Rogge Hopes U.S. TV Rights Deal For '14, '16 Games Exceeds Last Deal

IOC President Jacques Rogge "hopes the new U.S. television rights deal for the 2014-2016 Olympics will exceed the $2.2 billion paid for the previous two Games package," according to Jason Humphries of REUTERS. Rogge said yesterday, "We would hope to get more TV revenue because the TV rights are very important. We hope to have these revenues. Time will tell. The negotiations will be interesting." NBC paid $2.2B for the rights to the '10 Vancouver Games and the '12 London Games, but industry officials expect a "lower figure for the next two-Games package." Rogge "has hinted recently that negotiations could take place next year after initially saying the process could be put off until after" the London Games. NBC Sports & Olympics Chair Dick Ebersol, "who will bid again along with most, if not all, major U.S. broadcasters," in September said that the bidding "could even be in the first quarter of 2011" (REUTERS, 12/6).