UK public-service broadcaster the BBC has agreed a deal with US media and entertainment company Discovery Communications under which it will give up exclusive rights to the 2018 and 2020 Olympic Games in return for free-to-air rights to the 2022 and 2024 editions of the multi-sport event.
The agreement announced today (Tuesday) means the BBC will sublicense from Discovery exclusive free-to-air audio-visual and non-exclusive radio rights to the 2022 and 2024 Olympic Games. In turn, Discovery will sublicense from the BBC exclusive pay-television rights in the UK to the 2018 and 2020 Olympic Games.
In June, Discovery and its pan-European sports broadcaster Eurosport acquired television and multi-platform rights in 50 European markets for four editions of the Olympic Games, from 2018 to 2024, in a deal valued at €1.3bn ($1.4bn).
Russia was excluded from the agreement, while the deal applied to the 2022 and 2024 Games only in France and the UK. The BBC agreed a media rights deal with the International Olympic Committee in July 2012 to cover the 2014, 2016, 2018 and 2020 Olympic Games.
Today’s deal ensures that the BBC will continue to be the free to air home of the best action from the Olympic Games until 2024. Additionally, the BBC's package of rights is supplemented by digital rights to the content it broadcasts on television.
The agreement marks the first Olympic Games sublicensing deal by Discovery and reinforces Eurosport as the home of the Olympic Games across Europe, ensuring that every event is available to fans across all screens.
Tony Hall, director general of the BBC, said: “The BBC prides itself on bringing the biggest sporting moments to the public. For many, the BBC has been their stadium for Olympic coverage. It is an event that unites the nation like no other. I'm delighted that through our new partnership with Discovery, the BBC will continue to carry the torch for great sporting coverage right through to the 2024 Games. While the BBC has had to take some tough financial decisions, this partnership underlines our commitment to making world class sport available to all.”
David Zaslav, president and chief executive of Discovery Communications, added: “Today’s agreement is a win for UK sports fans and marks an exciting new chapter in Discovery and the BBC’s partnership on major sporting events. For 30 years, our two organisations have chartered new frontiers with co-production partnerships in factual and natural history programming. Now we join together once again to bring the most compelling stories of human ambition, sacrifice and achievement to people across the UK.”