Perfect ratings for working conditions at Women’s EHF EURO

Everything was different compared to previous events: no spectators in the arena, teams and officials in the red zone bubble, not allowed to leave the hotels except for the matches. Finally, the journalists had to choose, whether they cover the event on-site in Denmark or if they take the advantage to use the newly created online media centre with full digital participation in virtual press conferences, mixed zones and media calls by the teams.

The EHF Media and Communication department adapted all media operations to the new situation - on one hand, journalists, who were at the arenas and could go to the matches and the press conferences on-site, and many all around the globe, who virtually followed the event.

As the red zone bubble concept was a blueprint for many other upcoming indoor and/or team sport events, the main question of EHF Media and Communication was, how the media representatives rate the new ways of media operations. Already traditionally, the EHF Media and Communication department and the Handball Working Group of the International Sports Press Association AIPS had asked all accredited media for their post-event opinion in an event survey - this time with a clear focus on the new ways of media operations.

The vast majority of those, who participated in this survey, were extremely happy with the way the EHF and DHF had implemented the EHF EURO 2020 media service. 39 per cent of the 44 survey participants had covered the event only online, 25% were at Herning, 21% at Herning and Kolding and 16% only at Kolding. Almost 80 per cent rated the working conditions as excellent (32%) or very good (47%).

Even better results: More than 90% of them rated the media operations as excellent or very good, more than 60% called the online mixed zone excellent or very good, around 60% gave the same rating for online press conferences and online media calls, while the media calls, in general, received a little lower rating than the rest.

Due to the COVID-19 restrictions and the hygiene protocol of the event, the post-match press conferences were organized individually team by team in contrast to a previously common organized press conference. The new format was highly appreciated by the journalists: 73% of the survey participants liked this format and 61 % want to have it in future again. In general, 48% of the journalists are highly open for future online solutions in terms of media operations, mainly for mixed zones and media calls, but definitely, if the pandemic continues.

Another high-rated subject was free of charge usage of Kinexon data, almost 50% of the journalists used it. Besides, the benefit of the EHF EURO 2020 media portal was appreciated by 77% as excellent (34%) or very good (43%). The rating for the event website www.ehf-euro.com was even higher with 85 per cent saying it was excellent (39%) or very good (46%.

Those, who had been working on-site, gave good marks to working areas, internet and food and beverage. And all of the survey participants gave the best marks for the cooperation with the EHF Media team, with 98% rating it excellent (61%) or very good (37%).

In their comments on the event, the journalists praised “great work in special conditions” at a “well-organized tournament” - and many share the hopes “to have a personal contact with players again”.

Thomas Schöneich, EHF Director Media & Communications said: “The closer we came to the Women’s EHF EURO 2020, the more it became obvious that this would be a very special event for everyone involved. The key for us was to allow for a maximum of participation for the journalists while always protecting the players’ health – and we are happy to see that the positive feedback received supports what we did.”

“Looking ahead, I think that the virtual mixed zone will stay because it increases the possibility of participation, but an online presence is not everything. The personal contact between the players and the media remains of utmost importance for the quality of the coverage.”   

Thorsten vom Wege, head of the handball working group at the AIPS, said: The Danish hosts and the EHF have set a strong and clear signal, which can have an impact on sports and sports media beyond the pandemic. In times of decreased and limited budgets at media outlets on the one hand and digital development on the other, the opportunity created at the EHF EURO 2020 was basically a real alternative for media professionals. I am curious whether and how the AIPS, but also International Federations up to the IOC react to the results of the survey and whether a paradigm shift towards a new possibility of new coverage of sports and other events will be in the making.”