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Amazon Eyeing Olympics Broadcast Rights In Australia

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Reports have emerged Amazon Prime Video could make a bid for the Olympic Games’ Australian broadcasting rights during the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) next rights tender.

The rights tender is expected to begin later this year, with a new deal covering the next three summer and winter Olympic Games.

Amazon entered Australian sport broadcast last year, by acquiring the broadcasting rights for the national swimming trials ahead of the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games and 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.

Commenting on a potential rights bid, Amazon Prime head of AU content, Tyler Bern, told The Sydney Morning Herald: “We look at every opportunity that comes to market.”

“We do have an appetite for additional sporting rights, but what will be our next sports property after swimming?

“We don’t know yet.

“It just depends on what the opportunity is, where it falls within our slate and our programming calendar and obviously, economics and how competitive it is,” he said.

Additionally, Seven West Media, who have held the rights since 2014, Nine Entertainment Co and Network Ten all advocated for global streaming services to be banned from bidding on the Olympic Games rights under Australian Anti-Siphoning laws.

Commenting on local networks’ worries, Bern said Amazon is not a threat to local broadcasters.

“There’s room for everybody to participate in sports rights,” Bern said.

“What you’re seeing now is this explosion in customer choice.

“Prime Video can exist in the sporting landscape alongside Kayo and alongside other players.

“They’re complementary to each other and help serve the Australian customer base,” he told The Sydney Morning Herald.

Landing the Olympics Games’ broadcasting rights would expand Amazon’s global rights portfolio, which already includes the NFL, WNBA and Universal Tennis.

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