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NBCUniversal announced today that it will present an unprecedented 7,000 hours of coverage of the Tokyo Olympics this summer by utilizing two broadcast networks, six cable networks, and multiple digital platforms, serving both English- and Spanish-language viewers, making it the biggest media event ever. The Games of the XXXII Olympiad will take place July 23-August 8, 2021, in Tokyo, Japan.
In what will be the first major global gathering since the pandemic began, NBCUniversal will deliver the Games’ biggest events, most captivating stories and unforgettable moments to the American viewing audience on an array of platforms that will make the Olympics more accessible than ever before.
A major focus of NBCUniversal’s coverage will be Team USA, which has won more overall medals than any other nation at six consecutive Summer Games. The U.S. is a powerhouse once again and is expected to be led by some of the most accomplished athletes in the world, including Simone Biles, Katie Ledecky, Caeleb Dressel, Simone Manuel, Allyson Felix, Noah Lyles, and many others. In team sports, the U.S. women are particularly formidable and should contend for gold across basketball, soccer, softball, and water polo, as well as several team events, such as gymnastics and the eight in rowing. In men’s basketball, the “Dream Team” will attempt to win its fourth consecutive gold medal and 16th overall.
“After a devastating year, the world comes together again, finally, in Tokyo this summer,” said Molly Solomon, Executive Producer and President, NBC Olympics Production. “We are going to deliver the most comprehensive — and accessible — coverage for any sports event in history. The depth and breadth of our broadcasts will be unprecedented, showcasing once-in-a-generation athletes and storylines that will capture the incredible uniqueness of these Games and our times.”
Following are highlights of NBCU’s Tokyo Olympics coverage (Note: More information about Peacock’s offering will be announced soon):
- The NBC broadcast network will once again be the backbone of NBCUniversal’s coverage, providing 17 consecutive nights of primetime coverage and 250 hours of the biggest stories of the Games. Similar to the Olympic Winter Games in PyeongChang in 2018, NBC will broadcast its primetime show live across all time zones with continuing coverage on Prime Plus (formerly the late-night show) following late local news. Prime West will also return for viewers in the Pacific time zone.
- As previously announced, NBC Olympics will provide unprecedented coverage of the Opening Ceremony on Friday, July 23, creating a full day of Olympic programming on NBC that culminates with the primetime presentation of the ceremony. The day will begin with the network’s first-ever live morning broadcast of an Opening Ceremony, followed by a special edition of TODAY and then NBC’s first-ever Olympic Daytime show on the opening Friday of the Games.
- Five English-language NBCUniversal cable networks – USA Network, CNBC, NBCSN, Olympic Channel: Home of Team USA, and GOLF Channel – will present 1,300+ hours of Tokyo Olympics coverage this summer.
- In addition to the studio programming Peacock already announced, more information about its Tokyo Olympics offering will be announced soon.
- NBC Sports Digital will stream more than 5,500 hours of the Tokyo Olympics on NBCOlympics.com and the NBC Sports app, via authentication, including all 41 sports and 339 medal events on the Tokyo program, plus the Opening and Closing Ceremonies, medal ceremonies, and more.
- Telemundo Deportes, the exclusive Spanish-language home of the Olympic Games in the U.S., will present the most extensive Olympic coverage ever in Spanish-language media focusing on those stories and disciplines that are relevant to the U.S. Hispanic audience, with over 300 hours of programming across Telemundo and Universo.
- NBCU will introduce the exciting new sports and events that are debuting in Tokyo: skateboarding, 3×3 basketball, BMX freestyle, surfing, sport climbing, and karate, as well as the return of softball and baseball.
- USA Network’s coverage kicks off with a blockbuster women’s soccer matchup at 4 a.m. ET on Wednesday, July 21 — two days before the Opening Ceremony — as Team USA takes on Sweden. The U.S. are the defending World Cup champions and ranked #1 in the world, but Sweden, currently ranked #5, eliminated the U.S. in the quarterfinal round at the Rio Olympics in 2016.
- This will be NBCUniversal’s 11th consecutive Olympics presentation and ninth consecutive Summer Games, both records for a U.S. media company. NBC’s first-ever coverage of an Olympic Games was for the Tokyo Olympics in 1964.
- NBC News will have a strong presence at the Tokyo Olympics. Both the TODAY show and NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt will be on site with live coverage from Tokyo. Each morning, TODAY will bring viewers live interviews with Olympians and share the latest news from the Games. Each night, Nightly will profile a member of Team USA, from the most popular stars to lesser known athletes who overcame incredible circumstances on their Olympics journey, as well as report on all the news surrounding the Games.
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NBC’S PRIMETIME SHOW TO BE PRESENTED LIVE ACROSS ALL TIME ZONES
- The NBC broadcast network will once again be the backbone of NBCUniversal’s coverage, providing 17 consecutive nights of primetime coverage and 250 total hours of the Games’ biggest stories and most anticipated events.
- Similar to the Olympic Winter Games in PyeongChang in 2018, NBC will broadcast the primetime show and Prime Plus (formerly the late-night show) across all time zones. Prime West will also return for viewers in the Pacific time zone while Eastern, Central, and Mountain time zones are watching local news. Prime Plus and Prime West will showcase many of the sports featured in the primetime show. (Tokyo is 13 hours ahead of the Eastern time zone.)
- The primetime show will feature many of the Summer Games’ most popular sports – swimming, gymnastics, track & field, diving, and beach volleyball – as well as athlete interviews and profiles, features about the host city, and news surrounding the Games. Primetime host Mike Tirico will keep viewers up to date about action going on across the Games with live look-ins as the competition day plays out during primetime hours. Primetime will begin at 8 p.m. ET each night, except Sundays (7 p.m. ET), and will include significant coverage of live events.
- Both the men’s and women’s gold medal basketball finals will air in primetime on NBC on Aug. 6 and Aug. 7, respectively. It will be the first time that the women’s final will be seen entirely in primetime on the broadcast network since the Atlanta Olympics in 1996.
- In addition, NBC will show extensive coverage of a wide variety of sports during daytime hours. This includes live coverage of indoor volleyball on weekend mornings, as events take place during nighttime in Tokyo.
- As previously announced, NBC Olympics will provide unprecedented coverage of the Opening Ceremony on Friday, July 23, creating a full day of Olympic programming on NBC that culminates with the primetime presentation of the event. The day will begin with the network’s first-ever live morning broadcast of an Opening Ceremony, followed by a special edition of TODAY and then NBC’s first-ever Olympic Daytime show on the opening Friday of the Games.
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USA NETWORK WILL PROVIDE ROUND-THE-CLOCK OLYMPIC COVERAGE
- USA Network will provide round-the-clock coverage nearly every day of the Tokyo Olympics for 388.5 total hours.
- USA will feature a wide variety of the Games’ most exciting sports, including swimming, track & field, diving, beach volleyball, volleyball, cycling, triathlon, and team sports basketball, soccer and water polo.
- Olympic coverage on USA begins a full two days before the Opening Ceremony on Wednesday, July 21 (Thursday, July 22, in Japan) from 4:00-9:30 a.m. ET with live soccer qualifying.
- Coverage kicks off with a blockbuster women’s soccer matchup at 4 a.m. ET on Wednesday, July 21, as Team USA takes on Sweden. The U.S. are the defending World Cup champions and ranked #1 in the world, but Sweden, currently ranked #5, eliminated the U.S. in the quarterfinal round at the Rio Olympics in 2016.
- This will be the eighth time USA Network has carried Olympic programming (2004, 2006, 2008, 2010, 2014, 2016 and 2018).
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CNBC TO PRESENT TOKYO OLYMPIC COVERAGE IN PRIMETIME
- CNBC – NBCUniversal’s widely distributed cable business channel – will provide 124.5 hours of Tokyo Olympics coverage in primetime after it concludes its traditional business and financial programming, as well as some early-morning coverage. Coverage begins on Saturday, July 24, from 8:00 p.m. – 2:00 a.m. ET.
- CNBC will showcase a wide array of sports, including diving, beach volleyball, the new Olympic sport skateboarding, rowing, canoeing, archery, and team sports water polo and rugby.
- This will be the 11th consecutive Olympics in which CNBC has provided coverage, every Summer and Winter Games since 2000.
— The above press release was posted by Swimming World in conjunction with NBCUniversal. For press releases and advertising inquiries please contact Advertising@SwimmingWorld.com.
