AP Interview: IOC president says negotiations on US TV rights to begin by early next year

AP Interview: Rogge says US TV talks to begin soon

LONDON — IOC president Jacques Rogge says the long-delayed negotiations on Olympic television rights in the United States should begin by early next year.

Rogge told The Associated Press on Friday that the International Olympic Committee is now ready to move because of signs of improvement in the U.S. economic situation and advertising market.

Rogge says he expects a half dozen media companies to bid for the lucrative rights and singled out Fox as a potential contender.

At stake are the exclusive broadcast rights to the 2014 Winter Games in Sochi, Russia, and 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. U.S. rights represent the biggest single source of income for the Olympic movement.