The International Olympic Committee’s Olympic Channel OTT platform has reached agreements with eight sport governing bodies and multi-sport organisations, as well as the National Pro Fastpitch baseball competition.
The Federation of International Lacrosse, International Federation of Basque Pelota, International Korfball Federation, International Sumo Federation and International Wushu Federation have signed up, in addition to the International Committee of Mediterranean Games, International University Sports Federation and Special Olympics.
Aside from providing a platform for live coverage, the Olympic Channel actively works with its federation partners to present event coverage, highlights, magazine shows, news coverage and original programming.
The deal with National Pro Fastpitch, a development partner of North America’s Major League Baseball, will cover the 2018 season. The channel will provide coverage of more than 20 games, with the platform’s general manager, Mark Parkman, saying: “The worldwide appeal of fastpitch softball is a great fit for our worldwide platform and youthful demographic as we look ahead to the sport of softball being re-introduced at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020.”
Games featured on the channel will be available on-demand and in international regions that do not conflict with exclusive domestic rights agreements.
The platform also confirmed that it will show more than 205 hours of live action from the 2018 Mediterranean Games, which will start tomorrow (Friday) and run until July 1 in Tarragona, Spain.
Live-streaming coverage will begin on Saturday and be available worldwide outside of Spain.