In a partnership between two of Europe’s most powerful television companies and marking Canal+-owned Studiocanal’s renewed commitment to unscripted, Mediawan Rights and Studiocanal bring ‘Hit the Mic!’ to market at Mipcom . “New Voices for Sport” is a format that fulfills the big call of breaking new ground in talent competitions.
Produced by Canal+ and Mediawan label Black Dynamite Production, the sports TV talent competition features commentary on soccer matches. However, the strength of the concept lies in its ability to “adapt to any sport, promising to reveal outstanding commentators who can transform each discipline into an unforgettable experience”, according to Media One Lights and Studio Canal said in a written statement Wednesday.
The world’s first format completely dedicated to the art of sports commentary, ‘Hit the Mic’ will be broadcast from April 2024, when the UEFA European Champions League football tournament begins in earnest, with a catch-up experience. It averaged 400,000 viewers per episode. Following enthusiastic response, it was renewed for a second season by Canal+ in May.
Highlighting the international potential of this format, major markets such as the United States, United Kingdom, Italy, Spain, Netherlands, Finland, Germany, and several African countries have chosen this format.
“Hit the microphone!” 30 contestants from Paris, Reims and Marseille compete against each other and narrate 50-second excerpts from classic Champions League matches that culminate in a goal in the studio.
For the original nine-episode French format, Canal+ actually solicited applications. The intertitle of the second episode explains that 564 European Cup matches will be broadcast on the channel next season. 1. “Hit the Mic!” There were 10,000 applications and 30 aspiring commentators were invited for interviews.
In this series, we explore the fundamental values of sports commentary: the emotion of the moment, the ability to convey the personality and voice of the commentator, and the danger of overwhelming the audience with consistently powerful commentary.
“Hit the Mic” also says a lot about the culture of Canal+ and Black Dynamite Production, one of Europe’s most exclusive pay-TV players. Contestants will gain general knowledge about soccer and an extensive understanding of the context of each match, including why the UEFA Champions League final between Real Madrid and Liverpool was held at the Stade de France in Paris. are being enthusiastically discussed. (Answer: It was transferred from St. Petersburg after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine).
The format also allows viewers to relive unforgettable moments from Champions League classics, such as Karim Benzama’s power-headed opening goal in Real Madrid’s 3-1 win over Chelsea. , the French striker furthered his path to winning the Ballon d’Or in 2022.
The judges for the original Canal+ first season were former Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) player and Canal+ sports consultant Laure Bouleau, and charismatic former PSG winger and 1999 Premier League Player of the Year David Ginola. , and editor Hervé Mattu. -Canal+ chief executive and legendary football voice.
“We are very excited to continue our strategic development around unscripted distribution with this high-quality programming,” said Valerie Vrieschauer, Managing Director of MediaOne Rights. Ta.
“’Hit the Mic!’ – ‘A New Voice for Sports’ is a creative gem that combines authentic entertainment with deep sports culture, connecting all soccer fans and beyond. This form of intelligence also lies in its ability to adapt to different fields and reach the widest possible audience. ” she added.
“We are excited to lend our international sales expertise to support this innovative and ambitious program,” said Anne Sherrell, Chief Commercial Officer at Studiocanal. “Partnering with Mediawan Rights for distribution allows us to confidently offer ‘Hit the Mic!’ – ‘A New Voice for Sports’ wide adaptation around the world and marks Studiocanal’s new ambitions for unscripted content. ”
