The Tokyo Olympics officially kick off tomorrow with the opening ceremonies, and NBCUniversal is more than ready to pull off the first major global media event since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. (In fact, the network has already been covering the start of the Olympic Games in softball and soccer for the past few days.) Despite the lack of in-person audiences due to the ongoing pandemic, there is no doubt that the world will be watching as the Games unfold, especially after the event was postponed last summer.
"We are going to deliver the most comprehensive—and accessible—coverage for any sports event in history," said Molly Solomon, executive producer and president of NBC Olympics Production at a press event. While the coverage will be more challenging to pull off due to the abundance of health protocols in place, Solomon added, "we feel that we can safely and responsibly produce these Games."
NBCUniversal will present an unprecedented 7,000 hours of coverage over two-plus weeks, with five of its cable networks—USA Network, CNBC, NBCSN, Olympic Channel, and GOLF Channel—presenting more than 1,300 hours of coverage. Concurrently, NBC Sports Digital will stream more than 5,500 hours of the Games on NBCOlympics.com and the NBC Sports app. Telemundo Deportes is also set to provide its most extensive coverage of the Olympic Games ever for Spanish-language viewers with over 300 hours of programming planned.
New this year is Comcast's two-year-old video bundle, Flex, which will carry the Games for the first time. Flex is used in more than three million homes. Peacock, NBCUniversal's video streaming service, will also provide live programming on its free tier. (Peacock's launch last year was actually timed to coincide with the Olympics before the Games were cancelled.) The streaming service will air daily live shows, event replays, and curated highlights throughout the Olympics.
Additionally, Comcast's predominant pay-TV system, X1, has new features this year that will make it easier than ever for viewers to navigate content around the Games. The voice remote and aggregated guide will give viewers the most personalized Games experience to date.
"Comcast's work elevating the Olympics viewing experience has set a new industry standard for how we bring consumers the live events they care about deeply," said Mac Budill, president of networks distribution for NBCUniversal. "We know these capabilities mean more engagement, personalization, and time spent with arguably the most anticipated sporting event of our lifetime."
The next couple of weeks are sure to bring thrills and unforgettable moments as NBCUniversal delivers the Games' biggest events and captivating stories to millions of viewers. Solomon added, "As the world emerges from troubled times, we really believe the Tokyo Olympics will be the most meaningful Olympic Games of our lifetime."
