NBC is launching an Olympics channel that will show all of the events at the famous sporting marathon all the time.
The year-round Olympics channel will focus on past events that have wowed viewers, as well as content that has yet to be released due to the fact that there are hundreds of thousands of hours of Olympic action going on at any given event.
NBC has acquired the rights to show the Olympics on its channels through 2032. The new channel will launch in the summer of 2017 as part of a joint venture with the International and U.S. Olympic Committees.
The most recent summer Olympics took place earlier this year in Rio de Janeiro. The Brazil event displayed some spectacular feat, including the continued dominance of Usain Bolt in the various sprinting evens.
The U.S. women’s gymnastics was especially strong this year, with the team as a whole winning gold, while Simon Biles was the budding new star at the event.
But perhaps the highlight of 2016 was the soccer tournament, in which Brazil was able to win gold in its homeland. The success helped to take some sting off the team’s semi-final loss in the 2014 World Cup that also happened in its own backyard.
About 50% of the U.S. Olympic Committee is funded by sponsors, accounting for about $100 million. The NBC channel will limit advertising from rival companies.
