IOC bidding

The IOC plans to hold bidding June 6-7 in Lausanne, Switzerland, for the U.S. TV rights package to the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics and 2016 Rio de Janeiro Summer Games.

The organization recently provided networks with those dates, according to sources familiar with the IOC’s plans.
NBC paid $2 billion for rights to the 2010 Vancouver and 2012 London Games, and IOC leaders have said they expect to match or exceed that for the 2014 and 2016 Olympics.

Bidding networks will agree to contractual terms with the IOC in advance of traveling to Lausanne. Once there, they will be given two hours to make a presentation illustrating how they will present the 2014 and 2016 Games. Then they will submit a sealed bid containing what they are willing to pay for the rights.

The IOC will determine who wins the rights based on the presentations and the size of the bids. NBC, ESPN and Fox are considered the most serious bidders. CBS and Turner have met with the IOC but not shown the same level of interest in the rights to date.