History of NBC Sports in Timeline
NBC Sports is the sports programming division of NBCUniversal, owned by Comcast. It broadcasts a wide range of sports events across NBC, its cable channels, and Peacock. These include the NFL, Olympics, Premier League, NASCAR, PGA Tour golf, and college sports like Big Ten football and basketball. Following Comcast's acquisition of NBCUniversal in 2011, Comcast's sports cable networks were integrated with NBC Sports under the NBC Sports Group umbrella, consolidating its position in the sports broadcasting landscape.
1972: NBC Televised the 1972 Winter Olympics
In 1972, NBC televised the 1972 Winter Olympics for the first time, expanding its Olympic coverage to include winter sports.
1980: NBC faced disappointment with the 1980 Summer Olympics
In 1980, NBC had secured rights to the 1980 Summer Olympics but faced a setback when the United States boycotted the event due to the Soviet Union's invasion of Afghanistan. This led to scaled-back coverage and significant advertising revenue losses for NBC.
1988: NBC Televised the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul
In 1988, NBC televised the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul. Since then, it has branded itself as "America's Olympic Network", televising every Summer Olympic Games since the Seoul event, as well as every Winter Olympic Games since 2002 Winter Olympics.
1989: NBC Sports used a logo that had been in use since 1989
In January 2, 2012, Versus was relaunched as NBC Sports Network, accompanied by a comprehensive redesign of NBC Sports' branding. This included new on-air graphics centered around the NBC peacock logo and an updated logo for the division, replacing the one in use since 1989.
1998: Ebersol Named President of NBC Sports and Olympics
In 1998, Dick Ebersol was appointed as the president of NBC Sports and Olympics, marking a significant leadership change within the division.
2000: NBC Declines to Renew MLB Broadcast Agreement
In 2000, NBC chose not to renew its broadcast agreement with Major League Baseball (MLB), marking the end of an era for NBC's coverage of the sport.
2001: NBC Partners with WWF to Establish XFL
In 2001, NBC partnered with the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) to create the XFL, a new football league featuring modified rules. NBC shared broadcast rights with UPN, with games primarily airing on Saturday nights. The XFL's fanfare was short-lived, lasting only one season.
2001: NBC Obtains NASCAR and Triple Crown Broadcast Rights
In 2001, NBC, along with Fox and TNT, acquired the broadcast rights for NASCAR's top series in a six-year deal, televising the second half of the season and alternating Daytona 500 coverage with Fox. Also in 2001, NBC secured the broadcast rights to horse racing's Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing in a five-year agreement.
2002: NBC Loses NBA Broadcast Contract to ESPN and ABC
In 2002, NBC was outbid by ESPN and ABC for the new broadcast contract of the National Basketball Association (NBA), concluding the league's twelve-year tenure on NBC.
2002: NBC began televising every Winter Olympic Games
Since 2002 Winter Olympics, NBC has branded itself as "America's Olympic Network", televising every Summer Olympic Games since the Seoul event, as well as every Winter Olympic Games since 2002 Winter Olympics.
2005: NHL Lockout Delays Start of NBC Broadcasts
In 2005, a league lockout in the NHL resulting in the cancellation of the season delayed the start of NBC's broadcast contract with the NHL until the second half of the 2005-06 NHL season.
2008: NBC Broadcasts NHL Winter Classic
In 2008, NBC broadcast the 2008 NHL Winter Classic, an outdoor game on New Year's Day at Ralph Wilson Stadium. It was a success in both attendance and TV ratings.
2009: 2009 Stanley Cup Finals Game 7 Achieves High Ratings
In 2009, Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals drew an average of 8 million viewers, the highest ratings for an NHL game in 36 years, marking a significant success for NBC's NHL coverage.
2009: Relationship between NBCSN and IndyCar Series began
In 2009, the relationship between NBCSN and IndyCar Series began as Versus.
2010: Viewership of the 2010 Winter Olympics
In 2010, the Winter Olympics in Vancouver drew a total of 190 million viewers, including 27.6 million for the men's hockey gold medal game.
January 2011: Comcast Finalizes Acquisition of NBC Universal; NBC Sports Group Formed
In January 2011, Comcast finalized its acquisition of a majority stake in NBC Universal, resulting in the merger of Comcast's sports networks into the NBC Sports Group. Mike McCarley became Golf Channel's head, NBC Sports' golf production unit merged with Golf Channel under "Golf Channel on NBC", and Versus was rebranded as NBC Sports Network.
July 3, 2011: ESPN Obtains Exclusive Broadcast Rights to Wimbledon, Ending NBC's 42-Year Relationship
On July 3, 2011, ESPN acquired the exclusive broadcast rights to The Championships, Wimbledon, in a 12-year deal, ending NBC's 42-year television relationship with the tournament.
2011: Comcast Acquires NBCUniversal; Sports Networks Aligned with NBC Sports
In 2011, Comcast acquired NBCUniversal, leading to the alignment of Comcast's sports networks with NBC Sports, forming the NBC Sports Group. This move integrated the operations of networks like Golf Channel and NBCSN under the NBC Sports umbrella in 2011.
January 2, 2012: Relaunch of Versus as NBC Sports Network and Branding Redesign
On January 2, 2012, Versus was relaunched as NBC Sports Network, accompanied by a comprehensive redesign of NBC Sports' branding. This included new on-air graphics centered around the NBC peacock logo and an updated logo for the division, replacing the one in use since 1989.
2012: Major League Soccer Games Shown on NBC and NBC Sports Network
From 2012, Major League Soccer (MLS) games were broadcast on NBC and the NBC Sports Network, including regular season, playoff, and national team matches.
March 18, 2013: NBC Sports Operations Move to Stamford, Connecticut
On March 18, 2013, NBC Sports and NBCSN's operations were largely relocated to a new facility in Stamford, Connecticut, to capitalize on state tax credits.
2013: NBC Sports Acquires Broadcast Rights to Formula One
In 2013, NBC Sports obtained the broadcast rights to Formula One, previously held by Speed and Fox Sports. Coverage was primarily on NBCSN, with select races on NBC and streaming available online and via the NBC Sports Live Extra mobile app.
2013: NBC Sports Acquires Rights to Televise Premier League Soccer
Since the 2013-14 season, NBC Sports has held the rights to televise Premier League soccer in English (primarily on NBCSN) and Spanish (on Telemundo and Universo) through a $250 million deal, replacing ESPN and Fox Soccer as the league's U.S. broadcasters.
September 7, 2014: Football Night in America Moves to Stamford
On September 7, 2014, the production of Football Night in America relocated to Stamford, Connecticut, joining the other NBC Sports operations that had moved there earlier.
2014: Extensive Broadcast and Digital Streaming of the 2014 Winter Olympics
During the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, over 500 hours of the games were broadcast across five NBC-owned television channels. Additionally, 1,000 hours were streamed digitally via NBCOlympics.com and the NBC Sports Live Extra app for Android and iOS, including exclusive content like Gold Zone and Olympic News Desk.
January 1, 2015: Introduction of Refreshed On-Air Graphics Design
On January 1, 2015, NBC Sports introduced a refreshed design for its on-air graphics, featuring a cleaner and brighter visual appearance.
June 7, 2015: NBC Sports and The R&A Agree to Televise The Open Championship
On June 7, 2015, NBC Sports and The R&A reached a twelve-year deal to televise The Open Championship, Senior Open Championship, and Women's British Open on NBC and Golf Channel, beginning in 2017, due to Fox obtaining rights to USGA's championships.
November 2015: Universal Sports Ceases Operations
In November 2015, Universal Sports ceased operations. NBCUniversal acquired the rights to the content, moving much of the programming to Universal HD, NBCSN, and NBC Sports Live Extra.
2015: Fox previously had the U.S. Open broadcast rights until 2015
Fox previously had the U.S. Open broadcast rights until 2015
2015: End of Major League Soccer (MLS) games shown on NBC and NBC Sports Network
Until 2015, Major League Soccer (MLS) games were broadcast on NBC and the NBC Sports Network, including regular season, playoff, and national team matches.
March 12, 2016: NBC Sports Broadcasts First Live Premiership Rugby Match
On March 12, 2016, NBC Sports broadcast its first live Premiership Rugby match, featuring London Irish hosting Saracens F.C. at Red Bull Arena in Harrison, New Jersey, as part of a three-year deal.
June 2016: NBC Sports Launches NBC Sports Gold
In June 2016, NBC Sports launched NBC Sports Gold, a suite of sport-specific over-the-top subscription services offering expanded coverage of its properties.
2016: The Open Championship Debuts Early on NBC
In 2016, The Open Championship debuted on NBC a year earlier than initially planned after ESPN opted out of its final year of agreement.
July 15, 2017: NBCUniversal Relaunches Universal HD as Olympic Channel
On July 15, 2017, NBCUniversal relaunched Universal HD as Olympic Channel, a network dedicated to Olympic sports programming as a complement to its existing coverage of the Olympic Games.
2017: End of NBC Sports Broadcast Rights to Formula One
In 2017, NBC Sports broadcast rights to Formula One ended.
2017: Start of the Agreement between NBC Sports and The R&A to televise The Open Championship
In 2017, the twelve-year deal between NBC Sports and The R&A to televise The Open Championship, Senior Open Championship, and Women's British Open on NBC and Golf Channel, officially began.
2018: ESPN Obtains Broadcast Rights to Formula One
In 2018, ESPN obtained the broadcast rights to Formula One from NBC Sports.
2018: NBC Sports Renews Contract with IndyCar Series and Acquires Broadcast Television Rights
In 2018, NBC Sports renewed its contract with the IndyCar Series through 2021 and acquired the broadcast television rights previously held by ABC. NBC began televising eight races per season since 2019, including the Indianapolis 500, with the remaining races airing on NBCSN.
2018: End of NBC Sports Rights to Premiership Rugby
In 2018, NBC Sports rights to Premiership Rugby ended.
2019: Premier League coverage adopted elements of Sky Sports
In 2019, NBC adopted elements of its new British sibling Sky Sports for Premier League coverage.
2019: NBC Sports Begins Televising IndyCar Races and Enters Agreement with IMSA
In 2019, NBC began televising eight IndyCar races per season, including the Indianapolis 500. Additionally, NBC announced a six-year agreement with the International Motor Sports Association, including the WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, with most coverage on NBCSN.
June 29, 2020: NBC Regains Rights to USGA Tournaments
On June 29, 2020, Fox sold the remaining seven years of its contract to air USGA tournaments to NBC, bringing the U.S. Open back to NBC for the first time since 2015.
2020: NBC's NHL Contract Expires
NBC's contract with the NHL expired after the 2020–21 season.
January 2021: NBCUniversal Announces Plans to Shut Down NBCSN
In January 2021, NBCUniversal announced plans to shut down NBCSN by the end of the year due to increased competition from streaming services and other sports networks.
2021: NBC Sports Contract with IndyCar Series Renewed until 2021
In 2021, the contract between NBC Sports and IndyCar Series, which was renewed in 2018, came to an end.
December 31, 2021: NBCSN Officially Shuts Down
On December 31, 2021, NBCSN was officially shut down. Its remaining programming rights were moved to other NBCUniversal platforms, including USA Network and Peacock.
April 6, 2022: NBC Sports Announces MLB Sunday Leadoff Deal with Peacock
On April 6, 2022, NBC Sports announced a deal to carry a package of Sunday afternoon MLB games on Peacock, branded as MLB Sunday Leadoff, starting in the 2022 season.
July 1, 2022: NBC Sports Announces Shutdown of Olympic Channel
On July 1, 2022, NBC Sports announced that Olympic Channel would shut down as a linear channel on September 30, 2022.
August 18, 2022: NBC Sports Announces Seven-Year Deal to Carry Big Ten Conference Athletics
On August 18, 2022, NBC Sports announced a seven-year deal to carry Big Ten Conference college athletics across its platforms beginning in the 2023–24 academic season. This includes primetime college football games on NBC and coverage of college basketball and Olympic sports on Peacock.
September 30, 2022: Olympic Channel Shuts Down as Linear Channel
On September 30, 2022, Olympic Channel was shut down as a linear channel, as announced by NBC Sports.
2022: NBC Unveiled Second Graphics Redesign for Sunday Night Football During Super Bowl LVI
During Super Bowl LVI in 2022, NBC unveiled a second redesign for its Sunday Night Football graphics package.
June 2023: NBC Sports Launches Free Ad-Supported Streaming Channel
In June 2023, NBC Sports launched a free ad-supported streaming channel.
2023: Peacock Exclusively Streams Regular Season and Playoff NFL Games
Beginning with the 2023 NFL season, Peacock exclusively streams at least one regular season game per season. In 2023, Peacock exclusively streamed the Miami Dolphins–Kansas City Chiefs wild card playoff game, driving 2.8 million sign-ups and averaging 23 million viewers.
2023: NBC Sports Declines to Renew MLB Sunday Leadoff Deal
In 2023, NBC Sports declined to renew its MLB Sunday Leadoff deal after the 2023 season, with the package moving to Roku instead.
2023: NBC to carry Big Ten Conference college athletics
In 2023, NBC began carrying Big Ten Conference college athletics across its platforms for seven-year. This includes primetime college football games on NBC and coverage of college basketball and Olympic sports on Peacock.
June 27, 2024: NBC Sports and Big East Conference Announce Six-Year Deal
On June 27, 2024, NBC Sports and the Big East Conference announced a six-year deal set to begin in the 2025–26 academic year. Under the agreement, NBC Sports will broadcast over 60 men’s and women’s basketball games, including regular season and tournament matchups.
July 23, 2024: Comcast Confirms NBA Return to NBC Sports
On July 23, 2024, Comcast confirmed during an investor conference call that the NBA would return to NBC Sports in the 2025–26 season under an 11-year agreement. NBC and Peacock will broadcast 100 regular season games, including Monday night games on Peacock, regional Tuesday night games, and a package of Sunday night games after the NFL season. Rights to the NBA Finals will remain with ABC. The agreement also includes broadcasting rights to the WNBA.
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