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Foxtel visits Sochi ahead of Olympic rights

Foxtel production staff visited Sochi, home of the 2014 Winter Olympics, earlier this month for a meeting of Games broadcasters.

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2013-02-25_1411Foxtel production staff visited Sochi, home of the 2014 Winter Olympics, earlier this month for a meeting of Games broadcasters.

According to the Australian Financial Review they attended under observer status.

Industry talk is that Seven West Media has put in a bid for the rights but Nine has not, following a $20 million loss on the 2012 London Olympics. But the bid was understood to be less than IOC execs had hoped for.

Nine and Foxtel paid about $120 million for London and the 2010 Vancouver Olympics with close to $50 million coming from Foxtel.

TEN is also keen on the games, particularly in light of its new CEO signalling its interest in sports rights.

Discussions on the Australian rights are due to resume in April.

8 Responses

  1. The ABC should have first dibs. After all, Shaun Micallef’s Mad as Hell has had a team of four intrepid reporters getting their first impressions of Sochi for the past five weeks.

  2. I’d be surprised if Foxtel didn’t retain the pay TV rights – it’s really only the free rights which are on the market and from Seven’s point of view it’s probably better to share with Foxtel than SBS, with Foxtel likely to contribute more to the pot.

  4. Given away — as is in totally free to Foxsports subscribers. Just like a set of steak knives as a signing, or remaining, bonus.

    They took in no extra revenue directly from the @l^mp!cs only a small increase in sports subscriptions. They had previously tried to charge Foxsports subscribers for the games but only a very small number would bother ringing up and paying extra for what was free on Channel 9.

  6. Nine made a loss and Foxtel gave their coverage away to try and stop existing subscribers from leaving.

    Rio will only be worth a fraction of what London was in the Australian market because of the time difference and the fact it is not in England.

    Ten surely can’t be too interested in sport in 2016.
    First they need stuff for 2013, 14 and 15 or they may not be around then.

  7. Hoping Foxtel gets the rights as I thoroughly enjoyed their coverage of the London Games last year. Looking forward to see some Winter sports such as Biathlon, Bobsleigh/Luge, Hockey,

    The channels should be offered free to sports subscribers like what they did with London and as a small fee for those who don’t have the sports package.

    Will be devastated if the rights go to Seven/SBS.

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