Seven to broadcast Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games
Seven will broadcast two Olympics within seven months with the network announcing at its upfronts event it would air both the delayed 2020 Tokyo Olympics and the XXIV Bejing Olympic Winter Games.
The network, which is the exclusive Australian media rights holder for the Winter event, will air the games, held in Beijing, China, from 4 – 20 February 2022.
Seven is promising two monster Olympic events within 7 months
The multi-platform experience will build on the delivery for Tokyo 2020, which is set to run in July 2021. Seven CEO James Warburton said the partnership between the network and the Olympic Committee was set for the long haul.
“We’re thrilled to announce this continuation of our partnership with the International Olympic Committee, to be the home of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics. The Olympic Games are part of our DNA at Seven, so we can’t wait to work with our partners at the IOC to deliver another incredible experience for Australian audiences,” said Warburton.
IOC president Thomas Bach said: “The IOC is delighted to announce an extension to our agreement with Seven in Australia. We have a partnership that dates back to the Olympic Games in Melbourne 1956 and Australian sports fans will be able to count on Seven’s sports broadcast expertise and passion for at least another edition of the Olympic Games in Beijing in 2022. In addition, as the IOC redistributes over 90% of its revenues, the financial support of our long-term commercial partners benefits the athletes, including the Australian Olympic Team for Beijing 2022, and the entire Olympic Movement. This solidarity is more important now than ever.”
Seven’s Kurt Burnette, chief revenue officer and director of Olympics, promised big audiences for the event.
“Today’s announcement solidifies Seven as the destination for the biggest events. In the space of seven months, we will be the exclusive broadcaster of Tokyo 2020 and now Beijing 2022. Both events are set to deliver unparalleled audiences, amplified by Beijing 2022 being the third consecutive Olympic Games we’ve broadcast in a favourable time zone for Australian audiences, just two hours’ difference from Australia’s east coast,” said Burnette.
“PyeongChang 2018 broke records on broadcast and digital, and we know Beijing 2022 will set new records again.”
The coverage will span Seven’s broadcast channels, BVOD platform 7plus and other digital properties including 7NEWS.com.au. Seven’s head of sport and managing director of Seven Melbourne, Lewis Martin, said it will be unlike any other sporting coverage.
“In July next year, we’ll bring Australian audiences Tokyo 2020 with a level of coverage never before available for free in Australia for an Olympic Games. Multiple broadcast channels, dozens of digital streams on 7plus, all available on any device a viewer might chose – it’s going to be an exceptional experience.
“Just seven months later, we’ll build on that coverage with Beijing 2022, giving Australian audiences a new level of coverage for an Olympic Winter Games. We can’t wait.”
During the Olympic Winter Games PyeongChang 2018, Seven reported 16m broadcast viewers across its screens, and took number on in every market for every day of the Games. AOC president John Coates said the event will be even bigger in 2022.
“Seven’s coverage of the 2018 Games in PyeongChang set a new benchmark for winter sport in Australia. Our athletes are really looking forward to the Beijing Games in February 2022 and the chance to represent their country before a huge television audience back home. Right now, with 15 months to the Beijing Games, we have Australian athletes preparing themselves in Europe and North America, while our freestyle skiers are currently training at our new Olympic Winter Training Centre in Brisbane.”
Burnette added: “With Tokyo 2020 we’re delivering not just massive audiences, but niche audiences at a scale never before achievable. We’ll do exactly that again just seven months after Tokyo 2020 with Beijing 2022, offering brands a series of opportunities to reach exactly their targets in ways never previously possible. Plus, it’ll enable brands to start their 2022 in a big way with what will be the biggest cultural and sporting event of the year across broadcast and digital. It’s an unbeatable opportunity.”
Got a tip?
topics
2020 Tokyo Olympic Games
2022 Bejing Olympic Winter Games
Australian Olympic Committee
James Warburton
John Coates
Kurt Burnette
Olympic Winter Games
Seven
Thomas Bach
Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games
