NBC, Universal Sports Extend USA Gymnastics Deal Through 2012

Pact Runs Through Summer Olympics In London

Mike Reynolds -- Multichannel News, 8/12/2009 2:03:42 PM

NBC will continue to be the place to check out the USA Gymnastics leading up to the Summer Olympics in London.
NBC Sports has extended its deal with USA Gymnastics through 2012. Moreover, Universal Sports, NBCU's Olympic sports-style service, will serve as the official cable and digital media partner for the quadrennium. Deal terms were not disclosed.
NBC Sports will continue to cover USA Gymnastics' premier events, such as the Tyson American Cup and Visa Championships, along with the Pacific Rim Gymnastics Championships and the World Artistic Gymnastics Championships. Through its relationship with the International Gymnastics Federation, Universal Sports will carry extensive coverage of the World Championships and other international events, as well as expanded coverage of USA Gymnastics events and encore presentations of NBC Sports broadcasts.
For the 2009 Visa Championships in Dallas, NBC Sports is carrying the final day of the women's competition live in primetime on Aug.15, with a recap of the men's final competition scheduled that afternoon. Universal Sports, which is currently available to some 56 million homes, will carry live simultaneous cable and Web coverage of the evening sessions on Aug. 13-14 and will encore the NBC Sports broadcasts on a delayed basis.
"Our relationship with USA Gymnastics is central to NBC Sports' and Universal Sports' long-term commitment to be the home for Olympic sports and America's exceptional Olympic athletes in between the Games," said Gary Zenkel, president of NBC Olympics, in a statement.
Noted Universal Sports CEO Claude Ruibal: "This partnership allows us to expand our existing coverage of gymnastics with the full season of USA Gymnastics offerings and deliver it on a multiplatform basis, providing fans the opportunity to see these events whenever and wherever they want all year long.