BBC Sport has unveiled full plans for its comprehensive digital coverage of the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi.
Following on from the recent confirmation of the BBC’s on-air presentation team, the corporation has revealed how it will cover the 2014 Winter Games via Red Button, Online, Connected TVs, tablets and mobile devices, with less than a month to go until
The BBC’s unrivalled digital output will provide the perfect accompaniment to the 200 hours of live network TV coverage of Sochi 2014 across BBC One and BBC Two.
BBC Sport will deliver the most complete digital coverage of a Winter Olympic Games in its history, featuring over 650 hours of live action via six HD streams, bringing audiences all the action, news, analysis and highlights from Sochi 2014 wherever they are, on whichever device they want.
Building on the BBC’s huge success of the London 2012 Games and other major sporting events in 2013, the BBC has developed an innovative new approach to delivering top-class live coverage across PC, tablet and mobile, which will power the BBC’s digital coverage of a live event for the first time during Sochi 2014.
On TV, up to two red button streams will offer live coverage from Sochi of selected action each day as well as extended highlights.
All six live streams and on-demand video will be available through the BBC’s Connected Red Button service on Virgin Media TiVo and Sony Freeview Smart TVs and via the BBC Sport app for connected TVs.
Setting a precedent for the broadcaster’s coverage of all major sporting events in 2014, including the FIFA World Cup and the Commonwealth Games, BBC Sport’s new Winter Olympic Games live page will be available via bbc.co.uk/sport throughout the Games, combining the best of the BBC’s live digital coverage in one place.
This allows audiences to follow the action however and wherever they like – whether it’s getting the latest news via their smartphone on the way to work, watching their favourite event on their office PC, using their tablet while watching the big screen to get the latest updates, or watching the live streams on their connected TV.
The live page also brings fans together around the action by sharing the best of their comments and opinions via email, SMS and social media, alongside those from the BBC’s expert reporters and talent.
Users will also be able to access a range of on-demand video clips through the live page, allowing them to catch-up on the day’s highlights before jumping into the live action.
All content from the new Winter Olympics live page will be available on PCs, tablets and mobiles – users can simply access the BBC Sport website from whichever device they’re using.
Alternatively, users can use the BBC Sport app for mobile and tablet devices, available for free on iPhone, iPad, Android and Kindle Fire, with no need to update the app.
Users can also access BBC Sport’s comprehensive event schedule, helping them catch all their favourite moments from Sochi, alongside the latest medals table and results, with extra features, reaction and analysis from BBC reporters and talent.
Winter sports fans can catch-up on all the action they have missed throughout the day via BBC iPlayer, where BBC Two’s daily highlights programme ‘Today at the Games’ will be available to view for up to seven days after transmission.
Starting with the Winter Olympics, this new complete approach will power the BBC’s digital coverage of other major sporting events in 2014, setting the template for other huge BBC Sport events such as the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games and the FIFA World Cup in Brazil.
BBC Sport’s coverage of the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics begins on Friday, February 7, where the opening ceremony will kick off 16 days of unmissable sporting drama and spectacle.
BBC Two will the place to find BBC TV’s comprehensive coverage throughout the fortnight, although some will switch to BBC One on weekday lunchtimes.
Clare Balding, Hazel Irvine and Jonathan Edwards will lead BBC Sport’s on-air team covering all the action direct from Sochi each day from 7.00am to 8.00pm.
Ron Chakraborty, Lead Executive of Major Events for BBC Sport, says: “BBC Sport is very proud to be able to offer such extensive coverage from Sochi 2014.
“After delivering London 2012 we’re once again at the forefront of bringing the most innovative and accessible multi-platform sports coverage to our audiences.
“The Winter Olympics is a big part of a fantastic year of sport on the BBC which also includes the World Cup and Commonwealth Games.”
The BBC has also released a glimpse of its Winter Olympics TV trailer featuring highly acclaimed actor Charles Dance, who currently stars in ‘Game Of Thrones’.
Dance is the voice of ‘nature’ in the trail to promote the BBC’s extensive coverage of Sochi 2014 and speaks a foreboding verse to set a challenge to the Winter Olympic athletes to overcome its extreme elements.
The trailer also provides a glimpse of the opening titles that will be used by the BBC for its 2014 Winter Olympics programmes.
The full version will debut at 8.30pm on BBC One ahead of the series finale of Sherlock on Sunday, January 12.
.
SOCHI 2014 WINTER OLYMPIC GAMES – Coming soon to BBC SPORT
.
