German public-service broadcasters ARD and ZDF are ready to cut off talks with Discovery Communications over a sublicensing deal for rights covering the Olympic Games in 2018 and 2020 if the media company does not lower its asking price.
According to the Manager Magazin business news publication, Discovery has been asking for €150m ($169m) for the two events, while ARD and ZDF have so far only been prepared to pay €100m.
Discovery is reportedly open to the possibility of lowering the price if SportA, the sports-rights agency that represents Germany’s public-service broadcasters, hands over rights in exchange.
Discovery, which operates the Eurosport channels in Germany, recently agreed a sublicensing deal in neighbouring Austria with public-service broadcaster ORF for the 2018 and 2020 Games.