Tissot makes move into Superbike

From the World Superbike Championship

ZUG / LE LOCLE, SWITZERLAND - Infront Sports & Media has secured Tissot as Official Timekeeper and Sponsor of the FIM Superbike World Championship. The comprehensive sponsorship agreement over several years will start immediately. Tissot will have its first appearance at the upcoming Superbike round in Assen, Netherlands this weekend (April 15-17).

The Swiss-based company Tissot is a member of the Swatch Group, the world's largest watch producer and distributor. Tissot's long-term commitment to the FIM Superbike World Championship is a considerable extension of its existing sponsorship portfolio and acknowledges the strong international scope and fan appeal of the leading road racing series for production-based motorcycles. In 2010, the series was shown in 173 countries, reaching a cumulative audience of 498 million viewers (+33 percent compared to the previous year).

As Official Timekeeper, Tissot will benefit from a strong presence at all events in the series – involving 13 rounds in 10 countries this year. In addition, Tissot will present the Superpole – the Saturday afternoon qualifying session that establishes the starting position of the riders in the main races.

"The image fit with Superbike – speed and timing, precision and high performance – presents Tissot products in the right context and the growing television audience ensures a worldwide transmission of our messages," said François Thiébaud, President of Tissot. "For more than a decade, Tissot has been the Official Timekeeper of MotoGP. Now, Tissot is proud to add this other major motorcycling World Championship, World Superbike, to its sponsorship activities, a category which brings motorcycling fans the link between great motorcycling champions and the public."

"Tissot is a top international brand with a tradition in sports sponsorship. With the long-term commitment to the FIM Superbike World Championship it acknowledges the series' professional development and growing popularity in the past as well as its potential for future growth," said Paolo Flammini, CEO of Infront Motor Sports. "Time measurement is the essence of a racing competition and as Official Timekeeper, Tissot will strongly benefit from this focus. The global media coverage of the FIM Superbike World Championship will further multiply this effect and sustainably strengthen the association between brand and competition."

For the 2011 FIM Superbike World Championship, Tissot will join Alfa Romeo (automotive), Pirelli (tires), Arrow (exhausts), Axo (rider's equipment) and ParkinGo (airport parking) in a growing line-up of sponsors. The series is being broadcast in Asia, Australia, Europe, Africa, South and North America.