IOC, NBC Announce Strategic Partnership, Renew Olympic Media Rights Deal Through 2036

NBC will continue to be the home of the Olympic Games in the United States for at least the next 11 years.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) and Comcast NBCUniversal jointly announced an extension of NBC as the Olympic media rights holder in the U.S. through 2036, along with a “groundbreaking partnership for the new digital era.”

The new partnership elevates Comcast NBCUniversal from media rights holder to strategic partner, the IOC said, promising “innovative joint strategic initiatives and projects” and NBC’s streaming platform, Peacock, playing a more prominent role.

The renewal will see NBC hold the media rights for the 2033-36 Olympic cycle, which includes the 2034 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City and the 2036 Summer Games (host yet to be determined). The deal is valued at $3 billion (USD) and “is a major contribution to the long-term financial stability of the entire Olympic Movement,” the IOC said.

The IOC lists the following as key facets of the new deal:

• 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.

The announcement notably comes in the final days of IOC President Thomas Bach‘s leadership, with the IOC set to elect a new leader next week.

“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,” 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.”

NBC’s latest Olympic media rights deal was signed in 2014, which covered the Summer and Winter Olympics through 2032, including the 2028 Games in Los Angeles. That deal was valued at $7.75 billion (USD).

NBC had record-setting viewership numbers for the 2024 Olympics in Paris, reaching 67 million total daily viewers on average across all platforms. Fans streamed 23.5 billion minutes of NBCUniversal’s Paris 2024 coverage, the broadcaster said, with Peacock leading the way.

NBC has broadcasted every Summer Olympics since 1988 and every Winter Games since the 2002 edition in Salt Lake City.

Prior to the 2014 renewal, NBC resigned in 2011 in a $4.38 billion deal that extended them as the rights holder through 2020.

Comcast Chairman and CEO Brian Roberts said: “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.”