Danish public-service broadcaster DR and Discovery Networks Denmark have divided up their television coverage for next year’s Olympic Games in Tokyo.
DR will hold rights to the Opening and Closing Ceremonies, as well as major sports such as athletics, badminton, gymnastics and women’s football.
Boxing, canoeing, handball, sailing, triathlon and volleyball are also part of DR’s package.
Discovery’s package includes the likes of road and track cycling, men’s football, rowing, swimming and tennis.
It will also broadcast surfing, which is making its Olympic debut at Tokyo 2020, along with basketball and basketball 3×3, beach volleyball, golf, hockey and rugby sevens.
Discovery can broadcast all disciplines live on its subscription streaming services Dplay and Eurosport Player, and DR will only be able to stream live what it televises.
As reported by The Copenhagen Post, the announcement is considered bad news for the ever-growing part of the Danish population who turn their backs on cable television and predominantly stream.
Historically, cycling, rowing and swimming have yielded a third of Denmark’s Olympic medals – 26, 24 and 14, respectively – but in recent years this has been on the up.
The three sports accounted for 57 per cent of medals at Beijing 2008, 44 per cent at London 2012 and 47 per cent at Rio 2016.
“Sport offers one of the best ways to bring us together as a nation,” Henriette Marienlund, the DR media director, was reported as saying by The Copenhagen Post.
Discovery agreed in August 2017 to share the television rights for Tokyo 2020 and the Pyeongchang 2018 with DR.
It is the sole rights holder, however, for Paris 2024.
