New <I>Eurosport</I> deal 'a superb moment'.

Eurosport and series' promoter Youthstream have signed a new three-year agreement (from 2005-2007) to broadcast the FIM MX1 and MX2 Motocross and S1 and S2 SuperMoto world championships.

All Motocross races will be broadcast live or delayed on Eurosport channels. Eurosport will be the exclusive sport channel broadcaster for MX1 and MX2, with news and highlights of all Motocross race also shown within Eurosport's programme "Motorsport Week End" and on the Eurosportnews channel.

"It's a superb moment for our sports," enthused FIM President Francesco Zerbi. "Like I have always said, whilst the businesses are different, every discipline has the same value for the FIM and this agreement confirms that.

"Motocross and SuperMoto are very spectacular sports and deserve to have this very high television coverage," he continued. "Our promotional partner, Youthstream, has worked hard promoting these sports and is successfully reaching the FIM's goal to increase the sport value, the notoriety and the television exposure and create a full worldwide calendar."

As part of the agreement, SportItalia, Italy's terrestrial sports channel, will broadcast all the Motocross and SuperMoto Live or on same day delay in a complementary way to Eurosport's scheduling.

"Eurosport is improving a development strategy of all Motorsports and, in particular, of two wheels competitions for which the channel has reached today an undisputable leader position on the European market," said Angelo Codignoni, President of Eurosport and Sport Italia.

"This agreement is consolidating Eurosport strategy. Through SportItalia, we guarantee an exposure in Italy to championships that have now reached a very high quality level but that are still under-delivered on the Italian television market."

"This is the most important step reached by our sports," declared Giuseppe Luongo, president of Youthstream. "History has never shown such a great television coverage. In 2004 we reached already the highest coverage ever, and now we have made an even bigger step.

"Nobody thought this was possible, but we have proved that our politics are right to invest in the notoriety of the championship, television world wide coverage, serious calendar, better and safer circuits and in professional organiser. This is not the arrival point, but instead it is the starting point... Many other items are necessary to be improved and we also are working on these," he continued.

"Thanks to this coverage, we believe the professional teams, riders and organisers now have a useful tool in their hands to enable them to find serious sponsors to cover the budget necessary to compete in a professional world championship," concluded Luongo.