NBC wins U.S. TV rights to the Olympic Games through 2020

[CK SatGuy]

From USA Today:
NBC has won the rights to four Olympic Games through 2020, the Associated Press reported Tuesday. The broadcast network wins the rights for the 2014, 2016, 2018 and 2020 Games, according to AP.NBC beat out Disney's ESPN/ABC and News Corp. Fox Sports for the rights to the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, and the 2016 Summer Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. It already has the rights to the 2012 Summer Olympics in London.
The IOC hasn't officially announced NBC as the winner yet. IOC president Jacques Rogge will hold a press conference at at 2 p.m. ET. But NBC posted an story declaring it the winner on its own NBCSports.com web site.
An generation of U.S. TV viewers has grown up watching the Olympics on NBC. The peacock network has broadcast every Summer Olympics since 1988 and every Winter Games since 2002. But the longtime incumbent network was thought to be in trouble after NBC Sports chairman Dick Ebersol, who has a close relationship with the IOC, suddenly quit over a contract dispute with his new bosses at Comcast.
Now, Ebersol's gone and NBC still has the Olympics. One big question is whether NBC will continue to follow the Ebersol model of showing the premiere events on tape delay in prime time rather than on live TV. ESPN/ABC and Fox both said before their presentations that would show the Olympic live no matter from what time zone.
NBC wins U.S. TV rights to four Olympic Games through 2020 - Game On!: Covering the Latest Sports News

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

Kind of surprised as they recently said they were not worth the time and money. I honestly expected ESPN to win the rights.

Well good news for us though, as if ESPN won they said they would have raised rates (again) to cover the expense.

 

[riffjim4069]

Yep, if somebody has to lose money on the Olympics...it may as well be Comcast/NBC.

 

[cosmo_kramer]

One big question is whether NBC will continue to follow the Ebersol model of showing the premiere events on tape delay in prime time rather than on live TV. ESPN/ABC and Fox both said before their presentations that would show the Olympic live no matter from what time zone.

Are you sure about that?? At least in the ET I seem to remember Michael Phelps' epic performances in the Beijing Olympics being live...

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

Only select events were live on NBC.

 

[cosmo_kramer]

That's correct. It's kinda hard to show everything live when there is a +/- 12 hour difference.

That's why I mentoned that because the first post said "the Ebersol model of showing the premiere events on tape delay in prime time" and I consider Phelps' performance a "premiere event"...

 

[Ramy]

I am glad they got it so we don't see rates go up again.

 

[riffjim4069]

Just wait until Comcast/NBC/Universal hit everyone up for massive fee increases...

 

[Ramy]

Just wait until Comcast/NBC/Universal hit everyone up massive fee increases...

I will go over the air and turn off my locals.

 

[SamCdbs]

I am glad to see NBCU get the Olympics (and, BTW, NBCU will try to raise rates for its "cable" channels due to this, just as ESPN would have). Because we are really talking about 2 periods. February and July/August in the "Olympic years". Now, with hockey shut down for the winter Olympics, the NHL being the only sport on NBC or Versus during this time, I can watch actual live sports on the other networks. Had ESPN or Fox gotten the rights, then this would have pushed actual sports off of those channels in favor of this travelogue/cryfest/talent competition/nothing.

 

[riffjim4069]

I will go over the air and turn off my locals.

Sounds like a good plan, but I'm sure a lot of those fees will be inserted into Versus and other NBC Sports channels. I can live without the cable favorites, but I can't live without hockey on Versus.

 

[SamCdbs]

but I'm sure a lot of those fees will be inserted into Versus and other NBC Sports channels.

Exactly. This is the NBCU business plan. Bid against ESPN for rights and then pass the costs on to the cable and dish companies, meaning to you and me. And, since you do not pay fees to yourself, NBCU (Comcast) has a natural advantage, as it will charge others to cover those costs.

That said, this was a mistake. NBCU could have spent that money on a sport that occurs more often that two weeks everyother year.