Why biathlon is one of Europe’s most powerful winter sports platforms for brands

491,57 million. That’s how many people watched biathlon globally last season. It underlines what many brands already know: IBU Biathlon World Cups and World Championships stand among the most prominent highlights in the winter sports calendar, offering brands not only vast reach but also innovative sponsorship opportunities. Over recent years, the evolution of biathlon into a cohesive, unified platform has significantly increased its appeal for commercial partners. With a clear marketing structure and exclusive sponsorship environment, biathlon strengthens the connection between fans, athletes, and brands — delivering measurable value and credibility.

Unified marketing: Exclusivity and effectiveness

Whilst many rightsholders look to centralisation as a way to modernise their sponsorship offering, biathlon introduced a standardised marketing and sponsorship model for the IBU World Cups as far back as 1998. Combining the rights from national federations and local organising committees laid the foundation for a tightly integrated sports and commercial ecosystem. This was followed in 2002, with the launch of a centralised marketing concept encompassing the entire IBU and all national associations.

This unified approach provides brands with planning security through a clearly defined environment. Today, six equal partners accompany the Biathlon World Cups – BMW, LaVita, Viessmann, Hörmann, Bauhaus, and DKB – enjoying high visibility both on-site and across media coverage. This exclusivity ensures that brand messages are delivered in a premium context, driving strong audience recognition and long-term return on investment.

Biathlon’s unmatched reach

Biathlon’s reach is equally impressive as its appeal extends far beyond its traditional heartlands, captivating millions of viewers across Europe and delivering exceptional market shares in key territories. In the 2024/25 season, TV broadcasts attracted over 491 million viewers worldwide with standout results in Germany, where broadcasts reached over 226 million viewers and secured an average market share of 28.3%, peaking at an impressive 31.8% during the World Championships in Lenzerheide, Switzerland. France and Sweden also demonstrated remarkable engagement with over 73 and 51 million tuning in respectively. Sweden achieved the greatest average market share of 61,2%, closely followed by Norway with 58,7% and Finland with 46,2%. Even in smaller markets, biathlon consistently draws strong audiences, reflecting its unique ability to unite fans and deliver broad, meaningful exposure for brands.

These figures translate into a cumulative 110,4 billion sponsorship impressions and underscore biathlon’s status as one of Europe’s most influential winter sports platforms — offering sponsors unrivalled visibility and a truly international stage.

Aligning brand and sport values

Biathlon’s appeal for brands is rooted in its core values: integrity, sustainability, innovation, inclusivity, excellence, and emotional connection. The sport is committed to transparent governance and ethical conduct, while leading the way in climate action through ambitious sustainability goals. Biathlon continually innovates with new technologies and event formats, fosters a welcoming and diverse community, and celebrates athletic achievement. Above all, it creates authentic emotional bonds with fans, making it an ideal platform for brands seeking meaningful engagement and positive impact.

To stay ahead of the curve, Infront reimagined the biathlon marketing platform in 2010, welcoming partners such as BMW, Viessmann, Hörmann, and Bauhaus — brands that strategically align their values with the sport. This flexibility allows companies from diverse sectors to find an authentic stage for their messaging.

Today, biathlon is leveraged not just for reach and awareness, but also to spotlight key themes like innovation, family orientation, and sustainability. The IBU’s own TARGET30 programme aims to make biathlon climate-neutral by 2030 and climate-positive by 2040, fostering collaborations with communities, partners, and fans to drive meaningful change. For sponsors, this creates additional touchpoints to showcase their own sustainability initiatives in a credible way—amplifying the impact of sponsorship when sport and social responsibility intersect.

Driving innovation for deeper engagement

Since 2016, biathlon has continuously introduced new technologies to enhance sponsor engagement and brand visibility. LED advertising banners along the course and in stadiums create additional attention and foster innovative brand connections. Recent seasons have seen the introduction of high-resolution LED panels at start and finish lines, offering sponsors dynamic, modern presentation opportunities and elevating the sport’s visual appeal.

These advancements demonstrate biathlon’s commitment to innovation, providing brands with unique ways to connect with audiences and reinforce their presence in a cutting-edge environment.

Latest sponsorship announcements: A testament to biathlon’s appeal

Biathlon’s growing commercial momentum is underscored by the latest partnerships secured for the 2025 season and beyond:

• LaVita as Title Sponsor: Infront recently announced that LaVita will become the title sponsor of the IBU’s flagship biathlon events starting with the 2026/27 season, further elevating the sport’s profile and offering LaVita a premium platform to engage with millions of fans across Europe and beyond.
• Conrad Electronic as Official Timing and Electronics Partner: Conrad Electronic has joined as the official timing and electronics partner of the BMW IBU Biathlon World Cup, bringing cutting-edge technology and expertise to the sport while gaining significant brand exposure in a high-stakes, high-visibility environment.

These new partnerships highlight biathlon’s continued evolution as a premier sponsorship platform, attracting leading brands from diverse sectors who recognise the sport’s unique value proposition.

A legacy of impact

Biathlon has evolved into one of the most influential platforms in the winter sports calendar. Sponsors benefit from association with prestige, athletic excellence, and a passionate global audience. The combination of media presence and digital reach ensures brands connect with a broad and diverse target group.

As the exclusive marketing partner of the IBU, Infront has extended its partnership through the 2029/30 season, covering the IBU Biathlon World Championships, World Cup, Biathlon Cup, and Junior Cup. Centralised marketing of global rights creates attractive sponsorship packages, guaranteeing partners a high degree of exclusivity and a unified brand presence—enhancing the platform’s value and long-term commercial appeal.

Sponsors in the BMW IBU World Cup and World Championships benefit from a comprehensive package: increased visibility, exclusivity, association with prestige and excellence, opportunities to promote corporate values, innovative brand activation, and global audience engagement.

Get involved

Biathlon offers brands a unique, high-impact platform to engage with passionate audiences, align with meaningful values, and drive measurable results. As the sport continues to innovate and expand its reach, now is the perfect time for brands to become part of this dynamic journey.

Interested in elevating your brand through biathlon? Get in touch to explore tailored sponsorship opportunities and join a community of forward-thinking partners.