BBC could sub-lease Olympics after losing rights

Reports suggest Eurosport owner will sell on free-to-air rights from 2022

2012 London Olympics Opening Ceremony
(Image credit: Ian MacNicol / Getty)

The BBC faces the prospect of losing the rights to screen the Olympics after a pan-European deal was agreed between the International Olympics Committee and US broadcasting giant Discovery, owner of the Eurosport satellite and cable channels.

Under the terms of the agreement, which The Guardian says is worth £920m, Discovery has acquired the broadcast rights for both the winter and summer games for most of Europe, beginning in 2018.

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE
https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up
Explore More
To continue reading this article...
Continue reading this article and get limited website access each month.
Get unlimited website access, exclusive newsletters plus much more.
Cancel or pause at any time.
Already a subscriber to The Week?
Not sure which email you used for your subscription? Contact us