The International Olympic Committee (IOC) is expanding its ventures into the world of digital media with a new three-year partnership with NBC-owner Comcast.
The ‘groundbreaking’ agreement will see Comcast own media rights for the 2033-2036 cycle, which will include coverage of the 2034 Salt Lake City Winter Olympics and the 2036 Olympic Games, which have yet to announce a host city.
Central to the IOC deal is the development of digital media via NBCUniversal and Comcast’s products. From 2025 onwards, the IOC and Comcast will work on building technological infrastructure to support the broadcasts of the 2034 and 2036 games in the US.
Comcast will also support the production of Olympic Video Player, the IOC’s standalone streaming platform for the coverage of its competitions, whilst also collaborating on digital advertising opportunities.
IOC President, Thomas Bach, stated: “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, 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.”
Having been a broadcast partner in the US for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, NBCUniversal reported record-breaking numbers for the international sports event.
Through the network’s channels and streaming platform Peacock, NBCUniversal revealed that the 2024 Olympics garnered an average of 67 million viewers per day, 23.5 billion minutes.
The Olympics in Paris last summer also brought in a strong viewership from Gen Z audiences, attributing to 6.55 billion impressions on NBCUniversal social media platforms, a 184% increase from the 2020 Tokyo Games.
Comcast Chairman and CEO Brian Roberts said: “There is no event like the Olympics. Its power to bring joy, and the unifying spirit it embodies, are truly unique. 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 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.”
