IOC Chief "Thrilled" by Pan-European Olympic TV Rights Deal

(ATR) Thomas Bach says the awarding of broadcast rights in Europe to Discovery and Eurosport through the 2024 Olympics is "another milestone" in the development of the Olympic Channel.

The deal, worth $1.4 billion, covers PyeongChang 2018, Tokyo 2020, as well as the Olympics in 2022 – Almaty or Beijing – and in 2024.

The agreement reinforces Eurosport as the pan-European home of Olympic sports. It will offer more Games coverage than ever before – to more than 700 million people on the continent – across free-to-air, pay-TV, online and mobile.

Discovery and Eurosport said their coverage will be augmented by innovative partnerships with broadcasters and distributors. They have committed to helping the IOC develop the new Olympic Channel across Europe.

In a conference call with nearly 100 reporters, Bach said he was "thrilled" with the partnership and looking forward to a "new era" in Olympic TV broadcasting in Europe.

Asked by Around the Rings if the deal would accelerate the implementation of the channel, Bach said: "This is not about speed. This is about quality.

"We have not given a deadline for the start of the Olympic Channel.

"But today, this is another milestone in the development of the channel because, with this agreement, we can look forward to having this Olympic Channel extended to other platforms and having a roll-out to the whole continent.

"This is, for us, extremely important."

Under the IOC’s Agenda 2020 reforms, the TV channel aims to raise the profile of Olympic sports between Games.

Bach told reporters the new TV deal would make sure Olympic sports and Olympic values "are now not only shown to this big audience for 16 days of glory during the Olympic Games but 365 days a year." The Olympic Channel was "another tool to reach out to youth," he added.

Discovery Networks International took control of Eurosport a year ago and embarked on a long-term mission to reinvigorate and strengthen its networks and brand.

Discovery president and CEO David Zaslav said the partnership "is an exciting win for European sports fans as we will deliver record amounts of content across platforms to ensure the Olympic flame burns bright all year long."

He said Discovery had a "real advantage" to build the Olympic brand and sports with the number one sports portal Eurosport, which boasts 30 million visitors per month to its website.

Zaslav said the media giant and sports broadcaster, already showing many Olympic sports, had the experience and infrastructure to deliver on their pledge: "We have a lot of the pieces. The IOC has a lot of great ideas."

"The idea is to have the Olympic flame burning 365 days per year. That’s our passion, our commitment. We think that makes the Olympic Games strong," he said, adding that Discovery and Eurosport would activate its deal soon after the Rio 2016 Olympics, developing the sports and the "characters’ [athletes] and their backstories.

In line with IOC requirements, Discovery has committed to broadcast a minimum of 200 hours of the Summer Olympics and 100 hours of the Winter Olympics on free-to-air television during the Games. It will sub-license a portion of the rights in many markets across Europe.

Discovery acquired the Olympic TV rights in all territories except for Russia. Bach had no detailed explanation about why the host country of the Sochi Olympics was absent from the deal: "Russia was not part of the offer presented by Discovery… and this is it."

In certain markets, such as the U.K. and Germany, the principle Olympic rights holders are set to lose out.

Broadcasting giants like the BBC, whose deal ends in 2020, and ARD plus ZDF will no longer be able to lay claim to being the "home of the Olympics," instead being forced to rely on sub-licensing deals.

The $1.4 billion deal covering four Olympics marks a different IOC approach for sale of TV rights. The IOC struck a $850 million deal with the European Broadcasting Union for the 2010 and 2012 Olympics and, amid the global recession, awarded European broadcast rights for the 2014 and 2016 Olympics to Sportfive for $316 million.

Noting the break from previous deals, Bach spoke about the financial stability for the IOC offered by the long-term deal and benefits of promoting the Olympics across different digital platforms.

"Discovery is the real gatekeeper for all these rights."

Bach said the deal would also bring Olympic sports to the younger generation with targeted content on platforms used by youth.

For Discovery, Zaslav agreed that the deal covering a four-Games cycle was a better return on investment. It would "build asset value around the Olympics and build strategic relations to put content on all platforms, as we build relationships with the IOC."

In the conference call, he said Discovery was looking forward to "amplifying the Olympic Games" and spoke about the flexibility the company would have in sub-licensing to "bring more coverage to more people on more platforms throughout Europe."

Zaslav also noted the influence of NBC’s former president Dick Ebersol – "my great friend" – who is advising the IOC on the Olympic Channel. He said the partnership "would never had happened without Dick being a part of it."

In 2014, the IOC inked a U.S. TV rights deal with NBC Universal worth $7.65 billion that runs through the 2032 Olympics.

Reported by Mark Bisson

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