Ski Racing, Rival Films extend partnership

Ski Racing International, publishers of Ski Racing magazine and SkiRacing.com, and Rival Films have agreed to a three-year extension of their partnership. The two entities, respected leaders in the fields of niche sports publishing and filmmaking, will continue to provide unique content for the Web, television, theatrical and home video release.
PARK CITY, Utah — Ski Racing International, publishers of Ski Racing magazine and SkiRacing.com, and Rival Films have agreed to a three-year extension of their partnership. The two entities, respected leaders in the fields of niche sports publishing and filmmaking, will continue to provide unique content for the Web, television, theatrical and home video release.
    The partnership between Utah-based Rival Films and Ski Racing International was formed in the summer of 2006. They combined to produce a series of online short films for SkiRacing.com. These films, which totaled 27 in all, profiled athletes of the U.S. Ski Team.
    The short films were consistently the top-viewed items on SkiRacing.com for the entire 2006-07 World Cup season. With one short film debuting each week, viewers of SkiRacing.com were given a glimpse inside the lives of their favorite ski team athletes.
    “Teaming up with Rival Films allowed Ski Racing to provide Web users the opportunity to see athletes as they are and not just on the playing field,” Gary Black Jr., Ski Racing LLC president, said. “Including Web videos gave a new dimension to Ski Racing’s Web site, adding both energy and entertainment.”
    For 2007-08, Rival Films and Ski Racing are going bigger and better. In addition to the Web content, the two will also create a movie based on the year’s filming highlights. While the webisodes will begin airing in October 2007, the movie is scheduled to debut at the U.S. Alpine National Championships in March 2008.
    “Our first year with Ski Racing was an exciting one,” said Matt Fults of Rival Films. “We were certain the Ski Racing Short Films Collection would connect with viewers, and the Web numbers proved that. Next year’s production schedule will prove challenging, but the precedent has been set, and we’ll deliver.”
    Each season leading up to the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games, Ski Racing and Rival Films will provide one-of-a-kind video content.
    “SkiRacing.com will continue to offer daily race coverage, results, standings, photo galleries and forums, but the video content is our most enterprising, unique Web content, content that sets us apart from other winter-sports news outlets. The Rival Films and Ski Racing video project will allow SkiRacing.com readers to encounter the tremendous personalities and background stories of these dedicated athletes,” said Don Cameron, editor of Ski Racing magazine and SkiRacing.com.
    This season’s content was sponsored by Dynastar, Lange, Rossignol, Atomic and eMusic. The entire collection is available on DVD for just $9.95 at www.rivalfilms.com.