The 2023 European Para Championships left an indelible mark on the world of parasports, with its immense reach and unprecedented digital engagement. Athletes in ten different parasports competed for the European titles during the inaugural edition of the multisport event last August in Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
International coverage
The 2023 European Para Championships garnered significant international coverage with a total of 35 participating broadcast and digital media partners. These broadcasters showcased the event live, provided daily highlights, or created compelling documentaries and storytelling pieces, ensuring the event’s global reach.
Through affiliated broadcasters, EPC 2023 was offered in as many as 75 countries around the world, across 4 continents (Europe, Africa, Asia & Oceania). The event also enjoyed worldwide coverage through the Olympic Channel, focusing on finals events, further solidifying its global significance.
TikTok livestreams
Media partner TikTok played a pivotal role in amplifying the excitement of the Championships, providing fans with behind-the-scenes moments, pre-competition insights, highlights, athlete reactions, and much more. The official #EPC2023 Search Hub on TikTok featured the latest content from the event, official broadcasters, teams, and athletes, along with livestreams during the Opening Ceremony and a selection of finals, setting a new standard in the world of parasports.
Key highlights from the TikTok partnership include:
- A total of 36 million impressions worldwide for live parasport finals, divided over 28 live moments.
- 1 million live views for live parasport finals, with goalball emerging as the standout success.
- 9 million impressions for all #EPC2023-related content
- A follower base that grew from 0 to 60,000+ in just six months
Tailor-made OTT platform
EPC2023.tv, a tailor-made OTT platform, welcomed 15,000 registered members across the globe who were captivated by the exceptional sports content and associated production. What truly set it apart was the impressive average view time, which reached almost 58 minutes, significantly surpassing digital sports averages, typically around 40 minutes.
The platform also saw a remarkable 180,000 livestreams, emphasizing the strong and engaged viewership it attracted.
Digital out-of-home campaign
Prior to the tournament, a teasing DOOH campaign created anticipation. A highlight campaign during the Championships, including two livestreamed finals on the Binnenwegplein in the heart of Rotterdam, reached a staggering 50 million people with 2 million impressions in the week leading up to the event. During the tournament itself, it reached 28 million people with 275,000 impressions.
Independent research on valuation
Further, the European Para Championships received outstanding ratings from athletes, staff, visitors, and volunteers, according to a study conducted by the Mulier Institute:
- Athlete rating: 8.5 (/10)
- Staff rating: 8.5 (/10)
- Visitor rating: 8.5 (/10)
- Volunteer rating: 8.6 (/10)
The Mulier Institute, the only independent, non-profit, scientific sport research institute in the Netherlands, conducted this study on behalf of the European Para Championships. They are dedicated to fundamental, practice-focused, and policy-relevant social-scientific sport research.
The future
For the coming months, the organization’s focus is on finding the best possible host for the next edition of the multisport event. 5 European countries are currently in the race to host the 2027 Championships.
