The International Olympic Committee (IOC) will open its Olympic European broadcast rights sale on March 10. The bid process will last six weeks with a deadline set for April 25.
The IOC said it would “assess bids on their ability to meet the highest standards in broadcast quality, their capacity to reach the widest possible audience, their commitment to promoting the Olympic Games and the values of the Olympic Movement, and on the financial offer.”
The opportunity for broadcast rights will span over Europe’s 51 territories, excluding Russia, for the Milano-Cortina 2026 and LA28 Games.
Bidders can submit offers for one or two cycles. The first cycle covering the 2026 and 2028 Olympic Games. The second covers both the 2026 and 2028 Games coupled with the 2030 and 2032 Brisbane Games.
The IOC said it would consider multiple offers including OTT and ITT packages for a single territory or multiple territories. It also noted that standalone bids for the 2030-22 cycle would not be accepted.
Discovery acquired the exclusive rights, valued at EUR 1.3 billion, across all platforms, in all languages across 50 countries and territories on the European continent.
With strong competition from other media agencies, including Eurovision Sport and Sportfive, the incumbent Discovery is expected to face a strong challenge to continue their broadcast rights across the continent.