Seven confirms Olympic deal for Rio, Tokyo, PyeongChang.
Seven signs a triple deal for the Olympics beginning in Rio and ending in Tokyo in 2020.
- Published by David Knox
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Seven has confirmed securing the Olympic Games through to 2020, covering Rio 2016, Tokyo 2020 and the Winter Olympics in PyeongChang, South Korea, in 2018.
Seven’s agreement with the International Olympic Committee includes Free to Air and subscription television rights plus digital platforms, including online and Hybrid Broadband Broadcast Television and radio broadcasting rights.
It also includes plus an option to include the XXIV Olympic Winter Games in 2022 and the XXXIII Olympic Games in 2024.
It will also feature daily highlights package of the 2nd Youth Olympic Games in Nanjing in 2 weeks’ time.
The deal follows media speculation that Seven had secured the games for less than $200 million after Nine and TEN reportedly withdrew from bidding.
Kerry Stokes, Chairman of Seven West Media, said: “The Olympic Games has been a key part of Seven’s history and development. I am extraordinarily proud of our long partnership with the IOC and the Olympic movement, and look forward to our partnership with the Olympic Games as we define and build our media presence over the coming decade.”
Tim Worner, CEO of Seven West Media, added: “We accept this honour on behalf of our audiences. The Olympic Games are a commitment to excellence that invigorates us. In many ways, our connection with the Games has defined our business and our connections with our audiences. We are ready to begin the next step on our journey with the Olympic movement and take the responsibility to provide the Games to all Australians across all forms of delivery platforms.
“The Olympic Games is the greatest show on earth. It will be a remarkable platform for Seven as we continue to move forward as a media company, developing new content and building new businesses which will drive our future as Australia’s leading integrated media and communications business.
“The Olympic Games deliver the biggest audiences and the biggest marketing and advertising partnerships. The marketing of those partnerships with our advertisers begins today. The monetization of our rights begins today.
“We are expanding our significant online presence and will soon unveil more plans for the further delivery of our video and publishing content across an array of delivery platforms, including the forthcoming launch of Hybrid Broadband Broadcast Television which will allow us to strengthen our broadcast television business and extend to one-on-one communications with our mass audiences.
“Everyone knows the media landscape is changing at breakneck speed and the way our coverage of these events is produced and distributed across all platforms to all Australians will be revolutionised in the lifetime of this deal.
“We take great pride in our partnership with the Olympic Games and the key role it will play in driving home our leadership across our media platforms and our connection with our audiences. We have projects already earmarked and in development for launch on our television platform following the Olympic Games in Rio in 2016,” he said.
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31 Responses
I think 7 does a great job with Olympics unlike 9 which did crap!!! 7 just needs to make sure it gets its scheduling right. The olympics truly belong on 7.
@David Knox
I highly doubt that Channel 7’s Beijing 2008 Coverage has been criticised with viewers missing out on the rest of the Olympics due to AFL Commitments and News. This was the case for Perth viewers watching Channel GEM’s London 2012 with the NRL matches showing on delay. Channel 9 was criticised for showing lots of replays and the disappointing ratings. Nine is described as a dog’s breakfast. Also Channel 9 was being criticised for showing delayed coverage of the Vancouver 2010 Olympics, especially for Perth and Adelaide viewers.
@Damo – Channel 7’s Beijing Olympics has been interrupted by AFL Commitments.
Shoudy: Doubt no more. With respect, I have been covering television for some ten years. I did a number of radio spots with heated talkback calls during Beijing Olympics. And London.
“The Seven Network has been forced to respond to angry viewers who bombarded Seven’s website to complain about being lumbered with an AFL match this afternoon instead of Olympic sport.” http://tvtonight.com.au/2008/08/olympic-fan-fury-over-afl.html
“Ian Johnson, chairman of Seven Melbourne, today responded to criticism of Seven’s Olympic coverage including questions about HD, delayed events, opening ceremony audio and AFL broadcasts.” http://tvtonight.com.au/2008/08/seven-on-the-defense.html
It’s very hard to please all fans, regardless of FTA broadcaster.
Its great to see Seven regain the Olympics. Yes Beijing was below average especially that yum cha show but Nine’s Olympic broadcast was worse. TEN did a better job with the most recent ones. Foxtel did the best coverage by a country mile but i assume we are going to get a completely different Olympic experience from Seven. Now we have the multi-channel options and the online broadcasting too i think it will improve out of sight. Seven really have improved the way they cover sports and have shown the rest how its done. They are not perfect, but no one can be perfect but i think they do a great job with most sports they cover. Will be great to see.
Great to see the Olympics back where they belong… 7 has always had the best coverage, unfortunately 9 delivered little more than a dogs breakfast with London.
So does that mean we have to stare at that Olympic watermark they already put on all of their channels for the next two years? Ugh!
Its a bit much to have the Olympic rings on the 7 watermark throughout a program on 7 tonight just because they got the rights to host the Olympics. They aren’t on for another two years.
having strong ratings doesn’t mean it was a great coverage. it was terrible for the bejing games. do the people that say 7s coverage of the bejing games actually watch 7s coverage
Channel Nine’s Vancouver 2010 and London 2012 were disgraceful. Why would Channel Nine have to reduce the telecast of the Vancouver 2010? This was the same as London 2012 with a limited amount of sport. Nine clashed with the NRL season. Many viewers around Australia were furious about Nine’s Olympic Coverage.
Sochi 2014 on ten wasn’t that bad with decent ratings and different sports.
Seven’s Olympics were fantastic thanks to strong ratings. Would like to see 7 put the coverage in HD.
Actually viewers were very outspoken about Beijing coverage on Seven too. Viewers are always vocal about sports coverage.
This explains the watermark (7 logo and Olympic Rings) in the top corner of the screen tonight.
Unless they somehow how 8 live HD channels on their HBBTV – it will be nowhere near as good as Foxtel during London.
Channel 7 has always had the best coverage of the Olympics. Its great that it is back on Seven again
ugh their Beijing broadcast was awful, ch9 did a better job in London and ch10 did a better job with the winter games, ch 7 were hopeless at using all their channels, they talk big but deliver small….not such good news
As for the AFL, the IOC will always check with them first before scheduling the Olympics as they (the IOC) are most fearful of a clash….
And they are already celebrating [annoying their viewers] by moving their on screen watermarks to the top right in solid colour and Olympic rings underneath on all three channels.
This better only be for today and not the next 6-10 years.
surely 7 and foxtel can negotiate some sort agreement where foxtel can cover the games. @oceanographer bejing will always be the worst
Don’t worry about the AFL folks.
Most day sessions at the Olympics begin at 9am local time.
That would be around 10pm AEST, and most AFL games will finish by then (or be close to finishing).
And then most days finish around 11pm local time… around midday AEST.
This is a perfect deal for Channel 7.
They can’t do any worse than Channel Nine did with the London games – the worst coverage ever. You’d assume they’d use their multichannels so it will be a lot better than previous other Olympics broadcasted by Seven.
I reckon its good that Ten stayed out of it as it will give them a very good opportunity to bid for premium sports rights that are up for renewal in less then 2 years.
Seven will do the same as Nine did with London and Ten did with Glasgow and Sochi. Except for Tokyo where they will be able to show a lot of major events live during the afternoon and evening.
The AFL will take precedence over Rio. Though the AFL finals start after it.
Well TEN have really shown how to show the Olympics and Commonwealth Games with TENPlay’s 8 streaming channels. Let’s see if Seven follows TEN’s example or does like previous years (and like Nine) and rely solely on their broadcast channels and sell the pay tv rights.
With the exception of Foxtel, I think Seven do the best job. I just hope they’re wise enough to either use ALL their multichannels for coverage or sell some events off to SBS as previously done.
If they hoard everything exclusively on Seven or only allow online extra channels, I dont think it will work
Dates for Rio are 5 to 21 August so won’t clash with AFL Finals
As Seven has just completed the change over from B/W [taken several years]to Color we will be in no position to show the games in HD as we have no one here that understand the technology !!
Rio clashes with AFL Finals …. an opportunity for Ten?
I guess that means Matt White will quit Ten and go back to Seven again.
Oh well – as long as it spares us from Bruce MacAvaney commentating.
well hopefully they use all their channels and don’t complete screw the fans over like they did with the bejing games and athens games.