Wednesday, May 27, 2026

Olympics Could Still Be a Win for NBCUniversal

  • The Olympics have endured all sorts of challenges related to the pandemic, but it’s still be a strong property for NBCUniversal.
  • The company expects to make significantly more in ad revenue than it did during the 2016 Summer Games.
IOC/Design: Alex Brooks

The Olympics have been a mess for Japan, but they might not be for NBCUniversal.

The Games’ primary U.S. broadcaster expects to bring in $2.25 billion in ad revenue, per the New York Times, nearly double the $1.2 billion it earned from Rio 2016.

While advertisers have adjusted strategies to reflect the pandemic-related struggles the Tokyo Olympics have endured, they ultimately expect a large audience, and are willing to pay for ad space.

  • NBCU has set the price of a 30-second primetime commercial at $1.25 million. 
  • In 2011, NBCU parent Comcast paid the International Olympic Committee $4.38 billion for the four Olympics from 2014 to 2020. It extended that deal in 2014 to include the Summer and Winter Games from 2022-2032 for $7.75 billion. 
  • NBC partnered with Twitch to produce 150 hours of programming surrounding the Games; Snapchat is creating five daily shows.

NBCUniversal has a slew of top sports broadcasts on the schedule in the coming year: It will air the Super Bowl in February and the FIFA World Cup in November 2022. 

The network is reportedly seeking up to $6 million for each 30-second Super Bowl ad and has already sold 85% of those slots.

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Sign up for
The Memo Newsletter

Get the biggest stories and best analysis on the business of sports delivered to your inbox twice every weekday and twice on weekends.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

May 24, 2026; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Kristian Gkolomeev (GRE) poses with Enhanced co-founder Max Martin after setting a world record in the 50m freestyle of 21.81 during the Enhanced Games at Resorts World Las Vegas.

Clean Athletes Stole the Show at the Enhanced Games

Three clean athletes won events against performance-enhancing peers.
Aug 2, 2024; Nanterre, France; Benjamin Proud (Great Britain), Cameron McEvoy (Australia) and Florent Manaudou (France) in the men’s 50-meter freestyle medal ceremony during the Paris 2024 Olympic Summer Games at Paris La Défense Arena.

The Enhanced Games Want to Be More Than a Steroid Olympics

“There’s a benefit for anyone to live enhanced.”

Bednarek Still Believes ‘Sky’s the Limit’ for Grand Slam Track

GST filed for bankruptcy after its inaugural season in 2025.

NBC Lands Additional NFL Rights for Critical Late-Season Weekend

The Comcast-owned network expands its presence in the league’s Week 17.

Featured Today

May 24, 2026; Evanston, IL, USA; Northwestern Wildcats attack Kathryn Ratanaproeksa (13) shoots against the North Carolina Tar Heels during the first half at Martin Stadium

Can Women’s Lacrosse Buck the Trend in College Sports?

The sport is fighting to prove its worth in the revenue-sharing era.
May 22, 2026

Big Money on the Line on Premier League’s Final Day

Arsenal has won the title, but millions are still at stake.
Texas State mascot
May 22, 2026

Mascot-Reveal Videos Are the Newest College Sports Tradition

Student mascot unmasking videos are going mega-viral.
Charlie Pliner and Nikolas Rohrmann
May 22, 2026

How 2 Brown Undergrads Became Sports Dealmakers

An experimental project turned into a permanent course and business deal network.
Dec 3, 2022; Al Rayyan, Qatar; United States of America manager Gregg Berhalter acknowledges fans after losing a round of sixteen match against the Netherlands in the 2022 FIFA World Cup at Khalifa International Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Danielle Parhizkaran-USA TODAY Sports
exclusive
May 27, 2026

FanDuel Launching World Cup Show With 3 Former USMNT Coaches

‘Coaches Corner’ will debut its first of 10 episodes on June 1.
Charles Robinson Yahoo Sports
exclusive
May 27, 2026

Yahoo Sports Lays Off Prominent NFL Reporters

Charles Robinson and Charles McDonald were among those let go.
Sponsored

The Hidden Economy of Race Weekend

Learn more about the Vintage Flying Museum and how Spectrum Business is helping them achieve their business goals while fueling their dreams.
Sponsored

The Hidden Economy of Race Weekend

Learn more about the Vintage Flying Museum and how Spectrum Business is helping them achieve their business goals while fueling their dreams.
May 16, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Ronda Rousey (blue gloves) celebrates defeating Gina Carano (red gloves) after a women's featherweight bout at Intuit Dome. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
May 21, 2026

How Jake Paul’s MVP Plans to Build on Netflix MMA Debut

Saturday’s debut averaged 12.4 million viewers on Netflix.
May 21, 2026

CBS, TNT Sports Parents Face New Merger Scrutiny by Lawmakers

A group of six U.S. senators raises concerns about the proposed megadeal.
May 20, 2026

NHL Playoffs Deliver Record Second-Round Ratings for ESPN, TNT

The Canadiens-Sabres series brought additional audience milestones.