[EXPLAINER] Since 2018, the BBC no longer has exclusive UK broadcast rights. This means it’s restricted to live coverage of no more than two live events at any one time.
Specifically, this means it can show live coverage on one of its main two channels (BBC One/Two), plus extra live coverage on the BBC Red Button.
For the 2024 Olympics, this extra live coverage will be available as “Olympics Extra” on the BBC iPlayer, but will also be delivered via the broadcast linear edition of the BBC Red Button (BBC RB1) on satellite, cable and Freeview 601.
It’s a far cry from the 24 red button channels the BBC offered for London 2012.
What led to this situation?
Discovery acquired the rights to the Summer and Winter Olympics across Europe (except Russia) from 2018 until 2024, with the exception of the UK and France. UK and French rights were for 2022 and 2024 only.
This is because in the UK, the BBC originally held the rights until 2020. However, it traded full access to 2018 and 2020 games in return for TV coverage of the 2022 and 2024 games.
The rights acquisition was Discovery’s biggest since taking full control of Eurosport from France’s TF1.
Why does Olympic coverage have to switch from BBC One to BBC Two and back all the time?
Only BBC One is fully regionalised, which means the BBC must break Olympic coverage on BBC One for the news. During this time, and at selected other times, BBC Two takes over.
What next for broadcasting rights?
Discovery is part of Warner Bros Discovery (WBD).
For the 2026-2032 Olympic summer and winter games, Europe’s public service broadcasters united under the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) to secure a joint broadcast deal with WBD.
Legally, this means the BBC, via its membership of the EBU becomes a joint rights holder, but like RTÉ in Ireland and other public service broadcasters across Europe, will continue to only show limited coverage. WBD’s traditional broadcast and streaming platforms will be the go-to place for live coverage of every televised event.
UK Olympic TV broadcast rights 1992 onward
| Year | Rights holder |
|---|---|
| 1992-2016 | BBC Rights to the Olympics for much of this time period were acquired by the European Broadcasting Union on behalf of national public service broadcasters. Eurosport, through its former links to the EBU provided Olympic coverage during some of this timeframe. In 2014, a standalone agreement between the BBC and the IOC began, covering UK broadcast rights. |
| 2018 Winter & 2020* Summer Olympics | BBC, sublicensed to Discovery (now Warner Bros Discovery) BBC retains rights to coverage on one network channel and one red button stream. Discovery acquires the bulk of the coverage, and rights to show multiple events, in return for a deal covering 2022 and 24 games: |
| 2022 Winter & 2024 Summer Olympics | Warner Bros Discovery, sublicensed to the BBC BBC acquires rights to coverage on one network channel and one red button stream, in return for surrendering exclusive rights for 2018 & 20. Discovery’s Eurosport retains the bulk of the coverage, and rights to show multiple events. |
| 2026-2032 | European Broadcasting Union (EBU) and Warner Bros Discovery (WBD). The BBC (UK) and RTÉ (Ireland) will, as members of the EBU, retain free-to-air rights broadly in line with the arrangements that were already in place since Tokyo 2020*. WBD will retain full live pay TV and streaming coverage via Eurosport / Max / Discovery+. |
The evolution in broadcast rights also means the BBC can no longer offer its BBC Red Button coverage to viewers in the Republic of Ireland.
By: Marc Thornham | Image: Paris 2024 Olympics organising committee