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Post by mikezstein on Feb 7, 2005 21:16:02 GMT -5
A consortium led by Bell Globemedia, incorporating CTV and Rogers Communications, was awarded Canadian television rights Monday for the plum 2010 Winter Games in Vancouver and the 2012 Summer Olympics, another high-profile event with a quintet of glamourous cities bidding to host.
IOC president Jacques Rogge said the winning bid was $153 million US, an increase of 124 per cent on the $73 million spent for the 2006 and 2008 Games.
Of that, $90 million US is for the 2010 Games and $63 million for the 2012 Games.
"This is the first time that the amount for the Games exceeds the Summer Games," IOC Finance Commission chairman Richard Carrion told an IOC news conference.
"We certainly believe that 2010 will be the biggest sport events in Canada this decade, may well be the biggest event in Canada this decade," added Ivan Fecan, president and CEO of Bell Globemedia.
"We really felt we needed to be part of it and right at the centre of it. We also think there's a huge amount of interest, from viewers and advertisers for 2010."
The winning bid offers a wide-ranging Olympic menu of networks. CTV's subsidiaries include TSN, TQS, RDS and the Outdoor Life Network. Rogers holdings includes Rogers Sportsnet and the Omni channels, plus radio stations.
The winning bid offers round-the-clock coverage.
CTV will get the glamour items on the Olympic calendar, with TSN and Rogers Sportsnet offering more indepth look at certain events. Outdoor Life will also play a role, as will the consortium's ethnic and aboriginal stations.
In Quebec, TQS will be the main carrier with RDS also helping out in coverage.
More than 4,000 hours of coverage is planned.
Fecan called it the "most inclusive (Olympic) coverage" in Canada.
CBC paid a Canadian record $45 million US for the 2008 Beijing Olympics, part of a $165-million US package deal for five Olympics back in 1998.
In contrast, CTV paid $4.3 million US in 1988 for rights to the Calgary Games.
The IOC declined to specify financial details from the CBC bid. But CBC's website, citing sources, said "there was a wide disparity in the amount of money each camp was willing to offer."
Fecan called his offer "a strategic but responsible bid."
It's more bad news for CBC Sports, which is already suffering from the NHL lockout. There had been speculation the network might reduce its amateur sports coverage if it lost the bid.
The loss is also a blow to the prestige of the CBC, which has broadcast every Olympics since 1996, recently sharing coverage with TSN. It also holds the rights to the 2008 Summer Games in Beijing.
"We would like to acknowledge the CBC for their efforts," Carrion said. "They've been an excellent partner and will continue to be our partner in 2006 in Turin and 2008 in Beijing.
"This was obviously a very good result for the IOC. It was a very hotly contested negotiation."
CTV broadcast the 1988 Winter Games in Calgary, the '92 Summer Games in Barcelona and the '94 Winter Games in Lillehammer.
One source told The Canadian Press that CBC went into the bidding knowing they didn't have enough cash to win.
"They knew their bid was not going to be enough," said the source.
"What the strategy was, if it was close, people would look at the fact CBC does a good job of broadcasting the Games and is pretty dedicated to amateur sports in the country."
But the decision is a resounding victory for the alliance of private broadcasters, led by CTV Inc. and Rogers Communications Inc., and points to the intertwining of media interests.
CTV is owned by BCE Inc., which also owns Bell Canada. Bell paid $200 million Cdn for the telecommunication rights for the 2010 Games.
London, Madrid, Moscow, New York and Paris are all vying to host the 2012 Games. The IOC will decide the 2012 host city July 6 in Singapore.
The stakes are high because of 2010. With the Games in Vancouver, Canadian interest will be sky-high.
NBC has already paid $2.201 billion US for the American television rights for the 2010 and 2012 Olympics. That deal included $820 million US for the 2010 Games.
The IOC will share a percentage of television revenues with the Vancouver Games organizing committee.
Monday's decision came after each network made a two-hour presentation and then handed over a sealed bid.
The CBC option involved its main network, CBC Newsworld, its French service, the digital channel CBC Country Canada and its radio network. CBC was also allied with The Score on this bid, giving it another cable outlet.
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Post by BCTVforever on Feb 7, 2005 21:26:21 GMT -5
I vaguely remember CTV coverage of winter Olympics in 1992 and 1994, and from what I remember it was quite good. To put it another way, there will be no Brian Williams commentating at the 2010 and 2012 Games, which I know many of you will be happy about.
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Post by vanaznboi on Feb 7, 2005 23:15:16 GMT -5
How come Global didn't bid?
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Post by Global Fan on Feb 8, 2005 1:24:19 GMT -5
Humm where will CTV put it's programs if it's going to air this? I'm sure Global would love to "look after" CTV programs for a bit.
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Post by BCTV on Feb 8, 2005 2:27:10 GMT -5
Humm where will CTV put it's programs if it's going to air this? I'm sure Global would love to "look after" CTV programs for a bit. That's impossible, CTV has the rights in Canada to air the programs.
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Post by mikezstein on Feb 8, 2005 2:35:45 GMT -5
February is SWEEPS month. We will have to see what happens with the regular programming when 2010 comes. I am assuming that they will use PRIMETIME 7-12 for main Olympic coverage. CTV(BCE, Rogers) won this bid primarily because of their cable and digital channel coverage. They can offer more coverage off the main network thus more hours of coverage. They are promising 4,000 hours spread among TSN, Sportsnet, and Outdoor Life. CBC only has newsworld, Country Canada and not much else. Interesting note that BCE (Bell) is also is the Telecommunications official provider for the Van/Whistler 2010 Games A lot of people still just have regular, analog television. In The USA, NBC used their cable networks: CNBC, MSNBC for extra coverage of the Greece games last year. It's still five years away. Another question would be, what will the television market be like when 2010 comes along? It was a big decision today. It must have been a really sad day for the CBC Sports Department. With no NHL hockey, what will happen to CBC SPORTS. I was watching some Bowling this past early saturday morning. Was excellent, 5 pin action going on.
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Post by mikezstein on Feb 8, 2005 2:39:01 GMT -5
That's impossible, CTV has the rights in Canada to air the programs. They will most likely be pre-empted on CTV. pre-empted during SWEEPS month! All new episodes too, but I'm sure this won't hurt CTV much. The ratings for the Olympics are larger than any other top-notch USA Network-primetime program that they can simulcast. The Olympics on CTV are just as big AS THE SUPERBOWL is to Global
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Post by News on Feb 8, 2005 3:11:03 GMT -5
I'm sure Global would trade the super bowl for the Olympics! See if Global had the Olympics then all the other programs could air on CH, But with CTV they can't do anything!
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Post by mikezstein on Feb 8, 2005 4:05:56 GMT -5
I'm sure Global would trade the super bowl for the Olympics! 1) In some remote locations of Canada, no Global station is available. Unless you have satellite. a) CBC, CTV the two largest networks and are available almost everywhere and have rebroadcast stations. Except for maybe CIVT, CTV Vancouver. This station, in some places of BC is not even available on cable! That would be the downside from all of this. We are the host city, that will be the HOST station. Maybe they will some rebroadcast stations by 2010, so people in the northernest point of BC can watch Olympics. 2) They have no previous Olympic coverage history a) Unless you count MOLSON INDY RACING, NFL, a few PGA GOLF tournments (but NFL and PGA are simulcasted from American Networks). CWG has only had Indy coverage from 2001, prior to that it was CBC. Global already pays a large amount for SUNDAY AFTERNOON NFL Season, Playoff and SUPERBOWL Coverage. CTV,(BCE) has SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL on TSN. I believe CHCH (now CH Hamilton) had ABC MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL for awhile. that's true.
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Post by Guest on Feb 8, 2005 12:49:06 GMT -5
Any guess on who their broadcast team will be?
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Post by bctv on Feb 8, 2005 22:48:39 GMT -5
Rod Black, Dan Matheson...who else?
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Post by Tim on Feb 8, 2005 23:59:22 GMT -5
There's just one problem - CH isn't a national network, so that would only work in certain centres.
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Post by vanaznboi on Feb 9, 2005 1:40:11 GMT -5
Don't forget that there may be "TV" over IP (over the Internet) in a few years, especially with new emerging high-quality compression technologies like H.264 and innovative companies like Apple, so that could be another avenue for broadcasts.
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Post by News on Feb 9, 2005 1:53:04 GMT -5
Well by 2010 CH would be bigger. Right now it's in BC, Alberta,Ontario,and Quebec. Who knows where it will be in 2010
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Post by Tim on Feb 9, 2005 19:50:15 GMT -5
Er, as far as I know there is no CH Alberta (yet, I know RDtv will eventually be that).
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