Globo awarded Olympic broadcast rights in Brazil until 2032

Globo will cover the Olympics until 2032 following a deal with the IOC ©Grupo Globo

Broadcast rights for the Olympic Games in Brazil have been awarded to Globo until 2032, it was announced here today.

The Grupo Globo, Brazil’s largest media group, have been awarded the rights by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) on a non-exclusive basis for free television and on an exclusive basis for subscription TV, internet and mobile platforms.

Globo and two other Brazilian media companies, Banderiantes and Rede Record, had secured the rights in 2009 to the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro in a deal that also included Sochi 2014.

The rights fee for those deals was put at $150 million (£100 million/€137 million), plus $40 million (£26 million/€37 million) in media promotional packages.

No financial details were revealed but last year NBC Universal, the media unit of cable operator Comcast Corp, announced it would pay $7.65 billion (£4.89 billion/€6.95 billion) for the rights in the United States until 2032.

Globo has been broadcasting the Olympics in Brazil since Barcelona 1992.

“This long-term agreement with our partner Grupo Globo demonstrates the confidence we have in them as Brazil’s leading media organisation," said IOC President Thomas Bach following the conclusion of the meeting of the ruling Executive Board.

"It is also an expression of our confidence in Brazil and the Brazilian people.

"Next summer Rio de Janeiro will welcome the world as the host of the first ever Olympic Games in South America.

"It will be an historic moment, uniting the Brazilian people and the world in a celebration of the Olympic values and the achievements of the athletes.

"In addition to broadcasting the Olympic Games until 2032, Grupo Globo has committed significant year-round promotional support for sport and the Olympic values, which will contribute to ensuring another positive long term legacy from the Olympic Games next year.”

Globo, which was founded in 1965, is the largest commercial television network in Latin America and the second-largest commercial TV network in annual revenue worldwide just behind the American ABC Television Network.

Through its 123 affiliates, the broadcaster covers 99.7 per cent of Brazil's territory.

Globo reaches 99.7 per cent of the Brazilian territory ©Grupo Globo

“We are very proud to be entrusted to broadcast the Olympic Games, the world’s greatest sporting event, until 2032," Roberto Irineu Marinho, chairman and chief executive of Grupo Globo, said.

"Our relationship with the IOC and the Olympic Movement goes back many years and this long-term renewal of our agreement shows the absolute faith that Grupo Globo has in our country, in the Olympic spirit and in the future.

"We believe the Olympic Games, beyond a sports event, is the world’s biggest example of inspiration and overcoming challenges.

"Taking the Olympic values to the Brazilian People, across many different media platforms, is a challenge that Grupo Globo is proud to assume.

"Through Olympic Agenda 2020, the IOC has set out a clear strategic vision for the development of sport and the promotion of the Olympic values globally and we have every confidence in the bright future of the Olympic Movement.”

Earlier this year, Grupo Globo became a sponsor of Rio 2016 and agreed to develop especially customised projects, aimed at increasing the exposure of the Games.

The deal follows one the IOC signed in June for the United States-based media giant Discovery Communications to secure the European rights for the Olympics through until 2024 in a deal worth $1.3 billion (£926 million/$1.5 billion).

This latest deal was negotiated by Argentina's Gerardo Werthein, the IOC member for broadcast rights in the Americas.

“This exciting agreement demonstrates the IOC’s belief that Brazil’s largest media group, Grupo Globo, is well placed to provide the best possible promotion of Olympic sport and the Olympic values in Brazil in the long term, not only during the two weeks of each edition of the Games, but all year round," he said.

"This includes a commitment to collaborate with us on the new Olympic Channel.”