IOC looking to sell three-Games package in Australia

International Olympic Committee vice-president John Coates has said that the organisation is aiming to sell the media rights for the next three Olympic Games as a single package in Australia, according to the Fox Sports news website.

The report said that the IOC is expecting to generate about Aus$250m (€163m/$224m) from the sale of the Games’ media rights in Australia across free-to-air, pay-television and digital media platforms.

Ten is broadcasting the ongoing Sochi 2014 winter Olympic Games after acquiring the rights for Aus$7m after Seven and Nine showed little interest.

“Ten has been very happy with their experience here and Ten like the idea that two of the next three Games are in the same time zone,” said Coates, who added that he had been “very impressed by Ten.” He added: “I hear their coverage has been outstanding and they’ve embraced this in a very short period.”

Ten generated an average primetime audience of 1.15 million viewers over the first 12 days of the Sochi Games.