Dr. Xavier Ramon
Lecturer at the Department of Communication of Pompeu Fabra University. He serves as co-chair of the Media, Communication & Sport section of the International Association for Media and Communication Research (IAMCR) and as vice-chair of the Communication and Sport Temporary Working Group of the European Communication Research and Education Association (ECREA).
Email: xavier.ramon@upf.edu
Twitter: @xramonv
According to the first, sixth, and eighth recommendations of the Olympic Agenda 2020+5, the International Olympic Committee (IOC)’s strategic priorities are to “strengthen the uniqueness and the universality of the Olympic Games”, “enhance and promote the Road to the Olympic Games”, and “grow digital engagement with people”. Launched after the Rio 2016 Closing Ceremony as a multiplatform destination and later repositioned as the sports video section of the Olympics.com website, the Olympic Channel plays an important role in meeting all of the above aims.
In a time characterized by users’ preference towards video-led platforms, the Olympic Channel capitalizes on an extensive library of original programming that comprises series, films, and documentaries aimed at providing “an entertaining, inspiring and action-packed look at the everyday lives of elite athletes and their quest for success all year round”. This library has experienced noticeable growth over the past few years. In March 2018, after the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics, the Olympic Channel offered 50 series online, totaling 653 episodes. For Tokyo 2020, the number of original series increased to 107, with a total of 1,062 episodes being available. In preparation for Paris 2024, the Olympic Channel library reached new heights by offering 147 series, with a total of 1,312 episodes being available. Following the interface introduced before Tokyo 2020, the platform allows users to freely browse content across 13 categories: Road to Paris 2024, #MoreThanSport, Films, In Pursuit of Excellence, Olympic Memory Lane, Never Give Up, Inspired by Friendship, With Respect, Together As One, Around the Globe, Through the Years, Road to Beijing, and Road to Tokyo.
Road to Paris: building anticipation and promoting diversity
Considering that during the Olympics, live broadcasts, deferred coverage, and highlights of competitions are available from Media Rights-Holders (MRHs), the Olympic Channel has provided fans with content focused on building anticipation and providing visibility to disciplines and protagonists typically not platformed by mainstream media.
For example, Last Chance to Paris captures the journeys of athletes competing in the Olympic Qualifier Series in skateboarding, BMX cycling, climbing, and breaking. To celebrate breaking’s Olympic debut, two series (Breaking Lifeand Breaking Life: Road to Paris 2024) give prominence to the profiles of b-girls and b-boys that would compete in the event, as well as to the growing breaking scene in countries such as France, Colombia, India, and Senegal. Capitalizing on creative storytelling, Athletes To Watch – Paris 2024 showcases 15 different disciplines, focusing on athletes from nine different nations. These projects speak to the Olympic Channel’s emphasis on diversity and inclusiveness, in contrast with the uniform, male-driven, and nationalized agenda often exhibited by sports media.
Productions such as By Her Rules, Skate-hers, and Viktoriia: Ukraine’s Olympic Hope help raise the profile of sportswomen while counteracting existing inequalities within sport and society. These series give voices to inspiring athletes such as Viktoriia Onopriienko, Lyla Nourtier, Chloe Covell, and Funa Nakayama, who share their perspectives, challenges, and expectations. Following the steps of the documentary The Invisible Bond, The Starting Line showcases Paralympic sport by promoting empowering stories involving Ezra Frech (high-jump), Shunya Takahashi (javelin), and Ni Nengah (powerlifting).
Additional productions help to fully equip audiences for Paris 2024, providing them with a comprehensive knowledge on different aspects, such as the background to the Opening Ceremony preparations (La Grande Seine) and the qualifying process of different sports (Olympic Qualifier Explainers Paris 2024).
Beyond Paris 2024: a site to showcase and preserve Olympic content
In addition to offering new content related to Paris 2024, the Olympic Channel has consolidated its position as a repository of Olympic-themed content, facilitating its preservation and wider accessibility among global audiences. The platform allows users to rewatch content created for Tokyo 2020 and Beijing 2022 through series such as Looking Back/ Moving Forward, Taking Refuge, and On Edge. Official Films provides access to more than forty official documentaries produced by the Olympic movement between Stockholm 1912 and PyeongChang 2018. Through the combination of contemporary and archival footage, series like Legends Live On, 72 – A Gathering of Champions, The Nagano Tapes, and A Brilliant Curling Story allow viewers to revisit unique moments in Olympic history while also spotlighting forgotten or lesser-known protagonists. Interestingly, a nod to the rich history of the Olympic Museum in Lausanne is made through the seven-episode series The Vault: Treasures of the Olympics.
Concluding remarks
On the road to Paris 2024, the Olympic Channel has capitalized on excitement and inclusiveness to produce a wide range of novel content that contributes to an already extensive video library. Beyond the playing field, the Olympic Channel has consolidated its distinctive position as a gateway for promoting athlete-centric stories, behind-the-scenes material, and archival footage that helps to engage audiences across borders. This content, complementing the offerings of MRHs, is deemed as essential to ensure “the fullest coverage” of the Games, an aim outlined in rule 48 of the Olympic Charter. Going forward, the Olympic Channel should build anticipation for the forthcoming events (Milano Cortina 2026, Los Angeles 2028, French Alps 2030, Brisbane 2032, and Salt Lake City 2034) while expanding its range of formats, enhancing content discoverability, and reinforcing strategic partnerships with National Organizing Committees (NOCs) and International Federations (IFs).
