Sky leads TV revolution

The first matches of the VELUX EHF Champions League throw off this weekend in Germany as THW Kiel, Rhein-Neckar Löwen and SG Flensburg-Handewitt begin their new European campaigns.

With the 2014/15 season comes a new broadcaster and a new approach to the coverage of club handball’s top flight.

Sky has the live and exclusive rights for the VELUX EHF Champions League for the next three seasons and is promising fans comprehensive coverage of the competition.

The broadcaster, well-known for its innovative and extensive coverage of major sports such as UEFA Champions League and the football Bundesliga as well as Formula 1 and golf, is now bringing this expertise to handball.

Commenting on the broadcaster’s plans for the coming season, David Szlezak, VELUX EHF FINAL4 Manager and himself a former player in the German Bundesliga and Austrian national team, said: “Sky has an extremely professional and innovative concept for its coverage of the VELUX EHF Champions League.

"I’m convinced that this new approach will present not only live match action but also the personalities and the stories around the sport to TV viewers in a way that has never been seen before.

"I’m excited to see what the new season will bring to TV viewers as we build up to the VELUX EHF FINAL4 in May 2015.”

New faces and prominent handball experts

Sky has already announced that its coverage will extend way beyond showing live game action from all of the matches of the three German teams.

A large team of presenters and handball-insiders has been announced, which will include top names from German handball as well as familiar faces to regular viewers of Sky’s football coverage.

The expert team will be led by German handball-legend, Heiner Brand, supported by former HSV Hamburg coach, Martin Schwalb, and former national team players Florian Kehrmann (photo top right, Credit: Sky/Blöchinger) and Frank von Behren.

Fronting the coverage will be Sky’s Jens Westen with commentary from Karsten Petrzika and Heiko Mallwitz. A team of Sky’s own reporters and journalists will be gathering news and interviews from around the sport.

Closer to the action than ever before

Match action will be covered by seven cameras for the world feed with additional cameras available for Sky’s behind the scenes reporting.

TV viewers will get the chance to see the game from every angle thanks to additional superslomo, mini-slomo, in-goal and roof cameras and, for the first time in the VELUX EHF Champions League, Sky will have pictures from inside the locker rooms of the three German teams.

This and even more innovations are to come throughout the season.

Round the clock handball coverage

Sky customers in Germany with the Sky Sport Package can watch every VELUX EHF Champions League match involving German teams live and in full HD quality on Sky Sport HD. Live streaming will also be available on PCs and across a range of mobile platforms via Sky Go.

Coverage will be complemented by extensive 24/7 news reporting from around the competition and the sport on Sky Sport News HD. Match highlights will be available free of charge for all handball fans on the Sky website.

Special offers for fans

Fans of the three German clubs will have the chance to show their support from the comfort of their own living rooms, with a range of specially-branded decoder boxes to be launched in October.

There will be a branded receiver for each of the three clubs, which will be available to purchase direct from the fan shops of the three teams.

Sky coverage

The first top match of the new season will feature Rhein-Neckar Löwen against Montpellier Agglomeration HB to be shown on Sky Sport HD 2 from 20:30hrs on Saturday, 27 September. An interview with Montpellier coach, Patrice Canayer, will feature in the pre-match build-up.

Sunday will see two away fixtures for German sides as SG Flensburg-Handewitt take on KIF Kolding Kobenhavn (16:35 on Sky Sport HD 2) and THW Kiel play HC PPD Zagreb (19:15 on Sky Sport HD 2).

Sky.de

Visit the Sky website for the latest handball news from Sky Sports News HD and for details of packages available.