Ten Network Scores 2014 Winter Olympics

May 14, 2013 World Screen Top Stories

SYDNEY: Ten Network Holdings has scooped up the Australian broadcast rights for the XXII Olympic Winter Games in Sochi, Russia, in 2014, thanks to a deal with the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

The pact covers all broadcast platforms, including free and pay TV, the Internet and mobile phones.

Hamish McLennan, Ten Network Holdings’ CEO and managing director, said: “We are delighted that Ten will be Australia’s Olympics network in 2014.

“The agreement with the IOC delivers on our strategy to increase our investment in premium sport.

“Australia will field its largest-ever Winter Olympics team at Sochi and we are confident that some of those 56 athletes will be among the Games’ star performers,” McLennan said. “We are also confident that Australian viewers and advertisers will embrace our coverage of the Sochi Games.”

Jacques Rogge, IOC president, added: “Sochi 2014 will be the first Olympic Winter Games held in Russia, and sports fans around the world will be tuning in to follow the very best of Olympic winter sport next February. Australia is a sports-loving nation with passionate Olympic fans, and therefore we are very pleased to be able to announce this agreement with Ten to ensure fantastic broadcast coverage of the Olympic Winter Games.”

Richard Carrión, IOC’s finance commission chairman, said: “Ten is an experienced sports broadcaster with a clear passion for the Olympic Games. The agreement ensures there will be extensive free television coverage of next year’s Olympic Winter Games, as well as the very best broadcast coverage on other media platforms, including online and mobile.”

John Coates, the Australian Olympic Committee’s president, said: “On behalf of our Winter sports, we are excited to be working with Network Ten. This is great news for our Winter athletes who continue to excel on the world stage, particularly in aerials, moguls, snowboard halfpipe, snowboard cross and the new discipline of slopestyle. We are aiming to be a top 15 nation on the medal tally in Sochi.”