Discovery Communications partnered with Italian broadcaster RAI for the PyeongChang 2018 Olympics. Discovery will sublicense to RAI free-to-air audiovisual rights for the Games on DTT and on satellite platform Tivusat. RAI will carry up to 100 hours of coverage on up to two TV channels and digital simulcast (Discovery).
The Marylebone Cricket Club World Cricket Committee asked the BCCI to back the bid for the sport’s Olympics inclusion, saying that it would "greatly benefit the game." Cricket was last played at the Olympics in 1900 and the Int'l Cricket Council said that most of its members "backed the inclusion of the 20-overs format in Olympic Games." The IOC "is open to cricket’s future inclusion provided all top teams compete," but the BCCI has been "rather reluctant" (REUTERS, 1/10).
Organizers for the PyeongChang Olympics unveiled a new coin set. The package offers 21 coin types and a commemorative 2,000 won ($1.86) banknote. The special package is set to sell only 888 copies in a bid to commemorate Korea's two Olympics -- the Seoul 1988 Summer Olympics and this year's Games. Each set costs 11M won ($10,230) (KOREA TIMES, 1/10).
The IOC will host talks on Jan. 20 to "discuss details about North Korea’s participation" at next month’s Olympics, such as flags and the number of athletes. The two countries agreed on Tuesday, "following their first talks in over two years," that North Korea would send a "large delegation" to next month’s Games (REUTERS, 1/10).
