London-ESPN, Fox and other major candidates for the television rights to American interests to buy a set of four Olympic Games instead of the usual two-games go, the head of the IOC showed negotiator says Associated Press.
The International Olympic Committee had planned to the auction as lucrative rights to the Olympic Winter Games 2014 in Sochi, Russia and summer at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.
But Richard Carrion, Member of the IOC Executive Board the responsible for the dissemination of the U.S. deals, said that the Committee is now weighing the possibility of extending the high-stakes bid 2018 and 2020 summer Olympic Winter. For these games host cities are not selected.
Carrión said all likely contenders - ESPN, NBC and Fox, with a potential bid by CBS and Turner - approached the IOC on the four-game option. Two games in the package to add could bring the total rights, more than 4 billion.
ESPN and Fox was one of outright for a four-game deal, another Olympic official told the AP. the official spoke on condition of anonymity because details of the negotiations have not been made public.
Carrión said that it was in favour of the idea, that should be discussed at the meetings of the Board of Directors of IOC in Lausanne, Switzerland, next week.
Carrión said "We are aware that it is an important decision, go for one of these guys," in a telephone interview. "We want to make sure they have their best and highest (bids)." I would certainly support if they want to go with four games and all the way up to 2020. »
ESPN declined to comment on his interest in the call for tenders for four games, but Josh Krulewitz spokesman said: "we're also interested in rights Olympics and plan an aggressive offers this sense of affairs for ESPN fact." Fox declined comment.
The IOC has U.S. negotiations delayed over a year because of the unfavourable economic conditions and declining market advertising rights. Carrión said that the IOC is preparing now to continue the auction in the first half of the year.
"It seems it's something that should probably in the second quarter of the year not happen", he said. "We see many more optimism that we have seen in some time." The U.S. economy appears to be off the coast of positive signals. It certainly ours to begin to prepare. »
Costs of rights TV has provided much of the revenues of the IOC, share accounts of the U.S. for more than half of the total. About half of the money goes to the host cities, the rest being distributed on the IOC, the international federations and national Olympic committees.
Carrión said the big players have any interest in obtaining the rights to at least the Sochi and Rio de Janeiro games. The IOC has been also waiting to see if a "non-traditional bidder" entered the fray. Carrion is already the case for Time Warner, which is a first approach with CBS for rights for 2010 and 2012 Olympics but stopped games before the final offer.
In this auction, in 2003, NBC and its parent company, General Electric outbid ESPN and Fox for the rights of 2010 and 2012 - an agreement valued at $ 2.2 billion. NBC 2 billions of dollars spent on your direct rights fees and GE signed title global sponsor.
If the IOC decides to 2020 rights to sell and sell auctions over the next six months, networks will offer two Olympic Games without knowing where they will be held.
2018 Host is chosen by the IOC in July of three candidates - Annecy, France. Munich; and Pyeongchang, South Korea. 2020 Open tender process vote later this year, with the host in 2013. Submissions are expected in South Africa, Italy and possibly Japan, Spain and the Middle East.
Canadian member of the IOC Dick pound, the former negotiator of the Commission we TV, rights said the financial sense of four-game package to networks as a long-term investment.
"With 2014 and" 16 sites of higher risk, it may be preferable for networks to draw on the investment and hope back win, "said book, noting the 2018 games will be in Europe or in Korea in the South and the 2020 Olympic Games could be in Rome." ""There is no reason that it won't happen if the agreement does make sense and adequate financial support. »
Multi-Games offers are created before.
In 1995, NBC acquired the rights to five of the Olympic Games from 2000 to 2008 in a couple of trafficking 3.5 billion. These negotiations took place in secret, without other networks have the opportunity.
Current competitors should be willing to bid sealed bids billion financial climate uncertain. NBC reported losses of $ 223 million last year, the Winter Olympics in Vancouver, British Columbia Colombia.
Carrion expected costs higher for the Olympic Games in 2014 and 2016 the previous $ 2 billion.
"No doubt" he said. "We believe that this is a fantastic event." Although more than a product, is - something that everyone watching. It is a unique event. We want to make sure that the value of the rights that we believe are important. »
Pound, involved no longer human trafficking, said that the IOC should assess whether the networks sufficiently long-term support from their parent companies.
"They financial heft to stay there for eight years and honour the hundreds of millions of dollars of promises." Pound said. "It would certainly be very risky for the IOC broadcast partner go belly up."
The IOC preparing even before with NBC in the midst of a takeover by cable TV giant Comcast Corp. the deal, was the subject of the investigation, regulations must be approved by the Federal Communications Commission and the Department of Justice at the beginning of this year. Comcast may obtain a majority stake in NBC Universal from GE.
Comcast isn't clear Olympic intentions.
"They will certainly have their say, the owner of the majority," said carrion. "It's a big, big decision for them, absolutely."
Carrión said the auction "seems" in the previous round, as submitted networks sealed bidding at the IOC headquarters in Lausanne.
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AP sports writer Rachel Cohen in New York contributed to this report.
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