IOC Rejects Pan-European Bid

LONDON, December 3: The
International Olympic Committee (IOC) has turned down a bid by Europe's
free-to-air stations to buy the rights for the 2014 and 2016 Olympics, leaving
each broadcaster, including the BBC, to negotiate individually.

It is the first time in
more than 50 years that the IOC has rejected a media rights pitch from the
European Broadcasting Union (EBU). The EBU has traditionally won the bidding
because its 75 members reach the most viewers. The EBU paid $443.4 million to
show the Beijing Games and $135 million for the 2006 Turin Games. It has rights
for the 2010 Vancouver Olympics and 2012 London Games.

A spokeswoman for the IOC
said that the Olympic body was "conducting a fair and open bidding process
giving all interested parties—broadcast unions, agencies and individual
broadcasters, including EBU members —the opportunity to acquire 2014-2016
Olympic Games broadcast rights in Europe."

The EBU said it was
disappointed with the outcome. "We very much regret the decision of the
IOC," said Fritz Pleitgen, the president of the EBU. "EBU members
were surprised by the high financial expectations of the IOC."

For the BBC, the rejection
opens up competition from the likes of Sky and ITV. A BBC spokeswoman said the
decision by the IOC not to negotiate through the EBU mirrored moves already
made by the football governing bodies FIFA and UEFA over the World Cup and
European Championship, respectively.

—By Kristin
Brzoznowski