Discovery, TIM Olympic mobile service
June 26, 2017
Discovery Communications and Italian telco TIM have revealed what they say is a first of its kind Olympic Games partnership, bringing the Games to more people across more screens. In the first of these digitally-focused deals offering exclusive and differentiated content to mobile operators across Europe, TIM’s customers will gain exclusive access and will be the first to every compelling story of the Olympic Games.
“Our partnership with Italy’s biggest telco operator to create the first ever Olympic Mobile Broadcaster designation will enable us to deliver the ultimate Olympic Games viewing experience to millions of people,” commented Jean-Briac Perrette, President and CEO, Discovery Networks International. “This world-first partnership is a big win for fans who want to consume exclusive content from the Games wherever and whenever they choose.”
The ‘Official Mobile Broadcaster’ designation gives TIM the exclusive opportunity to co-brand with the Olympic Rings and offer their customers a differentiated viewing experience with exclusive access to a 24/7 operator-branded linear news and highlights channel and exclusive short form content that will enable fans to follow their national heroes at home, online and on the go.
This first deal marks an important step in Discovery’s journey to create the ultimate Olympic Games viewing experience for fans, connecting and engaging them with redefined, customised, locally-relevant content across all screens.
The deal also allows TIM to have direct brand affiliation with the Olympic movement throughout the 2018-2020 Olympic cycle, starting with the Olympic Winter Games in PyeongChang that takes place in February, and will deliver real-time access to the latest information and news on national Olympic heroes to all its customers.
Subscribers to TIM also will have instant access to Eurosport Player — including FINA World Swimming Championships, IAAF World Championships in Athletics, Grand Slam tennis tournaments (French Open, US Open, Australian Open), all three of the cycling Grand Tours (Giro d’Italia, Tour de France, Vuelta a España) and Wintersports Season – where fans will be able to enjoy a multidimensional and immersive sports experience, in addition to every second of the Olympic Games, with exclusive VR and AR content, a 360 experience and over 30 additional feeds, creating the seat that doesn’t exist with every moment from every angle.
Paolo Pescatore, Director, Multiplay and Media, CCS Insight, described the partnership as “significant” for both companies. “For Discovery, this is a strong endorsement of its Official Mobile broadcast offering first announced at this year’s Mobile World Congress and importantly, a crucial way to grow its presence in Europe. Sports is one of the few genres driving users to watch live TV. We believe there is an opportunity for a provider like Discovery through Eurosport to be the Netflix of sports. Eurosport offers a vast array of sports and is the new European home to arguably the world’s most iconic event, the Olympic Games.”
“For telcos like TIM, it represents an undeniable opportunity to differentiate its offerings in content. This latest agreement will offer TIM plentiful opportunities to attract new subscribers.”
“We believe that this partnership will lead to a frenzy among European telcos to secure a similar exclusive agreement. Furthermore, it reiterates our belief that it is an exciting time to be a content and media owner. More and more people are watching video on mobile devices and we firmly believe that the next Olympic Games will break all usage records from those watching and accessing content on their smartphones, tablets and other connected devices like VR.”