BeIN Media Group and IOC shake hands on rights deal

BeIN Media Group has said it will “work closely” with the International Olympic Committee on its new Olympic Channel project after formally signing its rights deal with the organisation.

First announced in July 2015, beIN and the IOC yesterday (Wednesday) held an official signing ceremony to the agreement which grants the group exclusive multi-territory rights in the Middle East and North Africa to the next four Olympic Games, starting with the 2018 winter Games in Pyeongchang.

BeIN has acquired rights across all broadcast platforms, including free-to-air television, pay-television, internet and mobile devices in all languages. The agreement also includes the right to broadcast all editions of the Youth Olympic Games until 2024.

Consistent with IOC and local market requirements, beIN has committed to broadcasting a minimum number of hours of the Olympic Games on free-to-air television during the period of the contract.

While beIN Sports is currently broadcasting the Rio 2016 Olympic Games through a sublicensing arrangement, the new deal marks the first ever direct relationship between beIN Media Group and the IOC. BeIN said this will enable both parties to work closely on initiatives aimed at growing broadcast audiences and Olympic values within the region. These initiatives will include the Olympic Channel, which launches on Sunday.

IOC president Thomas Bach said: “With its excellent track record in broadcasting, we believe that (beIN) will provide fantastic coverage across the region of each edition of the Olympic Games, including free-to-air television coverage. BeIN Sports has also committed to providing unprecedented promotion of Olympic sports all year round, including significant support for the Olympic Channel in the future.“

BeIN Sports has broadcast the Olympics in the Mena region since the 2004 summer Games in Athens.