Fox, ESPN, CBS may try to snatch the Olympics from NBC

[TMC1982]

Fox, ESPN to Bid on Olympics Rights as NBC Faces Loss (Update1) - BusinessWeek

The Peacock has been losing money on the games, so it might be time for a new network to step in.

 

[SamCdbs]

Every time the rights to something comes open, the other networks salt stories about their interest, and that is part of the game, but the Olympics are certainly something that no network should lose money on. Its two weeks every other year, and two of those are in August, the lowest TV viewing month.

The idea that you lose money just so you can promo your new sitcom lineup is a relic of the past.

As are the Olympics themselves.

 

[tigerfan33]

Question. Why would they be interested??

 

[cosmo_kramer]

I think it makes sense for ESPN to be interested. February and August are relatively slow months on the sports calendar and their coverage could be pretty expansive with their stable of channels they could broadcast events on. Marketing still does play a minor role in the decision and they would have themselves, ABC, and the Disney empire to sell...

 

[Derwin0]

I think it makes sense for ESPN to be interested. February and August are relatively slow months on the sports calendar and their coverage could be pretty expansive with their stable of channels they could broadcast events on. Marketing still does play a minor role in the decision and they would have themselves, ABC, and the Disney empire to sell...

Yeah, I'd be surprised at Fox making a serious go at it, but ESPN/ABC would be a serious contender. With ABC and all the ESPN stations, it would be a perfect fit for Disney to want the Olympics. And with the money that ESPN has, they could easily snatch it away from NBC.

 

[Skyhi]

.

The idea that you lose money just so you can promo your new sitcom lineup is a relic of the past.

As are the Olympics themselves.

I love the Olympics. I can't wait for them to begin.

 

[btharner]

The Olympics a thing of the past? Let's see which event gets the higher global TV audience next week. The opening ceremony of the Vancouver Games or that silly little football game in Miami on Sunday. Relax, even I will be watching the football game. Seriously though, NBC should be applauded for the way they've changed the approach to showing the Olympics from highlighting a few popular sports and ignoring the rest to giving every sport the treatment it deserves. I would not complain though if ESPN were to get the rights. They have multiple channels as well as an online platform to present the Games similar to the way NBC has, although I wonder how they would fit a Winter Games in amongst their smorgasbord of college basketball. They have also gone on record saying that events would be shown live as opposed to saving them for prime time ( a benefit of the income from subscriber fees which lessens the reliance on advertising money). It will be interesting to see how the bidding plays out.

 

[TMC1982]

Brent Pulley of Bloomberg says Fox and ESPN are expected to join NBC Universal in bidding for the 2014 and 2016 Olympics.

 

[lakebum431]

Let's see which event gets the higher global TV audience next week. The opening ceremony of the Vancouver Games or that silly little football game in Miami on Sunday.

That would be interesting to know. However viewership numbers outside the US are very hard to get and are commonly thought to be pretty inaccurate. That "silly little football game in Miami" did record the most US viewers of any other television event in history (followed by the finale to MASH). I love the Olympics and don't understand how NBC can lose money on them, must be poor management...