A major, multi-faceted deal between the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and long-time US broadcast partner NBCUniversal (NBCU), including the extension of their media rights agreement through 2036, has been agreed.
Through a deal announced yesterday, Comcast-owned NBCU – the IOC’s most lucrative media rights partner – will continue as the all-platform US rights-holder for the Olympic and Winter Olympic Games, for the 2034 (Salt Lake City) and 2036 (as yet, unallocated) editions. The deal is worth $3 billion across those two Olympic Games, and comes as an extension to the current tie-up between the pair, unveiled in May 2014 and running through the 2032 Olympics (Brisbane, Australia).
Go deeper with GlobalData
That deal is worth $7.65 billion over six Olympics, with this two-games renewal working out at $1.5 billion for each event.
NBC has been one of the most important Olympic rights partners for the IOC in recent times.
In terms of where the 2036 games will be held, confirmed bids have so far come from Indonesia, Turkey, Chile, and India.
The new agreement, approved by the IOC’s executive board, also takes the overall relationship between the pair “to a new level, from media rights-holder to strategic partner,” the Olympic governing body has said.
In addition to the rights extension element, the tie-up will also include: support for the in-venue distribution of live TV coverage from Olympic Broadcasting Services OBS); support for OBS in producing the Olympic Video Player; collaboration on US digital advertising opportunities; and adding to Comcast’s expertise across technology infrastructure, connectivity, and media, around the games. These aspects of the deal will begin this year.
In addition, NBCU has said the IOC will benefit from future Comcast investment in “relevant and innovative start-ups.”
Thomas Bach, the outgoing president of the IOC (he will be replaced through a vote held at an IOC Session next week), has said: “This agreement with Comcast is groundbreaking because it goes far beyond the traditional media rights agreement which we have had for many years with our valued partner. Thanks to their innovative approach, serving on all platforms from linear to streaming and digital, we can now take our partnership to new heights for the benefit of athletes, Olympic stakeholders, organizing committees, and fans.”
Late February saw confirmation that Bach will resign as a member of the IOC when he hands over power to his successor.
In terms of IOC media rights activity, early February saw a deal for the 2026-32 cycle in Mexico announced, with the TelevisaUnivision telecommunications and broadcast giant renewing. This comes as an extension in terms of Olympic coverage rights for TelevisaUnivision, which covered the Paris 2024 and Tokyo 2020 games.
In addition, action from Paris last year was also shown in Mexico by America Movil, as well as by TV Azteca and Imagen Television via sub-license deals.
Other markets in which rights for the next quartet of Olympics have not yet been allocated, include New Zealand, the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), India, the Caribbean, Brazil (although only on a non-exclusive basis for 2028), and in-flight/on-ship.
Brian Roberts, Comcast’s chair and chief executive, added: "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.”
NBCU has broadcast 13 Olympic Games consecutively, 19 in total (beginning with Tokyo 1964).
For the Paris Olympics last year, NBCU’s coverage reached – on average – 67 million total viewers per day, the media heavyweight has claimed, with fans streaming 23.5 billion minutes of NBCU coverage, predominantly via the Peacock streaming service.
Separately, Comcast has also been a sponsor of the Team USA Olympic program since 2017.
