast industry.

The experience aims to inspire students to develop their careers in the industry.

At both locations, students had the opportunity to meet key members of the production team, including UCI Track Champions League production manager, David Clément, who provided an overview of the TV production setup, the roles and teams involved, and how these elements come together to produce the TV broadcast.

This was followed by a workshop with cycling production manager, Gary Overall, offering a more in-depth exploration of camera setups and their operation.

With a tour of the outside broadcast van, led by producer Paul Pasquet and TV director, Anthony Forrestier, the students experienced the multitude of camera setups, the big screen controls and the TV graphics desk, and gained insight into how live rider data is showcased on-screen.

The students also visited the mixed zone, where they had the chance to participate in mock interviews and take on active roles in a live TV production, immersing themselves in a real-world experience.

To conclude the tour, the students had the opportunity to meet UCI Track Champions League commentator, Rob Hatch, who was recently honoured as ‘Sports Commentator of the Year’ at the 2024 Broadcast Sport Awards.

They then got to see the UCI Track Champions League racing in action.

In addition to activities in Apeldoorn and London, WBD Sports also collaborated with Sport dans la Ville, a French association that promotes the social and professional integration of young people through sport, during the first round in Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines (Paris, France).

Students were invited to a similar program of backstage access at the Paris 2024 Olympic velodrome to learn about how WBD Sports brings the UCI Track Champions League to life on- and off-screen.

Afanaisa Pott, MBO College Hilversum student, said: “I found this opportunity to learn about how such a large event is organised incredibly interesting and educational. I think more trips like this would give students a better understanding of what working in event broadcasting entails—and maybe inspire them to pursue this field. I’d like to thank Amazon and WBD for the invitation and the valuable learning experience.”

Marèn Willemse, MBO College Hilversum student, added: “I really enjoyed the experience of going behind the scenes. We received a tour, specific explanations, and even had the chance to try out some equipment ourselves. I already knew a lot of work went into events like this but being there made me realise it’s even more extensive than I imagined. I also discovered careers I didn’t even know existed. Overall, it was a super fun experience.”

Frank Stokman, MBO College Hilversum teacher, said: “The synergy of creativity and technology, combined with the team spirit of those working on the floor, in the control room, and in event management, was incredibly valuable. The multicam industry is unfamiliar territory for many young media creators. One memorable student remark was: Wow, there are so many different disciplines and professions… You can’t dream of pursuing a certain career if you don’t even know it exists.

“After a tour of over two hours, I walked out with a group of inspired and enthusiastic students. That evening, they had the chance to watch the live broadcast of the event from the stands. By Monday, a wonderful buzz had spread throughout the school. Full of excitement, the students shared their backstage experiences with their peers.”

Principal Customer Solutions Manager at AWS, Kris Langbridge, said: “We are proud to collaborate with WBD Sports to create these learning opportunities for underrepresented groups. It’s incredibly rewarding to provide experiences that inspire students and can help them forge paths to careers in the media and entrainment industry. We’re looking forward to more opportunities like this to team up with WBD Sports.”

Chris Ball, VP - Cycling Events at Warner Bros. Discovery Sports Europe, said: “We were delighted to host such enthusiastic young guests from MBO College Hilversum, Mulberry School Trust, Global Academy and Sport dans La Ville across all of our 2024 UCI Track Champions League rounds. For Warner Bros. Discovery Sports, providing opportunities like this are so important in breaking down the barriers to the broadcast industry and giving young people an experience we hope will inspire them to pursue a career in sport.”