LAUSANNE, Switzerland, June 7. IN what turned out to be a competitive undertaking, NBCUniversal has won the U.S. broadcast rights for the OIympics through 2020. Already in possession of the 2012 London Games, NBC will now broadcast the 2014, 2016, 2018 and 2020 Games after turning in the winning bid to the International Olympic Committee today.
NBCUniversal held off a combined bid from Disney's ESPN/ABC and News Corp.'s Fox Sports by checking in with a $4.38 billion proposal to secure exclusive rights to the pinnacle sporting event in the world. NBC has broadcast every Summer Olympics since 1988 and every Winter Games since 2002.
"I'd like to thank all three networks for the incredible effort that went into their presentations," USOC Chairman Larry Probst said. "Each was compelling and would no doubt successfully communicate the importance and excitement of the Olympic Games. However, the combination of NBCUniversal's vision for presenting the Games and their significant commitment of resources to the Olympic Movement made them the winner. I'd like to congratulate the entire team at NBCUniversal for their winning bid and thank them for their continued support and partnership. We look forward to working closely with NBCUniversal and Comcast in the years to come."
"Telling the stories of the Olympic Games is a great honor, but it's also a huge responsibility," USOC CEO Scott Blackmun said. "Showcasing the world's greatest athletes on sport's biggest stage, and reinforcing the universal Olympic values of respect, friendship and excellence, requires large measures of both resources and skills. Anyone who's seen NBCUniversal's Olympic programming knows they have the skills, and today they've renewed their commitment."