Concern About Fees Threatens to Delay Olympic Bidding

After years of bidding up fees for the rights to televise sports, U.S. media companies are putting on the brakes.

Richard Carrion, a member of the International Olympic Committee's executive board, said the organization is seriously considering delaying until next year the bidding for the U.S. media rights for the 2014 and 2016 Olympics because of the ongoing struggles of broadcasters hurt by a rocky advertising market. The IOC had planned to sell the TV rights this spring following what they and TV executives believe will be strong U.S. ratings for the Vancouver Games. "There is sufficient instability in the market that we may wait a bit," Mr. Carrion said.

Meanwhile, executives at the National Collegiate Athletic Association are still casting around for a new long-term deal to broadcast their post-season men's basketball tournament, known as March Madness. The NCAA can opt out of its current deal with CBS Corp. if it finds a better offer. However, the NCAA's request for proposals sent to media companies late last year has generated a lot of dialogue rather than a fervent bidding war.

Viewership for football, the Olympics and other major sporting events remains robust, but media executives say they are rethinking whether the ratings are worth the financial hit.