Thursday, September 3, 2026
The FOS App is Live Download It Now

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

9/3/26 – Clippers-Kawhi Penalized, Tiger’s DUI Plea, Schrager’s ESPN Show

0:00

Featured Today

Teams Are Spending Millions to Build Luxury Locker Rooms

It’s a recruiting pitch, a retention tool, and a seven-figure line item.
September 1, 2026

High School Football Sidelines Are Clogged With Content Creators

Administrators call these amateur newcomers the “pajama paparazzi.”
Aug 3, 2026; Washington, D.C., USA; Alexandra Eala (PHI) kisses the championship trophy during the trophy ceremony after her match against Jessica Pegula (USA) (not pictured) in the women's singles final of the 2026 Mubadala DC Open at Rock Creek Park Tennis Center. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images
August 30, 2026

How Alex Eala Turned the Philippines Into a Tennis Nation

A December homecoming match could break tennis’s attendance record.
August 26, 2026

Deshaun Watson Has Done the Impossible: Unite Browns Fans

Watson was named the starter after complaining boos were “personal.”
August 23, 2026

Dan Snyder ‘Invisible’ in NFL Three Years After Commanders Sale

Snyder has had little to no contact with former NFL associates.
Jan 23, 2020; Kissimmee, Florida, USA; ESPN NFL Countdown analyst Dianna Russini poses during AFC practice at ESPN Wide World of Sports. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Exclusive

Dianna Russini ‘Absolutely’ Planning Sports Media Comeback

Multiple outlets have publicly stated they’d be willing to hire her.
Feb 7, 2022; Westlake Village, CA, USA; ESPN reporter Dianna Russini at Los Angeles Rams Super Bowl LVI Opening Night at Oaks Christian High School. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
September 3, 2026

The Athletic Concludes Dianna Russini Investigation, Suggests Editor’s Notes

Russini resigned from The Athletic in April
Opinion
September 3, 2026

Winners and Losers of NBA’s Stiff Clippers Ruling

The punishments have sent shock waves around sports media.
Sponsored

Kerri Walsh Jennings’s Playbook for the Future of Volleyball

The former gold medalist talks NCAA, the Olympics, & investing in volleyball.
Sep 30, 2024; Inglewood, CA, USA; Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard (2) talks with team owner Steve Ballmer during media day at Intuit Dome. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
September 2, 2026

Clippers Punishment Puts Disputed ESPN Report Under Spotlight

An NBA spokesperson previously called the ESPN report inaccurate.
September 2, 2026

Streamer Victory+ Abruptly Collapses After Missing Payments

The free streamer had deals with NWSL, NHL, MLB, and WNBA teams.
Exclusive
September 2, 2026

New York Times Union Demands Company Abandon Kalshi Talks

The union is “deeply concerned” about deal discussions.
September 1, 2026

Netflix Secures Commercial Distribution for Expanded NFL Slate

The streaming giant’s full NFL slate will be shown in commercial establishments.