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even Network has secured exclusive Australian media rights to the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games, which are due to run from February 4 to February 20 in 2022.

Seven, whose Olympic broadcast experience dates back to Melbourne 1956, is also set to provide coverage of next year’s Summer Olympic Games in Tokyo, having previously signed a cut-price, three-Games deal with the IOC worth a reported $200 million (US$187 million) back in 2014.

International Olympic Committee (IOC) president, Thomas Bach, said the IOC was delighted to announce the extension of the agreement with Seven.

“We have a partnership that dates back to the Olympic Games Melbourne 1956, and Australian sports fans will be able to count on Seven’s sports broadcast expertise and passion for at least another edition of the Olympic Games in Beijing in 2022,” Bach said.

“In addition, as the IOC redistributes over 90% of its revenues, the financial support of our long-term commercial partners benefits the athletes, including the Australian Olympic team for Beijing 2022, and the entire Olympic Movement.

“This solidarity is more important now than ever,” he said.

Seven West Media managing director and chief executive, James Warburton, said Seven couldn’t wait to work with the IOC again.

“The Olympic Games are part of our DNA at Seven, so we can’t wait to work with our partners at the IOC to deliver another incredible experience for Australian audiences,” Warburton said.

Seven West Media chief revenue officer and director, Kurt Burnette, said he hopes to break records.

“Today’s announcement solidifies Seven as the destination for the biggest events,” Burnette said.

“In the space of seven months, we will be the exclusive broadcaster of Tokyo 2020 and now Beijing 2022.

“Pyeongchang 2018 broke records on broadcast and digital, and we know Beijing 2022 will set new records again,” he said.

According to the IOC, 16 million broadcast viewers were reached by Seven during Pyeongchang 2018, with 103.5 million minutes streamed live on 7plus.

Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) and IOC vice-president, John Coates, said Seven set a new benchmark in 2018.

“Seven’s coverage of the 2018 Games in Pyeongchang set a new benchmark for winter sport in Australia,” said Coates.

More than 103 million minutes were live streamed on 7plus and 4.5 million people engaged with its content across social media during the 2018 PyeongChang games.