The International Olympic Committee has set a June 29 deadline for bids in the tender for UK rights covering future editions of the Olympic Games beyond London 2012.
The rights cover the 2014 winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, and the 2016 summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The IOC said that interested parties would also be able to bid for the 2018 winter Games in the South Korean city of PyeongChang, and the 2020 summer Olympics, the hosting rights for which are yet to be awarded.
UK public-service broadcaster the BBC is the current rights-holder for the Games in the country.
“The IOC will assess bids on their ability to meet the highest standards in broadcast quality, their capacity to reach the broadest possible audience, their commitment to promoting the Olympic Games and the values of the Olympic movement, as well as on the financial offer,” the IOC said.
The IOC launched the process on May 31.
The UK is the one remaining major market in Europe where a rights deal for the 2014 and 2016 Olympics has not been sealed. The IOC is selling the 2014 and 2016 rights itself in the UK and five other major European markets – France, Germany, Italy, Spain and Turkey. The Sportfive agency is selling the rights in the remaining European markets.