NBC, Olympics extend broadcast deal through 2036
NBC, Olympics extend broadcast deal through 2036
The extension is worth $3 billion, and includes two additional Olympic games.
The 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris were a huge win for NBC. Not only did the channel draw more than 30 million viewers to the Games, it also saw audiences around the world stream them for a combined 23.5 billion minutes. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) was certainly pleased by the results, as it has agreed to an extension of the broadcast deal between it and Comcast — NBCUniversal’s parent company — that will keep the games on the company’s platforms through 2036.
Key Details:
- The extension includes the 2034 Winter Games in Utah, and the 2036 Summer Games.
- The deal is reportedly worth $3 billion.
- NBC will continue to offer every event of the Olympics on Peacock.
The new deal between the IOC and NBCU will extend the already decades-old relationship between the Olympics and the network for at least another decade, including the 2034 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City and the 2036 Summer Olympics, whose location is still yet to be determined.
The deal is worth an additional $3 billion on top of what NBCU was already paying to air the Olympics. The two sides say that the extension shifts the relationship between them into a strategic partnership, and that it will involve collaboration on “new, innovative joint strategic initiatives and projects.”
Of the deal, Comcast CEO Brian Roberts said:
“There is no event like the Olympics. Its power to bring joy, and the unifying spirit it embodies, are truly unique. We live in a time when technology is driving faster and more fundamental transformation than we’ve seen in decades. This groundbreaking, new, long-term partnership between Comcast NBCUniversal and the International Olympic Committee not only recognizes this dynamic but anticipates that it will accelerate. It is our honor to continue to bring the full power of our company’s expertise in creating and distributing content that connects with Americans, as well as to begin to provide even more innovative technological support and solutions to the IOC and its stakeholders in areas that benefit athletes and the many people dedicated to organizing the Olympic Games around the world.”
As part of the deal, NBC will lend a hand to Olympic Broadcasting Services (OBS) in the creation of a new video player. It’s possible this player will help stream certain events for the Games, though its true function was not immediately outlined in the announcement of the extension.
NBC has already announced that it will once again stream every Olympics event from the 2026 Winter Games in Milan via its flagship streaming service Peacock. In 2024, the network introduced a number of innovations for the Paris games, including “Gold Zone,” an NFL RedZone-style whip-around show that took viewers to the best live action happening at any given moment
Peacock
Peacock is a subscription video streaming service from NBCUniversal that includes original shows, blockbuster movies, and classic television series. Peacock is home to “Yellowstone,” “The Office,” and original hits like “Poker Face” and “Bel-Air.” You can also watch live sports and NBC programming, including the NFL, MLB, WWE, the Olympics, the Premier League, NASCAR, the French Open, college football and basketball, and the PGA Tour. Premium Plus subscribers can stream their local NBC feed in all 210 markets.