Pro cycling Team DSM wows with annual launch event powered by Webex

There is nothing quite like the energy and excitement around a big event, packed full of superstars. Think of media day for the FIFA World Cup, backstage of the Paris Fashion Week, or behind the scenes after the World Series parade.

For Team DSM, a leading professional cycling team, this event is their annual launch. The buzz and excitement are palpable. The fans. The media. The big stage. And of course, the world-class cyclists, whom everyone wants to meet and talk to.

But how do you recreate that kind of energy and those kinds of personal interactions during a pandemic? Large in-person events were impossible, and even smaller gatherings were tricky.

As they always do during competition, Team DSM rose to the challenge and found a way to win.

Technology played a critical role in their strategy. Team DSM entered a strategic partnership with Webex to provide the platform and devices to keep the team connected—not only to the media and fans—but to each other and their entire support staff.

They took their annual event virtual with Webex Webinars and discovered that the launch could have an even bigger reach than before.

“Events like our team launch, where we present the team for next year, were always in person before. We always invited the press, partners, and other stakeholders. We usually had well over 150 people on-site in the past. But by going virtual with Webex, we had almost 2,000 subscriptions,” explains Tyscha Coolen-Waaijer, Team DSM Project Manager.

Webex also allowed the team to continue making important personal connections with fans and media.

“After the event we managed to host some really good interviews,” says Emily Brammeier, Team DSM’s Head of Communication. “We utilized the [virtual] personal rooms, not only on the day of the team launch, but throughout the entire season.”

And Webex helps make this communication with and media simple, no matter the geographic location, or the language spoken.

“Our team lives all over the world, so that means we have media attention from all over the world. With real-time translation from Webex, it makes it easy. In fact, it’s the best, most effective communications that I have ever seen in my five years here, so that’s something we are really happy with,” Brammeier adds.

Beyond the annual launch event, Webex also helps Team DSM riders stay in touch with each other throughout the year. The cyclists may train separately or ride individually, but everything they do is for the team, so staying connected is critical. Coolen-Waaijer underscores the importance of that: “Even though we are not in the same place, Webex helps us feel like we are all together.”

To learn more about Team DSM’s partnership with Webex, see this earlier blog. And to see how Webex can help your team stay connected and win in the world of hybrid sports, check out Webex for Sports & Entertainment and get in touch.

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