Linear TV might not be dead, but the Paris 2024 Olympics will only be fully appreciated digitally according to Warner Bros Discovery’s president of sports in EMEA, Andrew Georgiou.
It is now nine years since WBD, which was then Discovery, secured the rights to the Games, with the broadcasting giant working alongside the BBC in the UK to provide coverage of the Olympics since Tokyo.
That relationship will come under the microscope like never before in Paris, with the Games taking place on a similar time zone to the UK.
The BBC is set to show live action on one linear channel and one digital and while that will satisfy some viewers, there will be inevitable complaints at so much live action taking place behind a paywall.
Georgiou argues that WBD’s offering of a Discovery+ subscription for just £3.99 for an entire month, is well worth the return.
“The proposition that we’ve offered consumers in the UK is brilliant value,” said Georgiou. “If you want everything, it will cost you £3.99 for a month’s subscription that will get you everything. That is a very good value proposition and one we are very happy to stand behind. Up against the BBC, the value proposition is equally [good], if not better.
“From our point of view, the digital experience on Discovery+ is the best way in the UK to watch the Olympics.”
WBD have developed their offering since Tokyo 2020, giving viewers the chance to tailor their digital viewing experience to follow their own team – Team GB for example – or a preferred sport. They will also be able to use medal alerts to jump to gold medal moments in other sports.
In all, WBD will be broadcasting 3,800 hours of live competition to 50 markets in 20 different languages.
Among the tools at the disposal of viewers will be a multi-audio function, meaning that they can follow their chosen sport in any of the 20 languages in which it is being broadcast.
Georgiou believes that WBD’s digital offering is the most complete way to follow the Games.
He said: “We have thought about it a lot. We say the best way to watch the Olympics is on our digital service because while the linear distribution is great because it curates a day-long story, it doesn’t allow you to choose what is coming to you.
“So coming to Discovery+ is the best way to watch the Olympics because there is so much content that is available, you can navigate your way around with the tools we have made available.”
Watch every moment of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 live only on discovery+, the streaming home of the Olympics
