The agreement, signed by CBI chief executive Larry Romany and CBU President Shida Bolai, will see next year's Summer Games in the Brazilian city being aired in 20 nations and territories in the English and Dutch Caribbean.

Coverage will be provided on radio, free-to-air television, cable television and through online media, with the participating CBU members selecting specific content for distribution in their respective markets.

Part of the deal includes the provision of a dedicated ESPN-produced television channel for Caribbean audiences, and the airing of all Rio 2016 semi-finals and finals featuring athletes from the region, which is likely to include sprint star Usain Bolt of Jamaica as he looks to defend his 100 and 200 metres Olympic titles in Brazil.

Usain Bolt (centre) of Jamaica will be aiming to defend his 100 and 200 metres Olympic titles at Rio 2016 ©Getty Images


There is also the opportunity for CBU members to send staff to report live and direct from Rio, thanks to partnership between ESPN and CBI, who were formed by the National Olympic Committees (NOCs) and Commonwealth Games Associations across the region to buy and sell broadcast rights for major sporting events

The full list of participating countries comprises Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, the Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Montserrat, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago and the Turks and Caicos.

Contact the writer of this story at [email protected]


Related stories
May 2014: ESPN agrees Caribbean Olympic partnership