Montpellier Méditerranée Métropole, the city of Montpellier and the Region Occitanie / Pyrénées-Méditerranée have joined forces with Hurricane Events to explore many possible solutions. However, none of the options available allow for a physical gathering to take place that would respect the health and security measures required over the coming months.
FISE World Series Montpellier has been celebrating urban sports for more than 20 years, bringing together over 600,000 spectators and nearly 2,000 athletes on the banks of the Lez each year in May, alongside a community of no less than 20 million people on social networks, who also share the values of this festival and a vibrant passion for action sports.
Hurricane Events is pleased to announce that in 2020, FISE World Series Montpellier will take place in a new, global and multidisciplinary form: a digital contest. The concept is simple and the contest will be open to male and female athletes, pros and amateurs. Each will participate in the event by submitting video entries which will be judged by both the fans and leading figures from the world of urban sports. The global prize purse will be the same as 2019 edition. The terms of participation, the disciplines and the schedule will be announced on May 20th, 2020.
“This was a decision dictated by the crisis that we are all going through, prioritising our stakeholders health and security, and the sporting and financial challenges this presents. It was our responsibility to adapt FISE Montpellier 2020. I would like to thank the communities for their support and collaboration in making this complicated decision. This is a new challenge for the Hurricane group, but we will take on this challenge and continue to engage fans of urban sports all over the planet. This event will live up to that of bringing together 600,000 spectators every year to the center of Montpellier ”, says Hervé André-Benoit, CEO of the Hurricane group and organizer of FISE.
This new formula is a unique opportunity for all fans to strengthen their bond with their idols by voting for the best action sport talent, plus a great opportunity for athletes to share their passion. For Hurricane Events and its partners, it is also a way of continuing to support professional athletes, as events like the FISE World Series can constitute a significant part of their season's income.
“2020 is going to be a difficult year for pro athletes, since most of the international competitions have been canceled. This digital and innovative contest will give them strong support, a return for the loyalty they have shown us for 20 years and for their commitment to constantly pushing the limits of our sports ”, continues Hervé André-Benoit.
The next physical edition of FISE World Series Montpellier will be from May 19th to 23rd, 2021. The rescheduled FISE World Series 2020 stages at the second half of the year and those of the start of the 2021 season will hopefully provide an opportunity for us to meet again safely soon.
All information is available on www.fise.fr.