The IOC has turned down the European Broadcasting Union's bid for the rights to upcoming Olympic Games. The IOC has cited wanting to negotiate individual contracts in the countries involved (read: more $$$ and £££) as the reason for the decision. I wonder if this is totally wise.
In my opinion, you get continuity when you have a master contract covering most of Europe. There may be a few countries here and there that don't sign on and want their own deals. I just can't see the sense of this. It's going to drive up costs (obviously) and for some poorer or smaller nations, the cost to broadcast may be prohibitive.
At the last IOC session in Guatemala City, Jacques Rogge cited concern about certain countries not being able to receive Olympic programming or getting inconsistent transmissions of certain events. But by starting to put a chokehold on the European broadcast rights is only the beginning. We're already seeing in Oceania terrestial broadcasters who previously held the rights being shut out by local cable, most notably Foxtel for 2010 Winter and 2012 Summer (along with Nine Network), shutting out long-time broadcaster 7 Network.
It's time to give it back to the people who have done it the best and done it the longest-and not some upstarts who think they can do it better and sell the IOC and the viewing public a bunch of damaged goods, all in the name of someone lining their pockets when it comes time to negotiate the contract.
The real losers will be the viewing public, and with no viewers, there is no ratings and in the end, no bux.
Familiarise yourself where the on/off switch is. You will need it if you live in Europe-and I suspect elsewhere too.
