The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has officially launched the tender process for broadcast rights to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games, targeting the lucrative Indian subcontinent market. With a bidding deadline of August 13, the IOC expects heightened interest and fierce competition—particularly with cricket’s return to the Olympic fold.
In an exclusive interview with CNBC-TV18’s Shereen Bhan, Anne-Sophie Voumard, Managing Director of Television & Marketing Services at the IOC, described the inclusion of T20 cricket as a pivotal moment for both India and the global Olympic movement.
“The sport that the Indian population cherishes the most is cricket. I think we’re here in a place where this is a game-changer not just for India, but it’s also a game-changer for the Olympic movement,” said Voumard.
Cricket’s Olympic comeback could reshape India’s Games engagement
For the first time in over a century, cricket will be part of the Olympics—an event Voumard says will be transformational. She emphasized the historic nature of the move and the opportunity it creates for broadcasters to bring the sport into millions of Indian homes under the Olympic banner.
“Bringing cricket back into the Olympic sports program, basically creates a new cricket competition. So whoever is going to be the winner of that bid will be bringing to the Indian fans, for the first time ever, cricket back into the games,” said Voumard. “So that’s our historical moment, but it’s also something very special… we believe that also, whoever is going to be the media rights holder will also become the catalyst for growth of other Olympic sports around India, and… hopefully inspire young girls and boys in across India to maybe take on… a more active lifestyle and embrace new sports that they may not have known existed before.”
Bidding war expected as IOC forecasts record rights value
The IOC’s approach this time around reflects the surging demand and potential of the Indian broadcast market. The 2024 Paris Olympics rights were acquired by Viacom18 for $31 million—but Voumard signaled that bids for LA 2028 will likely far exceed that benchmark.
“Because of the vibrancy of the media market in India at the moment, we deliberately chose to open a formal, transparent tender, where we’re going to be inviting everyone with the same conditions,” she said. “In terms of value we expect, I cannot disclose any value that is confidential information, but the expectation is that the amount will be a multiple of that amount.”
The IOC is aiming to bring in a rights partner that does more than just distribute content—they want someone who can serve as a growth engine for Olympic sports across the region.
IOC eyes Indian sponsors with Olympic values alignment
In addition to seeking broadcasters, the IOC is actively exploring sponsorship opportunities with Indian companies. The focus is on finding commercial partners who resonate with the ethos of the Olympic movement.
“We want to make sure that we find the partner that shares the same values and that’s the number one criterion,” Voumard explained. “We are speaking to various entities and understanding also what is important for them. You know, maybe it’s also a question of educating a lot about what the Olympic Movement does, how it can achieve the business objectives of companies.”
India’s 2036 Olympic bid gains IOC support
As India eyes a broader role on the Olympic stage, the country’s official bid to host the 2036 Games has been met with encouragement from the IOC. A high-level Indian delegation—comprising representatives from the Union Sports Ministry, the Gujarat Government, and Indian Olympic Association president PT Usha—recently met with IOC officials in Lausanne to put forward Ahmedabad as India’s preferred host city.
“We welcome this interest. And, you know, from a commercial standpoint, this is great news for me,” said Voumard. “There’s a process in place. I think all of us will be following very, very carefully what that process leads to, and we welcome the interests of the Indian delegation here at the Olympic house.”
A new era for the Olympics in India
The convergence of cricket’s inclusion, rising media investments, and India’s Olympic hosting ambitions signals a new chapter for the Olympic movement in the subcontinent. With record-breaking bids anticipated and the promise of greater grassroots engagement, LA 2028 may well become a defining moment for India’s relationship with the Olympic Games.
