Tokyo’s Olympic success sparks Australian broadcasters’ interest

The award of the 2020 Olympic Games to Tokyo has led to all three Australian commercial broadcasters re-entering the race for the country’s next Olympic rights package, according to The Australian newspaper.

The International Olympic Committee is understood to be seeking a deal encompassing the Rio 2016 summer Games, the 2018 winter Games in PyeongChang and the 2020 Games.

Negotiations were delayed until the announcement of the 2020 host, with Tokyo's victory over Istanbul and Madrid the best result for Asian and Australian television markets.

Seven, Nine and Ten have not committed publicly to bidding but all are understood to be interested.

Ten in May acquired rights to the 2014 winter Games in Sochi in what the Australian said was a “fire sale” price of less than A$10m (€7m/$9.3m).

At least two free-to-air broadcasters are said to have discussed possible collaborations with pay-television broadcaster Foxtel for Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020.

Nine and Foxtel shared costs on the production of the London 2012 and Vancouver 2010 Games.