With the Opening Ceremony on June 12 little more than seven months away, making the average sports fan aware of the concept and potential of the groundbreaking event is a key challenge.

Despite much progress, more work is required, Baku 2015 chief operating officer Simon Clegg admitted. 

"We are doing lots [of promotional work] at the moment, and have done lots already, but we continue to need to do more," he said ahead of the second day of the Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC) General Assembly here this morning. 

"Just the day before yesterday, I spoke to the Presidents and secretary generals of all 49 [European] NOCs, encouraging  them to do more within their NOC and within their National Federations.

"Of course the maion target market must be, in the first instance, the sports loving fans of Europe.

"We need their help.

"We can spend a certain amount on advertising and promotion, but we need the NOCs to step up to the plate and do more."

Iconic venues, including the Crystal Hall in which boxing and volleyball will take place, will be part of the attraction of Baku 2015 ©Getty Images



Clegg spoke shortly before a Baku 2015 presentation to the ANOC General Assembly delivered by Konul Nurullayeva, head of international relations at the National Olympic Committee of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

Clegg is confident that television deals currently being signed between Baku 2015 and television companies across the world will help raise the profile of the European Games, the brainchild of European Olympic Committees President Patrick Hickey. 

In recent days, the Tokyo Broadcasting System have been announced as Japanese broadcasters, following on from the recently announced deals with the Arab States Broadcasting Union and with French channel L'Equipe 21.

Head of international relations at the National Olympic Committee of the Republic of Azerbaijan Konul Nurullayeva gave the ANOC General Assembly an update on preparations for the first-ever European Games in Baku next year ©Facebook

More non-European deals - including in North America, South America, China and Australia - will be announced soon, Clegg said, while work to conclude agreements in many other key markets, including Great Britain, is also underway.

With six sponsors, including BP, P&G and Tissot, having already been agreed, and a maximum of eight spots to be filled, hope was also expressed that one more major backer would be on board before the end of the year.

A further one would then be sought before the Opening Ceremony, although there is no obligation to necessarily have the maximum number of tier one sponsors, Clegg claimed. 

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