LAUSANNE, SWITZERLAND and PHILADELPHIA—The International Olympic Committee (IOC) and Comcast NBCUniversal have signed a wide ranging $3 billion media rights deal for the Olympic Games in the U.S. that also includes a number of joint initiatives, partnerships and projects in digital advertising and other areas.
The deal extends Comcast NBCU’s rights to the games in the U.S. on all platforms to media rights for the 2033-2036 cycle, covering the Olympic Winter Games Salt Lake City-Utah 2034 and the Olympic Games 2036 (host yet to be determined).
The agreement, which was approved by the IOC Executive Board (EB) on March 12, will start in 2025 . NBC has broadcast the Summer Games since 1988 and the Winter Games since 2002.
The IOC and Comcast NBCU stressed that the new agreement takes their longstanding media rights partnership to a new level that with wide variety of joint initiatives and partnerships in such areas as digital advertising, broadcast infrastructure and delivery of the games. Those include:
- Building on Comcast’s expertise in technology infrastructure, connectivity and media to support the delivery of the Olympic Games;
- Support for the in-venue distribution of the live TV coverage of Olympic Broadcasting Services (OBS);
- Support to OBS in the production of the Olympic Video Player;
- Collaboration on digital advertising opportunities in the United States;
- The IOC benefitting from Comcast’s investment in relevant and innovative start-ups;
- The extension of the media rights agreement across all platforms in the United States for the Olympic Games until 2036 on NBCUniversal, including its streaming platform Peacock.
“There is no event like the Olympics. Its power to bring joy, and the unifying spirit it embodies, are truly unique. Comcast Chairman and CEO Brian Roberts said: 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 we recommit to our collective mission, this groundbreaking partnership between the IOC, Comcast NBCUniversal and the USOPC signifies a new era of collaboration and engagement that will enhance the Olympic and Paralympic Movements immediately," the President of the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC), Gene Sykes, added. "With our eyes set on the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026 and beyond, we are excited to leverage innovative technologies and shared resources that will ensure an unforgettable experience for athletes and fans alike.”
In announcing the deal, NBCU reported that its coverage of Paris 2024 reached an average of 67 million total viewers per day across its broadcast, cable and streaming platforms. Fans streamed 23.5 billion minutes of NBCUniversal’s Paris 2024 coverage, led by streaming service Peacock – 40 per cent more than all prior Olympic Summer and Winter Games combined. Gen Z powered a record 6.55 billion impressions across NBCUniversal’s social media platforms for Paris 2024, a 184 per cent increase compared to Tokyo 2020.
The IOC and Comcast NBCU also highlighted NBCUniversal longstanding involvement with the games. Beginning with Tokyo 1964, NBCUniversal has presented 19 total Olympic Games and 13 consecutive editions, more than any other U.S. media company. Today’s announcement means that at the conclusion of the Summer Games in 2036, NBCUniversal will have presented 25 Olympic Games and 19 consecutive editions. Comcast is also a major sponsor of the Olympic and Paralympic Movements in the US, having served as an Official Partner of Team USA since 2017.
