Dear Friends of rollersports, The time has come for rollersports to change skin and achieve a brand new identity. I used the term “identity” and not “new image” because the planning and communication project activated by FIRS is a wider and more comprehensive strategy, created with a professional approach towards media and public.
Thinking professionally is the only possible path driving us safely to the IOC Session Copenhagen 2009, a date where the Olympic Programme shall be revised and where the fate of our sports can be changing forever, much depending on our common efforts.
We want Roller sports in the Olympic Games, so here is the project “ROLLER FOR OLYMPICS by FIRS”: a new professional project, with a new unique logo and an increased staff in the FIRS Headquarters in Rome, with distinguished roles and responsibilities working on different activities according to planned deadlines. Key man of this Olympic project is Mr Luciano Barra, former member of the Italian Olympic Committee and Vice General Director of the Winter Olympics Turin 2006, a man whom I can easily call “the right man at the right place”. Mr Barra shall supervise the FIRS contacts with the Olympic Commission and the IOC Members, as the official spokesman for roller sports.
Needless to say, our path to Copenhagen 2009 must pass through the key gates of public relations, visibility and promotion.
We want all the top sports manager from the IOC to know how attractive and valuable our sports are, that is why all contacts with the IOC Members shall be increased, especially through the participation of FIRS delegations at the IOC official meetings and invitations of IOC Managers at our International events.
Rollersports events, e.g. world championships must be a guarantee of professional and perfectioned view of our roller disciplines, either for medias and the public.
On this purpose FIRS has recently implemented a brand new “Communication Vademecum”, a real study for a communication plan referred to rollersports world championships, reaching for a professional standardized approach to communication. All people involved in events organisation at leadership positions shall have to refer to thiese guidelines.
The TV coverage of our world championships shall be made available at high standards, as well as videos and highlights of our events on the TV news. The web plays an important role for us and we won’t miss this chance, e.g., the FIRS official website shall offer streaming coverage of International roller events, also promoting the presence of digital video available to users on specific webzines (SPORTCAL, Sport Business, etc.).
Contacts with TV Broadcasting networks will be strenghtened, especially during specific meetings (SPORTEL – IF Forums). And a special advertising campaign concerning banners in International airports during IOC Meetings shall soon be activated..
The FIRS schedule of international meetings is already full. As concerns International meetings organised under the umbrella of the IOC in 2008 FIRS shall take part at SPORTACCORD in Athens, and SPORTEL MONACO in Montecarlo with a stand and demonstration.
Several roller sports demonstrations are also under study all over the world, wherever our action or presence needs to be enhanced.
We’re planning to institute a “ROLLER DAY” where many initiatives and International events can be performed in a spot right where the right people can notice us.
As you can see there is so much to do in such a short time now, and no possibilily of mistake… right for this reason I am addressing this clear message to all the members of our roller movement, starting from the skaters up to the management of the National federations: we must increase our numbers.
This can only be possible through the promotion of our sports activities and the affiliation of new National federations.
The more you can see people skating the larger our presence will be, this process – seen as a mass phenomenon - shall be the key to financial partnerships from sponsors and, consequently, the achievement of a considerable power enabling us to communicate with the major International TV networks.
Now, as you can see, this is more than a project, this represents for us a real lifetime dream coming true. I trust in your total co-operation, as our dream can become true in Copenhagen 2009, and open us the doors to the 2016 Olympic Games.
If we can dream of it we can work on it.
Sabatino ARACU
FIRS President