The Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU), in a collaboration with Telstra Broadcast Services (TBS), selected AsiaSat 5, AsiaSat’s prime occasional use (OU) platform, for live coverage of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games in the Asia-Pacific.

During the event coverage, ABU Sports team on the ground managed the production of live broadcast signals at the International Broadcast Centre (IBC) in Birmingham. TBS’s expert broadcast solutions team handled the turnaround, uplinking of live transmission for four international HD feeds at Telstra’s teleport in Hong Kong to AsiaSat 5 and distribution to rights-holding broadcasters in the region.

Already established as a renowned broadcast platform for live sports in Asia, AsiaSat 5 has a proven record in the delivery of international sports tournaments and events including the last Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast in 2018. With AsiaSat 5’s extensive C-band coverage and exceptional penetration, Asian broadcasters can connect their audiences on multiple platforms with event and athlete highlights for each of the participating nations and territories to witness triumphant moments of the athletes together with one heart.

The 22nd edition of Commonwealth Games running through 28 July to 8 August gathered more than 4,500 athletes from across 72 nations and territories in Birmingham, United Kingdom. Over the 11 action-packed days, these athletes competed across 280 medal events covering 19 sports and para-sports including athletics, cycling, swimming, badminton, diving, basketball, table tennis, gymnastics and more. This year’s Games staged the largest ever programme of women’s and para-sports in its history.

Cai Yanjiang, Director ABU Sports, says: “This edition of the Commonwealth Games production and broadcast is a continued success after the Gold Coast and Glasgow, in terms of the quality service to ABU broadcast members through the combined efforts of the ABU team and our long-term partners AsiaSat and TBS. The ABU team have again enjoyed consistent support from them, which is the key to another safe and smooth delivery of these inspiring games to the ABU broadcasters and audiences in various countries. We look forward to future events working with them again.”

Steven Dargham, Business Development Executive, Major Events at TBS says: “Telstra has been delivering major events solutions and networks for the ABU and its members for many major sporting events including several iterations of the Commonwealth Games. Each major event varies in complexity and with our collaboration with AsiaSat we are able to provide seamless integrated solutions to address the unique and diverse requirements of the ABU members. The spirit of the games is captured in our partnership, and we hope to enable more successful production coverage in years to come.’’

Ina Lui, Senior Vice President, Commercial, Business Development and Strategy of AsiaSat, says: “It is our privilege to support live telecast of the Commonwealth Games again this year, making a world of difference by celebrating the spirit of sportsmanship and bringing people of different culture together through world-class sports. We look forward to more collaboration with our partners ABU and TBS in other international events to come.”