Tuesday, August 11, 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

Mar 4, 2023; Indianapolis, IN, USA; The NFL Network logo on the field at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

NFL Network Blackout Ends As Comcast, Disney Reach Deal

The agreement ended a blackout lasting more than three months.
FILE PHOTO: Disney+ logo is seen in this illustration taken August 5, 2025.

Disney Sells Out of Super Bowl LXI Ad Inventory

ESPN parent company Disney exhausted its inventory on an earlier schedule.
CJ Kirst (#15) of the Philadelphia Waterdogs during the 2026 PLL Regular Season, The Week 10 match up of The Philadelphia Waterdogs and The New York Atlas at Peter Barton Lacrosse Stadium, Denver, Colorado. On Friday, July 24th, 2026

PLL Takes Page From NHL With 4-Team International Tournament

The league hopes to replicate the success of recent blockbuster international events.

Peacock Turns Profit 6 Years After Launch—With World Cup Bump

The streaming service reached a long-awaited “milestone.”
podcast thumbnail mobile
Front Office Sports Today

FIFA’s Infantino Under Fire, ESPN’s New 20-Team CFP Play, Bills Fans on New $2.2B Stadium

0:00

Featured Today

Joey Spallina of the Maryland Whipsnakes

How Eye Black Became ‘War Paint’ on the Field

“You’re going into battle, doing something you only do on game days.”
August 6, 2026

Tom Brady Explains His Aggressive Push Into Trading Cards

Brady talked to FOS about his eponymous card company.
FILE PHOTO: Cricket - Indian Premier League - IPL - Mumbai Indians v Chennai Super Kings - Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai, India - April 23, 2026 Mumbai Indians' Suryakumar Yadav in action
August 5, 2026

India Is Stealing Cricket’s Throne From England and Australia

India’s insatiable appetite for cricket has shifted the traditional locus of power.
WPBL
July 30, 2026

Who’s Playing Women’s Professional Baseball?

Sixty players from 11 countries are descending on Illinois for six weeks.
Tom's Watch Bar
July 17, 2026

Sports Bars Are Cashing In From Summer of Soccer

The World Cup has brought a windfall to America’s biggest sports bars.
Nov 16, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; General view of CBS Sports NFL today broadcast before the game between the Kansas City Chiefs against the Denver Broncos at Empower Field at Mile High.

CBS Sports Has a Lot to Live Up to After Banner Year

The Paramount-owned network will rely more on NFC teams this year.
The Volume
Exclusive
August 11, 2026

David Ross, Anthony Rizzo Rebranding Volume Podcast

The revamped show will cover all of MLB, not just the Cubs.
CBS sportscaster and former NFL quarterback Tony Romo chats with the media Tuesday, June 27, 2023 during the OSF Children's Hospital of Illinois Championship & Pro-Am at Metamora Fields Golf Club.
August 11, 2026

CBS Sports President: ‘No Timetable’ for Romo’s Return

Romo was placed on indefinite leave on July 31.
Sponsored

Saints Great Turns to Ownership

Marques Colston discusses his Champions Fund launch and finding success after football.
Nov 15, 2025; Athens, Georgia, USA; Texas Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian and Georgia Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart interact after a game at Sanford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images
First at FOS
August 11, 2026

SEC Netflix Series Not Returning for Second Season This Year

The show chronicled 10 SEC football teams during the 2024 season.
August 11, 2026

Huge Hall of Fame Game Ratings Point to Another Big Year for NFL

The latest NFL viewership suggests big things to come for the league.
Nov 19, 2023; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Former Panther and now announcer Greg Olsen during pregame warm ups between the Carolina Panthers and the Dallas Cowboys at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-USA TODAY Sports
Opinion
August 10, 2026

Greg Olsen Has the Most to Gain in NFL TV’s Talent Shuffle

CBS, Amazon, and ESPN could all have No. 1 jobs to fill.
August 7, 2026

How WNBA Teams Are Responding to the League’s Latest Culture War

The league issued a new media policy this year.