YouTube brings Olympic coverage to 77 countries

by Louisa Barnett, Brand Republic 05-Aug-08, 09:00

LONDON - YouTube has signed a deal to show around three hours a day of exclusive content from the Olympics to 77 countries across the world to which digital rights have not already been sold, including South Korea, India and Nigeria.

The Google-owned site will stream footage from the International Olympic Committee's Olympic Broadcasting Services on a dedicated channel during the games in Beijing, which begin on Friday.

Timo Lumme, the IOC's director of television, marketing services, said: "For the first time in Olympic history we will have complete global online coverage.

"It will provide Olympic footage to the young generations of sports fans who are already going online for entertainment."

Although none of the content will be live, it will include highlight reels and daily wrap-ups.

Users in the US, UK and other markets where the IOC has sold digital video on-demand rights on an exclusive basis will be blocked from viewing the footage.

The content is expected to reach only about 200m people because the territories covered have relatively small numbers of online video viewers.

In contrast, China (which is not one of the countries included in YouTube's agreement) has an estimated 180 million people who watch online videos.

The IOC will supply and upload the estimated 500 to 800 segments over the course of the Games and YouTube will be able to sell adverts around its Olympic channel, but only to Olympic sponsors.

The tight timing and the exclusion of the US where there is a thriving online advertising market means the financial benefit will be minimal.

Patrick Walker, YouTube's director of partnerships for Europe, Middle East and sponsors, said: "This is really more about the accessibility. YouTube hopes to seize more sponsorship opportunities by extending the partnership with the IOC in coming years."