IOC awards 2010 & 2012 broadcast rights in Asia

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) today announced agreements with the Asian Broadcasting Union (ABU) and ESPN STAR Sports (ESS) for the broadcast rights within certain territories in Asia* for the Vancouver 2010 and London 2012 Olympic Games.

As part of the agreements, the ABU has acquired terrestrial over-the-air television and radio broadcast rights within the region, and ESS has acquired non-standard television rights including cable and satellite television platforms. In addition, both organisations will have certain simultaneous unaltered retransmission rights on other media platforms.

The members of the ABU have committed to a total of 200 hours minimum exposure for the London 2012 Olympic Games and to a daily 52-minute highlights programme in prime time for the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Games on terrestrial, over-the-air television.

ESPN STAR Sports has committed to deliver comprehensive coverage across cable and satellite television platforms of over 200 hours of coverage for the London 2012 Olympic Games, and over 60 hours of coverage for the 2010 Winter Games. In addition, ESS will also be broadcasting Olympic Games programming showcasing golden moments from the history of the Olympic Games.

The IOC selected the ABU and ESS on their capacity to reach the broadest possible audience on a range of broadcast platforms and their commitment to promoting the Olympic Games and the values of the Olympic Movement.

Commenting on the agreements, IOC Executive Board member Richard Carrión said: "We are delighted to continue our partnership with the ABU and to welcome ESPN STAR Sports to the Olympic Movement. Their support will enable us to provide high quality coverage of the Vancouver and London Games to Olympic fans and help to promote Olympic sports across the region."

Manu Sawhney, Managing Director, ESPN STAR Sports said, "We are extremely pleased to partner with the International Olympic Committee. We are committed to promoting the spirit of the Olympic Games and we are delighted that our viewers can now be part of the excitement as they watch, share and celebrate the 2010 Winter Games, 2012 Summer Games and additional Olympic Games programming on our platforms."

Speaking about the agreement, John Barton, Director of Sport at the ABU, said: "The ABU continues to provide free-to-air coverage to an enormous population base throughout the Asia-Pacific region. We see our role, in partnership with the IOC, as being to promote the intrinsic values of the Olympic Games, the spirit of Olympism, and to support, through our reach to the biggest television audience in the world, the hopes and dreams of new Olympians."

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For further information, please contact the IOC Communications Department, Tel: +41 21 621 60 00, email: pressoffice@olympic.org

To contact the ABU: John Barton, Director of Sport, ABU, Tel: +60 3 2282 1946, email: john.barton@abu.org.my

To contact ESS: Paras Sharma (ESPN STAR Sports), Tel: +65 6216 6031, email: parass@espnstar.com

* The list of territories included in the agreements is as follows:

Afghanistan

Bangladesh

Brunei

Bhutan

Cambodia

East Timor

India

Indonesia

Iran

Laos

Malaysia

Maldives

Mauritius

Mongolia

Myanmar

Nepal

Pakistan

Papua New Guinea

Singapore

Sri Lanka

Thailand

Vietnam

Please note that the ESS agreement does not include Iran and Mauritius and, in addition to the above territories, includes Macao and New Caledonia only in English.