The International Olympic Committee (IOC) today announced that Sony Pictures Networks India (SPN) has been awarded the broadcast rights in India and the Indian Subcontinent for the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020, as well as the Winter Youth Olympic Games Lausanne 2020. The Olympic Channel and other IOC digital platforms will also feature highlights and replays of key events.
Sony Pictures Networks, an established pay-television network in India, has acquired the rights across all media platforms in India and the Subcontinent, with the exception of the free-to-air rights in Bangladesh, Bhutan, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. SPN will provide comprehensive coverage across its multiple platforms.
The deal worth $ 12 million was first reported by InsideSport.co in September last year.
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IOC President Thomas Bach said, “As a dynamic sports and media market, India and the Subcontinent is an important strategic region for Olympic broadcasting. The IOC is pleased to be working with Sony Pictures Networks India to collaborate together to bring the best coverage of Tokyo 2020 and the Youth Olympic Games to fans across the region, on their platform of choice, with the aim of inspiring young people to engage with Olympic sports and the Olympic values.”
MD & CEO SPN, N.P. Singh said, “As an organization, we continue to play a leading role in shaping and meeting the entertainment needs of the evolving consumer base across television & digital platforms in India. The Olympic Games is the largest and most prestigious international sports competition in the world with over 200 countries participating. The addition of the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 broadcast and digital rights complements our portfolio of International sports events and properties.”
In addition to the coverage on Sony’s digital platform, SonyLIV, the Olympic Channel and other IOC digital platforms will feature highlights and replays of key events to supplement SPN’s coverage of the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 across India and the Subcontinent. This follows the successful broadcast of the Olympic Winter Games PyeongChang 2018 on the Olympic Channel and other IOC digital platforms.
The IOC and SPN will also collaborate on creating a permanent Olympic Channel home within the SonyLIV service. Programming will feature year-round coverage of Olympic athletes and sports, highlighting locally relevant original content produced by SPN and Olympic Channel.
The IOC has already awarded the free-to-air broadcast rights for the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 in Bangladesh, Bhutan, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka to the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union, the union of free-to-air broadcasters in the region.
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