CNN International is launching two new action-packed monthly shows on rugby and Formula E – CNN’s World Rugby and Supercharged.
These programs will extend the network’s wide range of premium sports coverage spanning golf, sailing, horse racing, equestrianism, skiing, Formula 1 and tennis as well as comprehensive sports news in the flagship CNN World Sport.
World Rugby on CNN takes viewers on a global journey through all aspects of the sport. As Rugby Sevens prepares for its Olympics debut in Brazil in August, presenters Alex Thomas and Christina Macfarlane follow the contenders throughout the Sevens World Series during a series of fast-paced tournaments in Australia, New Zealand, Canada, the U.S., Hong Kong, Singapore, France and England. The show also includes the 15-a-side game, its major competitions and the continued development of women’s rugby. The show will travel far and wide to seek out stories from grassroots rugby as well as meet the stars of the sport. The first monthly show features a look ahead to the rugby year and follows the road to Rio from the tiny Scottish town of Melrose, where the game of Rugby Sevens was created by a local butcher in the 19th century.
“After a very successful CNN run during the 2015 Rugby World Cup, we’re pleased to relaunch the World Rugby show with a broader view for 2016, a year that marks rugby’s return to the Olympic Games,” said Bill Galvin, senior vice president of CNN Sports Programming and Development. “The unquestioned growth of rugby across the globe creates a natural fit for CNN’s worldwide audience. We look forward to capturing the spirit of the sport, from the pitch to the fan experience, from the local level to the major events.”
Supercharged brings a brand new sport to CNN International – the FIA Formula E Championship – the primary all-electric motorsport series and one of the most exciting new sports in the world. Fronted by tech and motorsport presenter Nicki Shields in her first role for CNN, the show will travel to some of the most glamorous cities in the world to get close to the action in the race-day paddock. Each show will feature highlights of the latest Formula E race but will venture beyond the circuit to focus on the cutting-edge sustainable technology powering the cars, how a new sport is being built from the ground up and the wider story of promoting cleaner practices in sport and the wider world. The series opener will cover the Buenos Aires ePrix from Argentina and will welcome newcomers to the sport with an all-you-need–to–know briefing.
Segments from both shows will also air in CNN World Sport and be supplemented by extra coverage, interviews and explainers on rugby and motorsport microsites on CNN.com.
“CNN is as passionate about sports as our audience,” said Ellana Lee, senior vice president and managing editor, CNN International. “As two sports with a global footprint and bristling with interesting stories, rugby and Formula E are ideal additions to our pantheon of sports programming. The World Rugby show will allow our viewers to experience everything that this exciting and growing sport has to offer while Supercharged is a fascinating concept that combines coverage of Formula E with reportage on green tech and sustainability. The combination of sports coverage with original reporting about everything from grassroots sport to tech innovation will be a winning formula.”