Extreme Sports media coverage for the fans
For millions of adrenaline-sport fans, Extreme has been a mainstay of their entertainment consumption since the mid 1990s. Originally founded by Alistair Gosling as a TV channel which went live to sixty different countries and 50 million homes, the business has since evolved and developed with the times. The management of the TV channel was sold and while they own the brand it is run by Liberty Media, and as a business now, Extreme have several areas that they focus on including media and marketing, events, destinations and licensing. #Sportsider caught up with social media manager Tom Ovenden who’s department handles media and marketing, content creation, event management and everything social and digital. A self-confessed fan of the channel, Tom explains that he has been with the company for almost a year and that it’s fantasy come true, “I’ve been hooked on extreme sports and the channel from a young age,” he says, “So when I got the chance
to get involved and work for them I jumped at it.” With a background in digital and social media and having worked across all marketing functions, Tom has a position that allows him to keep his fingers to the pulse of the sporting world. Particularly to see the waves of trends and the tastes of people. Part of his role is to use this information to create workable social media strategies that will engage a brand new generation of fans to the extreme sports. An active participant himself Tom likes to believe that he is a good allrounder who has tried his hand at several different sorts, although according to him, he cannot claim to be good on a skateboard! “Part of the role that Extreme has always played is to get more people included in playing sports,” he says, “And we are working with a number of very exciting projects in very exciting destinations to help do just this.”
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