NOS have agreed a deal with Discovery to enable them to broadcast coverage from the 2018 and 2020 Olympic Games ©Getty Images

Discovery Communications have announced a sub-licensing agreement with NOS, which will give The Netherlands’ free-to-air public broadcaster television and radio rights for the 2018 and 2020 Olympic Games.

The agreement comes after Discovery signed a contract with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) last June, which will see their Pan-European television sports network Eurosport become the continent's Olympic broadcaster.

NOS are The Netherlands’ Olympic rights holder for Rio 2016 and have now struck a deal with Discovery to enable them to broadcast coverage from both Pyeongchang 2018 and Tokyo 2020.

Under the terms of the agreement, NOS have free-to-air audio visual and radio rights, including digital rights to the content it broadcasts on its linear TV channel.

“We have been broadcasting the Olympic Games since 1964, and are delighted that this new agreement with Discovery enables us to continue this long-term relationship with the world’s biggest sports event,” said Jan de Jong, general director of NOS.

“This agreement is hugely beneficial to the Dutch audience as it makes the Olympics more accessible for more viewers for a further five years.

“Our clear focus has always been to tell the whole story.

“We are covering all sporting disciplines and the individual athletes on their four-year road to the Olympics on a day to day basis.”

Tom Egbers, right, is one of the main sports presenters on NOS ©Getty Images
Tom Egbers, right, is one of the main sports presenters on NOS ©Getty Images

As part of the deal, Eurosport will hold exclusive live rights to two “key sports” for both the 2018 and 2020 Olympic Games, with NOS able to broadcast highlights from those events.

One of the key sports for the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympics will be ice hockey, which will only be available live on Eurosport.

London 2012 was reportedly watched by more than 13.4 million people in The Netherlands, roughly 88 per cent of the population.

It is claimed that 14 million, 91 per cent of the population, watched Sochi 2014 on NOS.

“This agreement with NOS marks another important Olympic Games partnership deal by Discovery, bringing Discovery another step closer on our ambition to deliver more coverage across more screens than ever before,” said JB Perrette, President of Discovery Networks International.

“Most importantly, this is a big win for Dutch viewers who will be able to enjoy all the action, whenever and wherever they choose to watch it.”

The deal is the second sub-licensing deal struck by Discovery this year, after they reached an agreement with the BBC to enable them to remain the free to air Olympic broadcaster in the United Kingdom for the next five Games.