ABSTRACT
Broadcast coverage is the principal means through which people around the world experience the magic of the Olympic Games. The Olympic broadcast as it is known today is the result of the continued progress of three concurrent features. These aspects determine who sees the Games, how it is seen, and how the Olympic movement is funded. The expansion of the broadcast in scope and scale, adapting to new technologies, and the rise in rights fees define the way the Olympic broadcast has, is, and will be seen. This chapter provides an overview of the evolution of the broadcast coverage and the Olympics, while demonstrating that the future of Olympic broadcasting and associated rights fees depends on the IOC’s ability to continue to attract both television and digital consumers.
