Television Rights
On 6 January 2011, the IOC announced that it was considering packaging the U.S. television rights for four Olympics instead of the usual two: the 2016 and 2020 Summer Olympics, and the 2014 and 2018 Winter Olympics. The IOC's lead negotiator Richard Carrion told the Associated Press the bidding war would be waged among NBC, ESPN, Fox and perhaps a CBS/Turner coalition. "We realize this is a major decision going forward for any of these guys," the IOC member from Puerto Rico said. "I would certainly support it if they want to go to four games, and do all the way to 2020."
IOC president Jacques Rogge heads the exclusive TV Rights and New Media Commission, but the organization of bidding falls to Carrion, who meets regularly with the networks to stoke interest in airing Sochi 2014 and Rio de Janeiro 2016. In packaging four Olympics, Carrion had another two Games to sell, but the 2018 host city would not be selected until 6 July and the 2020 host until 2013. The IOC took its time to seek a new deal for the U.S., hoping to ride out a recession to get the best price possible. The U.S. television rights are the IOC's single-largest source of revenue.
On 7 June 2011, the IOC awarded the U.S. television rights to the four Olympics to NBC in a deal worth more than $4 billion.
Below are the confirmed television right holders:
- France – France Télévisions
- North Korea – SBS
- South Korea – SBS
- United Kingdom – BBC
- United States – NBC
Read more about this topic: 2020 Summer Olympics
Famous quotes containing the words television and/or rights:
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—Polly Berrien Berends (20th century)
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—Sarah Patton Boyle, U.S. civil rights activist and author. The Desegregated Heart, part 3, ch. 3 (1962)