The International Olympic Committee has appointed the IMG agency for consultancy services related to the European broadcast rights tender for the 2018 winter Olympic Games and 2020 summer Games, with the process set to launch on May 11.
The tender process will include the markets of: Albania, Andorra, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Kosovo, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Malta, Moldova, Monaco, Montenegro, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russian Federation, San Marino, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine and Vatican City State.
France and the UK are not included in the tender with rights to the Olympics having already been assigned through the 2020 Games.
UK public-service broadcaster the BBC agreed a media rights deal with the IOC in July 2012 to cover the 2014, 2016, 2018 and 2020 Olympic Games. French public-service broadcaster France Télévisions signed a four-Games deal with the IOC in July 2011, for 2014, 2016, 2018 and 2020.
The IOC said bidders in its European tender will be asked to outline how they would partner the new year-round Olympic Channel initiative, including through content and distribution support. The IOC added it will consider bids on a multi-territory or on a country-by-country basis.
The IOC has asked for bids to be submitted by June 15. The 2018 and 2020 Olympics will be held in PyeongChang and Tokyo, respectively.