ARD and ZDF Close to Securing Olympics Rights for 2014 and 2016 Games
June 28, 2011
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) is close to reaching an agreement for a US$193m deal for the broadcasting rights in Germany for the 2014 Winter and 2016 Summer Olympic Games with public-service broadcasters ARD and ZDF.
ARD and ZDF are understood to have paid US$206m for the rights for the 2010 and 2012 Olympics, which they acquired via the European Broadcasting Union, the consortium of public-service broadcasters.
The two networks have been the traditional broadcasters of the games in Germany. ARD and ZDF have refused to comment on the story.
The IOC’s biggest source of revenue is broadcasting rights deals, which are expected to bring in close to US$4bn for the next two-Games period of 2010-2012.
