IOC and Comcast NBCUniversal agreement which not only includes the media rights on all platforms in the United States of America for the Olympic Games through to 2036, but also new, innovative joint strategic initiatives and projects.
The partnership, which was approved by the IOC Executive Board (EB) yesterday, will start in 2025 and takes the longstanding partnership between the IOC and Comcast NBCUniversal to a new level, from media rights-holder to strategic partner.
The extension of the 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), is valued at USD 3 billion and is a major contribution to the long-term financial stability of the entire Olympic Movement.
The IOC distributes 90 per cent of the revenue it generates to support athletes and sports organisations around the world.
With immediate effect, the new partnership provides additional value, including:
- 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.
“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,” IOC President Thomas Bach said.
“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,” he added.
NBCUniversal’s fully distributed coverage of Paris 2024 generated consumption records and milestones wherever fans were watching.
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 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.
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.
The 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.
The IOC EB, which has approved the agreement, has also authorised the next IOC President, who will be elected on 20 March, to sign the agreement after taking office in June 2025.