Paris 2024: WBD Sports promises ‘immersive’ coverage of the Summer Olympic Games
Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) Sports is promising to make its coverage of the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics, and the build-up to the event, an ‘immersive’ experience for sports fans.
Celebrating one year to go until the Games begin in France, Scott Young, SVP of content and production at WBD Sports, told assembled members of the press during a webinar that “it’s not just about 17 days next year, it’s about the 12-month journey to summer next year. We’ll start with an amazing slate of content that builds momentum and anticipation between now and when the Olympics kick off in Paris. It’s about taking people on this journey that helps them connect with the Olympic spirit. Then we change focus, leaning into the role of an Olympic storyteller featuring the athletes striving to achieve their dreams.”
The build-up kicks off on 26 July this year with Paris, La Vie Sportive, a new documentary film recalling Paris’ historic and unique relationship with sport in the 100 years since it last hosted the Olympic Games in 1924.
Next summer will then see the Giro D’Italia, Roland-Garros, Wimbledon, and the Tour de France lead WBD Sport’s build-up to the opening ceremony in Paris on 26 July 2024 – “we will see a spectacular summer of sport,” said Young.
The opening ceremony will break from tradition by moving outside of a conventional stadium, turning part of Paris into the venue. The parade of athletes will be held on the river Seine, with boats for each national delegation, equipped with cameras to allow viewers to see the athletes up close.
During the games, Young said viewers “can see every minute of every sport that is covered in our 20 languages in nearly 50 markets across Europe. A total of 33 sports and 321 medal events will feature live across our channels and platforms. We know that the Games draws in new sports fans every four years and we’re going to be putting on a truly immersive experience like no other.
“We’re going to be in this phenomenal city of Paris and some of the most famous landmarks will be turned into Olympic venues. For example, beach volleyball under the Eiffel Tower. Equestrian at Versailles. Fencing at the Grand Palais. You’re going to see some of the most highly regarded venues that tourists and even locals love to go to turned into spectacular Olympic venues.
“It’s [also] about the athletes’ journeys and we’re going to have a very special Warner Bros. Discovery Sports Europe home which we will release soon, and we’ll have athletes come and tell us their stories about the Games in different markets across Europe.”
This will include a rooftop location in central Paris with views over the city that will act as WBD Sport’s on-site studio during the Olympics.
There will also be ten Olympic hubs operating around cities in Europe, including Paris and London, that will underpin the technological delivery of the Games coverage across Europe.
“We don’t really focus on what everybody else is doing, what we focus on is that we have the ability to unearth the Olympics in every form possible,” he added. “Our point of difference is it’s on your time, on your own favourite platforms. It will be totally immersive, which means you can sit at home and watch it on our linear channels or you can watch it on any one of our portable streaming channels. You can watch it on Eurosport’s App or our .COM platforms. You can watch the written word, you can watch the video, you can watch the clips.
“If you’re a sports fan, and the Olympics draws in a very new sports fan every four years for the Summer Games, then it’s going to be a very immersive experience.”