English Premier League production
As Cannes wraps up with cinematic glamour, halfway across the world, another kind of high-stakes spectacle is unfolding—and it’s all about sports.
IMG, the global powerhouse in sports marketing and production, is diving into what may be its busiest sports weekend ever, overseeing dozens of live events across multiple continents—all in one go.
Imagine this:
The final day of the English Premier League with 10 matches happening simultaneously, all produced by IMG and broadcast to over 180 territories. At the same time, they’re covering the Saudi Pro League’s dramatic finale—nine matches aired across 130 regions.
And that’s just the beginning.
Major League Soccer? IMG is delivering 15 games—plus studio shows—for Apple TV audiences around the globe. Meanwhile, in Abu Dhabi, the company is managing the EuroLeague Basketball Final Four, and over in Monaco, fans can tune in for audio commentary and F1 Grand Prix coverage via BBC broadcasts and podcasts.
On the golfing front, IMG handles the DP World Tour’s Soudal Open in Belgium, and continues to power PGA Tour coverage for Warner Bros. Discovery’s Eurosport.
Let’s not forget the English Football League (EFL), where IMG creates highlight reels and packages for networks like Sky Sports. That’s part of their annual output of nearly 1,700 matches for the EFL alone.
All of this is coordinated from hubs like Stockley Park in London and the newly launched WWE global production headquarters in Stamford, Connecticut.
Barney Francis, IMG’s executive vice president of studios and former managing director at Sky Sports, put it plainly in a Zoom call from Abu Dhabi:
“What makes this weekend different isn’t just the number of events—it’s that they’re happening at the same time. The pressure is real, and the precision required is immense.”
Francis is headed next to Saudi Arabia for the SPL finale, where IMG will once again juggle nine matches simultaneously—a rarity for a typical sports weekend, which usually sees events spread out over time.
Yet, despite the enormous challenge, Francis remains cool.
“We’ll have over 1,300 staff working live broadcasts this weekend,” he shared. “Usually, we stagger directors and producers over multiple days. This time, it’s all concurrent. The stakes are higher—but so is our commitment.”
Through it all, IMG’s focus stays steady: deliver flawless, premium coverage, no matter the league, location, or platform. From pitch to screen, it’s clear—this isn’t just another weekend. It’s a broadcasting marathon of global proportions, and IMG is at the very heart of it.
