Their offer ups the stakes for NBC, the current rights holders, and ESPN, who are both due to make their presentations to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) at the Beau Rivage Palace in Lausanne.

Fox's delegation was led by chairman David Hill, who helped launch BSkyB in Britain and negotiate the deal with England's Premier League that has transformed football across Europe.

Up for grabs are the television rights for the Winter Olympics in Sochi in 2014 and the 2016 Games in Rio de Janeiro.

But Hill wants to also tie up a deal for the 2018 Winter Olympics - which will be awarded to either Annecy, Munich or Pyeongchang - and the 2020 Summer Games, for which the only confirmed bidder so far is Rome.

"We're going to go for four," he told Associated Press after Fox's presentation.

Such a deal is expected to cost between $4 and $5 billion (£2.4 and £3.1 billion).

"If you look at amortization, you have to make a major investment in technical hardware," said Hill.

"Anyone will tell you if you advertise that over four years rather than two years, you're financially in a much better place."

The three bidders are due to submit sealed bids after the presentations are completed tomorrow afternoon.

A decision could be made by the IOC as soon as tomorrow evening.

Contact the writer of this story at [email protected]


Related stories
June 2011: US networks gather in Lausanne to negotiate TV Olympic rights as IOC hope for multi-billion dollar deal
May 2011: Ebersol resignation does not affect Olympic TV negotiations claim NBC
September 2010: NBC network to televise 200 hours plus from London 2012
June 2010: NBC sets up new Olympic unit for London 2012
May 2010: Fox promise to make "strong bid" for Olympic US TV rights