NBC, IOC sign broader rights deal that frames network as ‘strategic partner’

The International Olympic Committee and Comcast NBCUniversal have agreed on an extended partnership for the new digital era that will also keep the Olympics on NBC through 2036.

The deal is valued at $3 billion from 2025 to 2036 and is being framed as a way for NBCU to take on more of a “strategic partner” role instead of simply a rights-holding broadcaster. 

The new agreement calls for building on Comcast’s expertise in technology infrastructure, connectivity and media to support the delivery of the Olympic Games and support for the in-venue distribution of the live TV coverage of Olympic Broadcasting Services.

NBCU will also support OBS in the production of the Olympic Video Player and the two organizations will collaborate on digital advertising in the U.S.

“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,” said IOC president Thomas Bach said in a statement. “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, Organising Committees and fans. The media landscape is evolving rapidly and, by partnering with one of the world’s leading media and technology companies, we will ensure that fans in the United States are able to experience the Olympic Games like never before.”

“There is no event like the Olympics. Its power to bring joy, and the unifying spirit it embodies, are truly unique,” Comcast 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 recognises this dynamic but anticipates that it will accelerate. It is our honour 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 organising the Olympic Games around the world.”

NBCUniversal’s fully distributed coverage of Paris 2024 generated consumption records and milestones. The company’s coverage from Paris 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 percent more than all prior Olympic Summer and Winter Games combined. 

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Comcast NBCUniversal has a deep and critically acclaimed history with the Olympic Games and the Olympic Movement. Beginning with Tokyo 1964, NBCUniversal has presented 19 total Olympic Games and 13 consecutive editions, more than any other US 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.