Jeff Browne, the managing director of Australian commercial broadcaster Nine, said that he expects the International Olympic Committee to sell rights in the country to the 2016, 2018 and 2020 Olympic Games as a package.
Last month, commercial broadcaster Network Ten acquired Australian rights for the 2014 winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, after the IOC failed to secure a two-Games deal comprising the 2016 summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
“They will sell the next two summers plus the winter in between them as a package,” Browne said.
He added that it had been difficult for Nine to finance a bid for the 2014 and 2016 Olympics due to an ownership restructuring process at the broadcaster.
“We needed to sort out our rugby league and cricket commitments before we could go there,” Browne said, before adding that the broadcaster would be a serious bidder in the future for rights to the domestic A-League football competition.
“I've been watching football – it wasn't quite right for us this time around because we had to recommit to cricket,” he said. “You've certainly got our attention and next time around I would be knocking on the door and we would have a good look at it. If we don't buy it we'll push the others up.”