Battle over Olympic TV rights

The 2012 Olympics could witness an unprecedented TV rights battle in Britain if London wins the Games with BBC, ITV and Sky all capable of grabbing a share of the event, it was revealed today.

Standard Sport understands that major changes may be introduced in the way that the European rights are sold for the 2012 Games which could break the exclusive grip the BBC has had on the Olympics since 1980.

The International Olympic Committee clinched the first ever billion-dollar TV deal for a Summer Games at the weekend when NBC secured the US rights for the 2010 Winter Games and 2012 event for $2.201 billion (£1.38bn).

The huge contract means London organisers are effectively assured of a cheque of close to £1bn from TV and sponsorship if the capital wins the IOC vote in 2005.

Now the focus will turn to the European TV market where the European Broadcasting Union, representing channels across the continent including BBC and ITV, has signed a 'bloc' deal in the past. ITV has not taken up their Olympic option since 1980.

The EBU's right to do collective deals is being questioned by the European Union, however.

IOC marketing director Michael Payne confirmed that many options were being considered for the 2010 and 2012 Games, including selling the rights country-by-country for the first time. It is certainly likely that all the Olympic rights will not be sold in one exclusive package in Europe this time. This would open the door for ITV and, more controversially, Rupert Murdoch's Sky to bid to broadcast some of the event.

The main Olympics coverage is protected for terrestrial TV by Parliament as it is regarded as one of the 'Crown Jewels' of sport.

The BBC, helped by its extra digital channels, is best placed to win this.

But ITV or Sky could bid for extra coverage, which would be very attractive if London were staging the Games.

Sky might be interested, for example, in providing wall-to-wall coverage of one particular sport such as football, or even rugby or

golf, which are being considered as new disciplines.

"We are entering a new world where people will have the freedom to watch what they want, when they want," said Payne.

"The European media market is changing. Now there are different options. We will have to be open to a transparent bid process."