As Comcast prepares to spin off its NBCUniversal operations, the company reported that its streaming service Peacock was profitable for the first time ever in Q2 2026, with a EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization) of $189 million, up $290 million from the losses reported in Q2 2025.

Paid subscribers Increased by 2 million net addition in the quarter to 48 million, driven by NBA Playoffs, FIFA World Cup and Love Island USA.

In an earnings call with analysts, Brian Roberts, chairman and co-CEO of Comcast said that “in just 6 years, we've built Peacock into a streaming business with real scale in the U.S. We've added 2 million paid subscribers in each of the last 2 quarters, had our biggest viewership month ever in June and reached profitability, all anchored by what NBCUniversal does best: premium entertainment, live sports, news and extraordinary storytelling.”

Jason Armstrong, CFO of Comcast provided more details. “Digging into Peacock specifically, revenue increased 54%, driven by strong growth in both distribution and advertising revenue,” he said. “Distribution revenue grew over 50% with paid subscribers up $7 million year-over-year and $2 million sequentially, reaching $48 million and advertising revenue increased nearly 70%, fueled by multiple drivers with notable callouts including the simulcast of Telemundo's FIFA World Cup, the NBA playoffs and the latest season of Love Island.”

During the World Cup, the company recently reported that streaming comprised 48% of Telemundo’s Total Audience Delivery for the FIFA World Cup 2026, up from 30% contribution in 2022. With an average minute audience (AMA) of 3 million viewers on Peacock and Telemundo streaming platforms, digital viewership grew +297% vs. 2022 (767,000).

In addition Spain vs. Argentina Finals on July 19, is the most-streamed World Cup match in Spanish-language history with an Average Minute Audience (AMA) of 13.9 million viewers, +370% over the most-streamed match of the 2022 tournament (Argentina vs. France Finals, 3 million AMA).

Overall, there were 21 games that averaged 4 million or more streaming viewers, up from zero in 2022.

MIAMI, Fla.—Telemundo is reporting that its Spanish-language coverage of the FIFA World Cup 2026 set audience records at every stage of the tournament.

Overall, the tournament is the most-watched FIFA World Cup tournament in Spanish-language media history with an average Total Audience Delivery of 6.3 million viewers across the 104 matches, up +143% vs. the 2022 tournament (2.6 million). Each stage of the 2026 tournament set a new Spanish-language World Cup Total Audience record and delivered triple-digit growth versus the 2022 World Cup.

The FIFA World Cup 2026 also delivered impressive growth over 2022 in linear and streaming, with the linear match window average up +79% (3.2 million vs. 1.8 million) and the digital average minute audience (AMA) up +297% (3 million vs. 767K).

In addition, Sunday’s final battle, which saw Spain earn its second title as they dethroned reigning champions Argentina, delivered a 23.9 million Total Audience Delivery (TAD), becoming the most-watched soccer match ever in Spanish-language media history.

It also set numerous records for streaming, digital media and social media.

Combined with the 39.8 million who watched Fox Sports English-language coverage on Fox, 63.7 million Americans watched the final.

Telemundo produced more than 700 hours of original programming through the 39-day tournament.

Other data highlights included:

• The FIFA World Cup 2026 tournament delivered the 15 most-watched soccer matches in Spanish-language media history based on Total Audience, led by Spain vs. Argentina’s 23.9 million viewership in the Finals.
• The 77.2 billion total minutes consumed during the FIFA World Cup 2026 across Telemundo, Universo, Peacock, and Telemundo streaming platforms, surpassed the 43.2 billion total minutes consumed for the combined 2018 and 2022 Men’s World Cup tournaments in Spanish by +79%.
• Mexico vs. England delivered 23.2 million viewers in Total Audience Delivery (TAD), making it the second most-watched soccer match ever in Spanish-language media history. On linear, the full program averaged 10.1 million viewers from 8:25–11:20 p.m. ET, making it the highest-rated telecast in Spanish-language TV history; viewership peaked at 11.7 million viewers at 10:45 p.m. ET.
• The France vs. England Third Place match delivered 7.7 million viewers in Total Audience Delivery, making it the most-watched Third Place game in Spanish-language media history, up +225% vs. the 2022 tournament (Croatia vs. Morocco, 2.4 million).
• 42 games had a Total Audience Delivery of at least 6 million viewers, up from two during the full 2022 tournament.
• Overall, streaming comprised 48% of Telemundo’s Total Audience Delivery for the FIFA World Cup 2026, up from 30% contribution in 2022. With an average minute audience (AMA) of 3 million viewers on Peacock and Telemundo streaming platforms, digital viewership grew +297% vs. 2022 (767,000).
• Spain vs. Argentina Finals on July 19, is the most-streamed World Cup match in Spanish-language history with an Average Minute Audience (AMA) of 13.9 million viewers, +370% over the most-streamed match of the 2022 tournament (Argentina vs. France Finals, 3 million AMA).
• There were 21 games that averaged 4 million or more streaming viewers, up from zero in 2022.
• Telemundo ranked as the #1 Spanish-language television network across all 34 matchdays (June 11 – July 19) during Total Day (7A-2A) with 1.9 million average viewers, and a share of 76% of the three Spanish-language networks. This Total Day delivery is up +300% vs. the network’s May 2026 average.
• June 2026 was Telemundo’s highest-performing month in network history with 1.4 million average viewers in Total Day, surpassing the previous World Cup highs set in June 2018 (954K) and December 2022 (837K).
• Sunday, July 5, set a new linear record with the highest Total Day average audience in Spanish-language television history with 3.6 million viewers, driven by the Mexico vs. England and Brazil vs. Norway Round of 16 matches.
• Throughout the duration of the FIFA World Cup 2026, Peacock drew four times its normal share of Hispanic viewers. Those viewers who watched World Cup also watched a variety of Peacock content, including Telemundo entertainment (e.g., El Señor de los Cielos), Peacock originals (e.g., Love Island USA, MIA, Five Star Weekend), Sports (e.g., MLB), and library content (e.g., Yellowstone, The Office).
• Cultural cross-over: While each of these cultural phenomena drew massive audiences on its own, 40% of Peacock viewers who watched Love Island USA also watched the FIFA World Cup 2026.
• On Peacock, one in three FIFA World Cup viewers are Gen-Z, and they are especially receptive to brands: +21% more likely to feel loyal to World Cup advertisers and +24% more likely to view World Cup advertising as more credible than other ads.
• The FIFA World Cup 2026 generated 2.25 billion video views across social platforms, more than 9x the combined total generated during the 2018 and 2022 FIFA World Cups.
• The tournament generated 75.1M social actions across social platforms, nearly 3x the combined total generated during the 2018 and 2022 FIFA World Cups.
• Round of 16 Match Day 26 became the highest social engagement day in Telemundo FIFA World Cup history, generating 5.28M social actions.
• Round of 16 Match Day 27 became the most-viewed social day in Telemundo FIFA World Cup history, generating 135.6M video views.
• On linear, the 26 Telemundo-owned stations reached 22.3 million total viewers through the FIFA World Cup 2026 Semifinals.
• The Telemundo-owned stations’ average audience through the FIFA World Cup 2026 Semifinals of 2.52 million viewers was +57% higher than the same period during the 2022 tournament (1.61 million) and +64% above 2018 (1.54 million).
• Eight Telemundo-owned stations captured 50 percent or more of the FIFA World Cup 2026 audience share in their markets, including in Los Angeles, New York, Miami, Houston, and Phoenix, through the Semifinals.

MIAMI—Telemundo and Peacock continue to report record-setting audiences for FIFA World Cup 2026 matches, with the USA vs. Turkey match ranking the most-watched U.S. Men’s National Team (USMNT) FIFA World Cup match in Spanish-language history. The match attracted 7.4 million viewers in total audience delivery (TAD).

The June 25 match was also +111% greater than the USA’s final Group Stage match in the 2022 tournament (3.5 million TAD) vs. Iran.

With this match, Telemundo and Peacock have now seen three of most-watched USMNT FIFA World Cup matches in Spanish-language history with USA vs. Paraguay delivering a 7.0 million TAD on June 12th and USA vs. Australia delivering 6.8 million TAD on June 19th. Over its three Group Stage matches this year, the USA delivered an average 7.1 million TAD, up +83% over its average Group Stage TAD in 2022 (3.9 million).

In addition, the Ecuador vs. Germany match on June 25th delivered a 4.1 million TAD, becoming the third most-watched Ecuador FIFA World Cup™ match in Spanish-language history, behind the June 14th match vs. Ivory Coast (6.8 million TAD,) and the June 20th match vs. Curaçao (6.0 million TAD). Thursday’s match also delivered +120% growth vs. Ecuador’s final Group Stage match in 2022 (1.9 million TAD) vs. Senegal. Ecuador’s 2026 Group Stage performance averaged 5.7 million TAD, up +90% vs. the average from its Group Stage in 2022 (3.0 million TAD).

Meanwhile, Japan vs. Sweden delivered a 4.7 million TAD, an increase of +104% vs. Japan’s final Group Stage match in 2022 (2.3 million TAD) vs. Spain, while its 2026 Group Stage matches averaged a 4.6 million TAD, surging +230% vs. 2022 (1.4 million TAD).

NBCUniversal’s Peacock and Telemundo said an average of 2.3 million viewers have watched some of their coverage of the 2026 FIFA World Cup during the competition’s first two weeks, up 277% from the same perioid during the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

Peacock and Telemundo are the exclusive Spanish-language streaming platforms for the 2026 World Cup. Fox Sports holds the English-language rights to the competition, which runs June 11 through July 19.

Through the first 40 matches, the Average Minute Audience (AMA) across Telemundo and Peacock streaming platforms has averaged 2.3 million viewers, up 277% from the same stage of the 2022 World Cup (622,000 AMA). AMA is defined as the average number of viewers watching the stream in any given minute of the telecast.

Several variables drove the viewership increase, not the least of which is that marquee live matches are being streamed during primetime as the tournament is in North America. Also, Peacock now has a much larger subscriber base at 46 million, more than double the roughly 20 million it had in 2022.

Total Audience Delivery (TAD) over the first 40 World Cup matches averaged 5.5 million viewers, up 141% from 2022. To date, 19 matches have delivered a Total Audience Delivery of more than 5 million viewers, compared to just two matches at the same point in the 2022 tournament.

TAD measures the entire audience across every single platform combined—traditional broadcast television (Telemundo), cable, and all digital streaming platforms (Peacock and apps).

The June 19 U.S.-Australia match delivered TAD of 6.8 million, up 46% from the U.S.’s second Group Stage match of FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 against England (4.7 million). The match ranks as the second most-watched U.S. Men’s FIFA World Cup match ever in Spanish.

Audience engagement remains at historic highs, with 26.2 billion total minutes consumed across Telemundo broadcast, Peacock and Telemundo streaming platforms through the first 40 matches of the tournament, already surpassing the 22 billion total minutes consumed during the entirety of FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 in Spanish, Telemundo said.

Fox Sports, the host broadcaster for the World Cup in the U.S. has also reported record ratings in the early days of the event, with viewership of 18.4 million for the first U.S. men’s game against Paraguay, making it the most-watched World Cup in U.S. history. The second U.S. men’s match against Australia attracted 14.78 million overall viewers on Fox.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup continues across Fox, Telemundo, Universo, Peacock and the Telemundo app through July 19.

SAN FRANCISCO—Peacock will stream Telemundo’s live Spanish-language coverage of the 2026 FIFA World Cup in Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos with Dolby AC-4.

“As the leader in live sports streaming, Peacock is known for our unmatched reliability and quality,” said David Bohunek, senior vice president of global video engineering at NBCUniversal. “Fútbol fans will love watching Telemundo’s FIFA World Cup 2026 coverage on Peacock in Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos with Dolby AC-4—it’ll be a truly stunning viewing experience they can’t get anywhere else.”

A joint team of engineers from NBCUniversal and Dolby Laboratories worked together for more than a year to fine-tune how Peacock brings Dolby Vision to live sports, combining Dolby’s latest streaming tools with NBCUniversal’s expertise in native HDR production.

All 104 matches will be delivered in Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos with Dolby AC-4, a first for the event. Peacock’s presentation of Telemundo’s World Cup coverage is also believed to be the first commercial deployment of Dolby AC-4 by a video streamer.

Dolby AC-4 delivers clear sound with up to 50% greater efficiency than traditional codecs, enabling delivery of Dolby Atmos at the highest possible fidelity.

“There is no bigger stage in sports, and now Peacock viewers will experience every moment the way it was meant to be seen and heard," said John Couling, senior vice president of entertainment at Dolby Laboratories. "From the energy of the crowd to the emotion on the field, every goal scored, Dolby helps bring fans closer to the experience."

More information is available on the company’s website.

MINNEAPOLIS—Stadium Sports Network chose Telycam Explore XE cameras for its coverage of the U.S. Curling Trials for the Winter Olympics in Italy.

Stadium Sports Network has its roots in the specialized systems-integration firm Curling Stadium, which focused on deploying streaming solutions in curling arenas. The success of those deployments led to requests for it to provide full production services for organizations such as USA Curling and the international governing body World Curling. Founder and CTO John Benton expanded the company into the full-service Stadium Sports Network to meet this growing demand.

Now serving an increasingly high-end clientele, Stadium Sports knew it would need to upgrade from its previous PTZ cameras. “World Curling and USA Curling distribute our feeds to premium buyers, such as [Canadian sports network] TSN and other international television channels, who then air it on linear TV,” Benton said. “We knew we needed to provide better quality for linear television, and that our existing PTZ cameras weren’t going to cut it.”

Benton wanted cameras with 1-inch sensors and the ability to handle the unique demands of capturing curling. This objective became even more important when Stadium Sports was contracted to produce the U.S. Curling Trials in South Dakota for NBC Sports in November 2025. The even—which would determine which teams would represent the United States at the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics—was to be broadcast on USA Network and NBCUniversal’s Peacock streaming service.

“When we were working on the Olympic curling trials, it was crucial that the cameras could handle the lighting, exposure and focusing challenges of shooting on a 200-foot sheet of ice,” said Benton, a former Olympian himself. “There were cameras from the big broadcast brand names that could do it, but their high cost meant that purchasing them rather than renting them would make it difficult for us to offer our production services cost-competitively.”

Stadium Sports’ partner in Scotland, David Owen of Curling Stadium Europe, recommended Benton look at Telycam’s Explore series. Benton evaluated the Telycam Explore XE broadcast-class PTZ cameras. The cameras impressed him, and he purchased three Explore XE units for the upcoming production.

For the USA Curling event, Stadium Sports used the three Telycam Explore XE cameras as primary cameras. Two were positioned as overhead cameras hung on a truss above the ice, over scoring areas at each end known as “the house.” The third camera, referred to as the “slide camera,” was deployed on the field of play. All three cameras panned, tilted and zoomed throughout the matches.

The Telycam PTZ cameras output NDI HX3 streams, which were transported to the production room over a Ubiquiti network with 10 Gbps fiber connectivity. The production center housed four space-efficient operator stations: the main switcher system, running vMix software; two camera operator positions; and a graphics and audio station, featuring Singular Live HTML5 graphics and a Behringer X32 mixing console.

The upgrade to the new PTZ cameras delivered the quality gains Benton sought. “We couldn’t be happier with the Telycam Explore XE cameras,” he praised. “And more importantly, NBC Sports and Peacock were also very happy with the quality we produced.”

More information is available on the Telycam website.

STAMFORD, Conn.—NBCUniversal reported that the Milan Cortina Olympics Opening Ceremony Friday night averaged 21.4 million viewers on NBC and Peacock—up 34% from the Opening Ceremony from the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, according to preliminary data from Nielsen and digital data from Adobe Analytics.

With coverage live in the afternoon (“Milan Prime”) followed by a special primetime presentation, the Opening Ceremony audience of 21.4 million viewers on NBC and Peacock was nearly six million viewers larger than the Beijing Opening Ceremony (15.9 million), the network claimed.

“We are off to a strong start with Friday’s captivating Opening Ceremony highlighted by the historic cities, the scenic mountain areas, and the Parade of Athletes,” said Rick Cordella, President, NBC Sports. “The Opening Ceremony audience exceeded our expectations, and we can’t wait for the next two weeks of competition.”

NBC said the Opening Ceremony was “the most-streamed for any Winter Games,” averaging more than 3 million viewers. Led by Peacock, Milan Cortina Olympics streaming consumption across NBCUniversal platforms exceeded 700 million minutes through Friday—most ever for a Winter Games and 2.5 times greater than the 2022 Beijing Olympics through the comparable time frame.

NBC’s Peacock streaming service has grown significantly since the 2022 Winter Games in Beijing, when it had approximately 13 million paid subscribers compared to approximately 41-42 million currently.

The Milan Olympics Opening Ceremony also delivered the highest search engagement rate ever for advertisers in an Olympics Opening Ceremony (summer or winter), up +63% vs. Beijing 2022 and up +26% vs. Paris 2024, the network said. The event also outpaced other premium TV properties - viewers were +97% more likely to search for brands who advertised in the Opening Ceremony than those in major league sports and +84% more likely to search vs. primetime TV, according to EDO, Linear, Primetime.

Official Nielsen Big Data + Panel viewership will be available on Tuesday.

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif.—NBC Sports has laid out the enormous scale of its coverage of Super Bowl LX (Seattle Seahawks vs. New England Patriots) on Sunday, February 8, with a host of stats showing that it will be deploying a NBC Sports’ team of more than 700 people along with 145 cameras, 130 microphones, 75 miles of cable, 22 mobile units, and a massive collection of additional tools and resources.

In all, NBCUniversal will present 90+ hours of Super Bowl-related coverage this week across multiple platforms including NBC, Telemundo, Peacock and Universo.

The game is part of what NBCUniversal is calling its “Legendary February” with its coverage of the Winter Olympics, the Super Bowl and the NBA All Star Weekend.

On Feb. 8, it will offer both Super Bowl LX and the Milan Cortina Olympic Winter Games converge across NBCUniversal platforms featuring pre-game show, the game, the awarding of the Lombardi Trophy in Santa Clara and multiple gold medal events in Milan and Livigno.

Following is NBC Sports’ coverage of Super Bowl LX “by the numbers”:

• 1st Super Bowl play-by-play assignment for Mike Tirico
• 2 SkyCams used by NBC Sports to cover the game (including “High Sky”)
• 2nd Seahawks-Patriots Super Bowl matchup presented by NBC Sports (Super Bowl XLIX)
• 3 Super Bowl games as a referee for NBC Sports rules analyst Terry McAulay
• 6th Super Bowl as game analyst for Cris Collinsworth (fifth featuring the New England Patriots)
• 9 Locations of NBC Sports’ hosts, analysts, and commentators around the Bay Area and Levi’s Stadium on Super Bowl Sunday
• 11 Combined Super Bowl victories among NBC Sports Super Bowl LX Pregame Show teammates Tony Dungy (XIII as a player with the Steelers, XLI as head coach of the Colts), Rodney Harrison (XXXVIII and XXXIX with the Patriots), Jason Garrett (XXVII, XXVIII, and XXX as a player with the Cowboys), Devin McCourty (XLIX, LI, and LIII with the Patriots), and guest analyst and former Los Angels Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald (LVI)
• 16.5 Hours of combined Super Bowl LX and Winter Olympics coverage on NBC and Peacock on Sunday, Feb. 8
• 21 Hosts, analysts, and commentators around the Bay Area and Levi’s Stadium for Super Bowl Sunday
• 22 Mobile units on-site at Levi’s Stadium
• 23 Years between assignments as Super Bowl sideline reporter for Melissa Stark
• 75 Miles of camera and microphone cable
• 130 Microphones
• 145 Cameras used for Super Bowl (81, including fixed cameras on pylons, etc.) and pre-game (64) coverage
• 700 + NBC Sports employees on site in the Bay Area
• 396,000 feet of camera and microphone cable
• $10+ million Record cost of a 30-second advertisement during Super Bowl LX

The Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics promises to be momentous both on screen and behind the scenes, in terms of new technologies and the consumer viewing experience. As Team USA heads to Milan with high hopes for its strongest performance in decades, NBC, Peacock and Comcast are readying a host of new technology and viewing experiences that they hope will strengthen, if not reverse, challenges to their business models that have been years in the making.

Addressing those challenges is particularly important for Comcast NBCUniversal, which spent some $7.75 billion for the U.S. rights to the Olympics between 2022 and 2032 and another $3 billion to extend those rights through 2036.

“The Olympics in Paris proved the Olympics are back and remain an unrivaled media property,” NBC Sports President Rick Cordella said at a press event, where he noted that NBCUniversal had already sold out its ad inventory for the Winter Games. “We expect Milan…to carry on that legacy…[by] mimicking and building on” NBC’s successful strategy for the Paris Olympics, he said.

Stemming the Decline
How well Comcast and NBCUniversal deliver on that promise will have a major impact on both its traditional and newer streaming and digital businesses.

For its part, NBC is hoping to kick-start the celebration of its 100th anniversary this year by reversing recent Winter Olympics viewing declines. Average total audience hit a record low in 2022 of 11.4 million for the Beijing Winter Olympics, down from the average audience of 19.8 million that viewed the Games in Pyeongchang, South Korea, in 2018 and only a quarter of the 45.6 million who watched the opening ceremony of the Salt Lake City Games in 2002.

The Games will also be crucial for Versant, owner of NBCU’s recently spun-off cable networks. Both USA Network, which will focus on Team USA with “Enhanced 4K” Dolby Vision and Atmos feeds, and CNBC will carry Olympics programming.

Similarly, Peacock, which will stream every event of the Games—around 3,000 hours of Olympics coverage—will look to solidify its stature as a major source of sports programming while the streamer’s owner, Comcast, will use the Games to lure back pay TV subscribers and fend off increased competition from 5G wireless carriers by highlighting the cross-platform capabilities of its video platform and its fast, low-latency broadband network.

“We know that the customers who still have a pay TV service are, by and large, huge sports fans,” Vito Forlenza, vice president of sports and entertainment at Comcast, said. “So, we are really focusing on sports to showcase the technology we have. When you can blend linear TV and streaming together into a seamless experience, you’re offering something that is really hard to replicate on a streaming box or a fixed wireless connection.”

Building on Paris
With NBC offering primetime coverage hosted by high-profile on-air talent, Peacock streaming all the events from 16 sports over 17 days, USA Network focusing on Team USA with 4K visuals and enhanced audio, and massive amounts of additional content available on CNBC, NBCSN and various digital offerings, one of the key issues facing the NBC Sports is finding ways to engage and not overwhelm viewers.

A major part of that consumer experience will be new production technologies. “Our mantra has been to make the best seat in the house even better,” Molly Solomon, executive producer and president, NBC Olympics Production, said. “This is going to be the most technologically advanced Olympics we’ve ever presented.”

That will include more extensive use of data analytics, live drones and mics on many athletes. “We will have mics on the U.S. men’s and women’s hockey players for the first time, and on freestyle, freestyle skiers and snowboarders,” Solomon said. “If you are a fan of snowboarding, you will hear Maddie Mastro give herself a pep talk at the top of the pipe.”

Less obvious will be improvements to the successful comprehensive cross-platform programming and tech strategy that was used during the Paris Olympics to provide viewers with many ways to interact and personalize their viewing experiences on TV, mobile and desktop.

“Customers have told us directly, ‘I love the Olympics, but there is so much of it I get overwhelmed,’” Forlenza explained. “There are customers who want to watch just about anything and some that want to watch specific events. All of them want us to make it as easy for me to get to an event I want to watch as quickly as possible…It doesn’t matter if you are streaming 3,000 hours on Peacock, if they can’t find the minute or two that they really want to watch right now.”

On a high level, that imperative is reflected in a cross-platform programming and tech strategy that worked so well in Paris. As with the Summer Games, all events will be streamed on Peacock and USA’s 4K feeds will focus on Team USA, while the high-profile primetime and late-night programming on NBC will dive into the day’s biggest stories and events.

Alternative Angles
Tying this wide array of programming together will be several new and returning digital tools that will help viewers find content, interact with stories of interest and personalize their experience.

One notable new experience will be “Rinkside Live on Peacock,” where users of the streaming service can access new camera angles for live coverage and behind-the-scenes shots of ice hockey and figure skating via a coach’s cam, a bench cam and other features, said Solomon.

Another notable digital tool is OLI, the AI-powered Olympic Guide that debuted in Paris and has been significantly upgraded for the Milan-Cortina Games. “This AI concierge will make following the games easier and more personalized than ever,” Jenny Storms, chief marketing officer, NBCUniversal Television and Streaming, said. “It’s like having a friendly Olympics expert on call across 19 NBCUniversal websites and apps.”

The clearest expression of this cross-platform strategy of melding programming and tech to greatly improve viewer engagement will be found on the Comcast Xfinity platform.

As part of that effort, Xfinity will bring back and improve popular interactive features from the Paris Games like AI-powered highlights, as well as newer tools like Fan View, which brings together stats, personalized playlists, live scores, athlete profiles, advanced DVR capabilities and betting odds, and Multiview, which lets viewers watch up to four different feeds at the same time.

“We are able to blur the lines between traditional TV and streaming to the point where it doesn’t matter if your favorite event is on broadcast or streaming on Peacock,” Forlenza said. “We’ll have a full and seamless integration of Peacock into our Olympic experience and wrap it all together with tons of interactivity.”

“The core of our business is coupling video, broadband and mobile,” he concluded. “We will be bringing all of that together to provide an unsurpassed experience that others can’t offer and fixed wireless can’t support.”

As it faces growing competition in its cable businesses, Comcast reported that paid subscribers for its streaming service Peacock increased 22% Year-over-Year to 44 Million as revenue grew 23% to $1.6 billion in Q4 and 10% to $5.4 Billion for the full year.

But the launch of NBA coverage increased costs, pushing adjusted earnings before interest depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) to a $552 million loss, up from $372 million Q4 2024.

The earnings for Q4 also highlighted ongoing competitive pressures in Comcast’s cable businesses as pay TV subs declined by 245,000 and broadband subs fell by 181,000. Wireless subs increased, however, by 364,000 in Q4.

The report was the last before Comcast’s cable networks were spun off into a separate company Versant in early January and as such provided some insight into the ad market those networks are facing.

Domestic ad revenue for its media sector increased by 1.5% to $2.68 billion in Q4, 2025 due to increased advertising at its streaming service Peacock while its networks saw declining revenue. The increase in advertising revenue included the positive impact from the launch of the NBA in Q4, the company reported.

Full results available here.

NEW YORK—NBCUniversal will present a full day of 4K HDR live coverage on Feb. 8 of the Super Bowl LX and the Milan Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games on NBC and Peacock.

The 17 hours of coverage starting at 7 a.m. ET marks the first time a Super Bowl and Olympic Games will be presented in 4K HDR on the NBC broadcast network and the Peacock streaming service.

The Feb. 8 begins with live Winter Olympics coverage starting at 7 a.m. ET on NBC and Peacock, followed by Super Bowl pregame coverage at noon ET, game coverage at 6:30 p.m. ET and finishes with Primetime in Milan beginning at approximately 10:45 p.m. ET – providing fans with 17 hours of 4K HDR coverage.

These technological firsts are part of what NBCUniversal is calling “Legendary February”, an unprecedented month of major sporting events on one network, with Super Bowl LX, the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics, and NBA All-Star Weekend.

“When you’re about to present the biggest month in U.S. sports media history, you want to make sure you’re giving fans the best experience possible – so that’s exactly what we have planned on NBC and Peacock for Super Bowl LX, the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics, and NBA All-Star Weekend,” said Rick Cordella, president, NBC Sports. “Building on NBC Sports’ long-standing commitment to innovation across all platforms, we’ll be celebrating the action on the field, slopes and court with our signature storytelling, state-of-the-art production, and dynamic streaming features that together bring these incredible sporting events to life for audiences at home.”

As part of Legendary February, Peacock will also debut fan-favorite feature Multiview in beta on mobile during the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics and offer new sharing options for Olympic-related clips and mini-games.

In an industry first, Peacock’s popular Multiview feature will extend to mobile, launching in beta for the Winter Games. The four-box vertical display will showcase the top four events at any given time, as well as an event-specific Multiview for curling, all curated by NBC Sports producers. This builds on Peacock’s expansive experience for Legendary February that was previously announced, including Winter Olympics Highlights playlists in vertical video, the new feature Rinkside Live, mini-games and trivia.

In addition, for the first time, Peacock users will be able to share their favorite Winter Olympics Highlight clips and trivia and Prediction Game results with friends and family directly from mobile via text and social networks. The ability to share their wins creates an opportunity to spark friendly competition and foster connections – all while they are watching the world’s greatest sporting event unfold.

“Peacock is the first streamer to deliver major live sports at this scale, seamlessly presenting many simultaneous events, with millions of people coming to the platform at once, over several days,” said Patrick Miceli, CTO of NBCUniversal Media Group and Global Streaming. “This impressive performance is possible because of Peacock’s industry-leading infrastructure that supports unmatched reliability, especially under peak demand.”

Tech Highlights For Legendary February

NBC Sports also announced that its Super Bowl LX, which will be produced by Rob Hyland and Drew Escoff, an award-winning team who have worked on more than 10 Super Bowls combined, will use more than 80 cameras and 150 microphones, In addition, NBC will use new technologies like Weather Applied Metrics, which quantifies how past, present and future weather conditions impact the game. Fans will also see a new graphics package.

For the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics, fans can expect richer storytelling through increased aerial coverage via the more-extensive use of live drones, behind-the-scenes audio from team radio stations – translated live in real-time using AI as needed, and more access to friends and family reactions, including heart rate monitors and corresponding onscreen graphics.

For the first time in over 20 years, NBC will produce NBA All-Star Weekend onsite in Los Angeles, with a focus on getting fans closer to the action than ever before. New camera angles include additional views of the rim, super-slo-mo capabilities on nearly every camera, SkyCam, and Nucleus Pico mini cameras mounted at floor level on the basket stanchion, along with the new Peacock feature Courtside Live.

STAMFORD, Conn.—Sunday’s Los Angeles Rams-Chicago Bears thriller delivered NBC Sports’ most-watched NFL Divisional Playoff audience on record, with an average of 45.4 million viewers across NBC, Peacock, NBC Sports Digital platforms and NFL Digital platforms, based on official Nielsen Big Data + Panel and digital data from Adobe Analytics.

Viewing peaked at 52.6 million in the game’s final minutes between 9:45 and 10 pm ET as the Rams defeated the Bears 20-17 in overtime.

Rams-Bears (45.4 million viewers) is NBC Sports’ most watched NFL Divisional Playoff on record, since Nielsen’s launched the People Meter in 1988 – covering a total of 34 games. NBC’s previous most-watched Divisional Playoff (41.1 million viewers) came in Jan. 1994 as Joe Montana threw three second-half TD passes to lead the Kansas City Chiefs to a 28-20 victory over fellow Hall of Fame QB Warren Moon and the Houston Oilers.

Led by Peacock, NBC Sports Digital delivered its largest NFL simulstream audience ever (excluding Super Bowls) with an Average Minute Audience of 5.3 million viewers across Peacock, NBCSports.com, the NBC Sports app, and NFL Digital properties.

Chicago led all markets with a massive 34.7/66 local rating while the game averaged 16.3/55 in Los Angeles – up 15% from the 14.2/57 for the Rams-Eagles NFC Divisional Playoff last season on NBC.

NEW YORK—NBCUniversal has announced some notable new streaming capabilities that will be coming to Peacock for its coverage of the 2026 Winter Olympics and NBA All-Star Weekend.

The new live streaming experiences, Rinkside Live and Courtside Live, are optimized for mobile and will be launched initially for coverage of ice hockey, figure skating and basketball. They allow fans to choose from multiple curated feeds of immersive, never-before-seen views, while still keeping track of the main action.

Additionally, Peacock will offer new Olympics-related games on its mobile app, including Prediction Games for figure skating and ice hockey; a daily Olympics Picks game spanning multiple events; and Olympics trivia, available from Jan. 24-Feb. 23.

“Given NBCU’s breadth of marquee sports this February, we’re offering Peacock users new, fun ways to engage and watch on their terms, with unprecedented access to moments they’ve never seen before and stand-out audio and picture quality,” said Jim Denney, chief product officer, Global Streaming and NBCUniversal Media Group. “From behind-the-scenes access as athletes prepare for competition to unique perspectives, Rinkside Live and Courtside Live put fans in control and take them deeper into the sports they love to celebrate, and the culture and stories that surround them.”

As the comprehensive U.S. streaming home of the Olympics, Peacock will present thousands of hours of NBC Sports’ coverage of the Winter Games from Feb. 6-22 through a dedicated Olympics hub tailored to both avid and casual fans and building on its mission to deliver innovative, immersive, fan-first experiences, the streamer reported.

New on Peacock for Milan Cortina 2026 is Rinkside Live, a first-of-its-kind offering that will amplify the streaming experience of two marquee sports, ice hockey and figure skating, to include new angles for some of the biggest moments of the Olympics. During select events, curated camera angles on Peacock on mobile will give fans the unique vantage point of live, behind-the-scenes footage of athletes’ Olympics moments. On TV and web, fans will be able to view these same curated angles in a Multiview experience, the streaming platform reported.

For select figure-skating events, camera options will include “Coaching Cam,” which will offer a view of each skater’s coaching area, and “Training Room,” captured by a fitness cam and revealing the intensity and emotion of elite athletes preparing for their Olympic moment.

Ice hockey fans can experience “Bench Cam” for select games, which will stay locked on each team’s bench throughout play to capture player reactions and heated rivalries, including real-time celebrations of goals.

Rinkside Live will also offer a “Highlights Hub” for ice hockey and figure skating, delivering vertical video playlists of Winter Olympics Highlights to fans tuning in on mobile, so they can catch up on key moments.

In addition to the newly announced features, the streaming platform reported that popular features from Peacock’s award-winning Paris Olympics experience will return for the Milan Cortina Games, including Gold Zone, Discovery Multiview, Live Actions, in-page sports hubs, interactive schedule, medal standings and expanded search.

Peacock’s Live in Browse feature and real-time Winter Olympics Highlights in vertical video, which both launched last year, will be available for live events during the Olympics. The new Olympics mini-games on the Peacock mobile app will include specific Prediction Games for figure skating and ice hockey; a daily Olympics Picks game spanning multiple events each day; and Olympics trivia, which will feature questions about athletes, sports and the history of the Olympics.

First announced last year, Courtside Live is a new NBA viewing experience available on TV and mobile that brings fans into the arena and connects them with the culture around the league. Courtside Live will debut during the 2026 NBA U.S. vs World All-Star Game on Feb. 15 at 5 p.m. (ET)/2 p.m. (PT), the game’s first U.S. vs. World format, and will be available for select NBA games throughout the rest of the season. On mobile, fans can navigate between a selection of curated feeds of alternate game angles. On TV and web, Courtside Live will show those same available angles in a multiview experience.

During the live games, fans can navigate between “Star Spotlight,” highlighting standout players on the court, and “Home Team” or “Away Team” views that will focus on each bench to catch player reactions.

“Hot Highlights” will curate moments from the game and beyond, showcasing key plays, as well as the culture of the league, from tunnel looks to interviews to celebrity fans in the stands.

For NBA All-Star Weekend Feb. 13-15, fans will be able to enjoy many of the features that launched for the NBA’s debut on Peacock, including Can’t Miss Highlights, Peacock ScoreCard, Live in Browse, and Catch Up with Key Plays.

Peacock features available during the Super Bowl on Feb. 8 will include Catch Up With Key Plays and Live Actions, so football fans can easily follow the action of the Big Game and discover other content across Peacock.

NEW YORK—With one month until the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics, NBCUniversal has announced that it has officially sold out of its Olympic inventory and that it set a new Winter Games ad-sales record with more advertisers investing in the upcoming Games (Feb. 6-22) than ever before.

Milan Cortina 2026 is part of what the company is calling its "Legendary February" programming that also includes the Super Bowl (Feb. 8) and the NBA All-Star Game.(Feb. 15). The trifecta has generated extraordinary demand from advertisers leading to sell out across all three tentpole moments, the company reported.

"With the resurgence of the Olympic movement, our strongest Sports Upfront in history, the early sellout of Super Bowl LX and the remarkable return of the NBA, NBCUniversal has solidified itself as a sports powerhouse and brands have taken notice,” said Mark Marshall, chairman, Global Advertising and Partnerships, NBCUniversal. “Our partners have not only seen the power of the NBC Sports portfolio, but also the incredible results our robust sports programming delivers, which is why our company now sits in its strongest position ever for a Winter Games and is kicking off 2026 officially sold out of all our Legendary February programming."

NBCU said that following the massive success of the 2024 Paris Olympics, brands were more eager than ever to commit to the Milan Cortina Games, with more than 100 new advertisers. As a result, the upcoming 2026 Winter Olympics produced the highest linear and digital revenue in Winter Games history.

Over 85% of brand partners are investing in Milan Cortina digitally and advertiser adoption of Peacock’s ad innovations has grown 31% from Paris 2024 to Milan Cortina. Additionally, nearly 60 advertisers have invested in unique marketing elements, up 174% from Beijing 2022. More than a dozen brands are investing in sponsorships to offer more live sports viewing to fans, NBCU said, up 75% from Paris 2024.

Peter Lazarus, executive vice president NBC Sports and Olympics, Advertising and Partnerships, added: “The upcoming Winter Games, surrounded by Super Bowl LX and NBA All-Star Weekend, will captivate a highly engaged and passionate audience at scale in a way that no other media company can for advertisers. For the first time in our company's history, we have seen such unprecedented demand that we are officially sold out of our inventory this far in advance of a Games. We are excited to once again deliver to fans a world-class viewing experience while providing brands with the powerful halo effect the Olympics has to offer.”

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STAMFORD, Conn.—NBCUniversal is bringing back OLI, its AI-powered Olympics discoverability tool with enhanced features designed to help fans navigate thousands of hours of its coverage of the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics (Feb. 6-22).

First introduced during the 2024 Paris Olympics, OLI is now powered by Google Cloud’s Gemini LLM. The guide is designed to combine the conversational power of generative AI with NBCU’s proprietary, real-time U.S. programming information to help fans discover when, where and how they can watch their favorite events. Coverage on NBC and Peacock, the primary platforms for the Games, begins with the opening ceremony on Feb. 6.

OLI will be available across 19 NBCU-owned digital properties, including NBCOlympics.com, NBCSports.com, NBC.com, Today.com, NBCNews.com, regional sports networks, and 11 local stations, with the upgraded experience launching on January 20.

The upgraded version will deliver a more natural and collaborative experience that gives fans deeper context and makes it easier than ever to connect with Olympic moments that matter most to them, NBCU said. The upgraded OLI tool was developed in partnership with design and technology company Huge.

A demo of how OLI will guide fans and simplify the viewer experience so viewers never miss a second of the action is available below:

“Our goal with OLI on NBCUniversal’s digital platforms is to help fans find up-to-the-minute answers to their Olympics questions, and to help them quickly get to the thousands of hours of coverage we have across NBC and Peacock,” said Jenny Storms, chief marketing officer, Entertainment and Sports, NBCUniversal. “With OLI’s new capabilities, we’re transforming it beyond a discovery tool into a true viewing guide. From real-time medal counts and athlete profiles to personalized highlights and calendar reminders, OLI ensures fans can easily connect with the Olympic moments that matter most.”

With personalized recommendations and tailored viewing options based on time of day, time zone and live schedule, OLI will have several new features including live medal count updates by country; athlete profiles with bios and event details; video highlights based on user preferences; calendar invites that can be added directly from OLI; and suggested follow-up queries to discover new sports, athletes and Olympic content. OLI also includes links to help users get right to watching on NBC or Peacock.

As NBC Sports presents “Legendary February,” a month of sports programming including the Milan-Cortina Games, the Super Bowl and the NBA All-Star Game, OLI will share programming details with fans about Super Bowl Sunday and NBA All-Star Weekend in addition to Olympics coverage.

NBCUniversal owns the U.S. media rights to the Olympic Games through 2036, which are scheduled for Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy (2026); Los Angeles (2028); the French Alps (2030); Brisbane, Australia (2032); Utah (2034); and the as-yet-unawarded 2036 Summer Games.

LAS VEGAS—Dolby Laboratories said NBCUniversal’s Peacock will be the first streaming platform to embrace its full suite of advanced picture and sound innovations.

Peacock began streaming “Sunday Night Football” in Dolby Atmos immersive audio last September and said it is extending the availability of Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos to live National Basketball Association and Major League Baseball games throughout 2026. Although the announcement didn't include the 2026 Winter Olympics (Feb. 6–22), Comcast and select broadcasters aired the 2024 Paris Summer Games in Dolby Atmos immersive audio and HDR.

Peacock is also the first streamer to announce its commitment to support Dolby Vision 2 and Dolby AC-4, anticipated to launch later this year, according to Dolby. Unveiled at IFA 2025, Dolby Vision 2 is what Dolby describes as a “groundbreaking evolution” of its industry-leading picture quality innovation for televisions.

“Building on the success of Dolby Vision, Dolby Vision 2 is designed to meet the evolving expectations of today’s viewers and unlock the most out of your television,” the company said in its announcement. “From helping solve the debate on whether the picture is ‘too dark’ to delivering a more cinematic experience without distracting judder or soap-opera effects, Dolby Vision 2 delivers a more authentic, captivating picture—without compromise.”

Dolby AC-4 is that company’s most advanced and efficient audio codec to date, delivering crystal-clear sound with up to 50% greater efficiency than traditional codecs, the company said. Dolby AC-4 offers new personalization and dialog enhancement features and unlocks the highest audio fidelity possible while using a fraction of the bandwidth of traditional codecs.

“Peacock is raising the bar for what streaming entertainment can be with Dolby,” said John Couling, senior vice president of entertainment at Dolby Laboratories. “This partnership reflects our vision to push the boundaries of live sports and entertainment, delivering experiences that truly stand apart. With Dolby, Peacock stands as the premier destination for viewers who expect nothing less than exceptional entertainment at home.”

Added David Bohunek, senior vice president of global video engineering at NBCUniversal: “We deliver the most compelling content with the highest quality experience and unparalleled reliability on Peacock. Our partnership with Dolby ensures that whether our subscribers are streaming a thrilling playoff game, the latest Universal blockbuster or a critically acclaimed Peacock Original, they're experiencing it exactly as creators intended—with breathtaking picture and immersive sound that brings every moment to life.”

In a notable example of how pay TV operators are integrating streaming services into their lineup and using those services to retain or attract subscribers, DirecTV is launching new channels called “Peacock Games” that feature different sports and games from NBCUniversal’s streaming service.

The first channel was launched Dec. 9 and is available to subscribers who get Peacock through DirecTV.

Coming on the heels of the recent addition of seven new ESPN+ live sports channels for its satellite customers, DirecTV said it is introducing as many as five extra “Peacock Games” channels for any sports fans who receive their Peacock service through DirecTV.

Available to both satellite and streaming homes, the first “Peacock Games” channels debuted on Dec. 9, featuring major college basketball action, with others set to launch in the future to support upcoming events.

The new channels will be found immediately after channel 619 in the guide and feature major Big Ten and Big East college basketball, top English Premier League action, and other significant live action, DirecTV said.

DirecTV also reported that the channels are being launched as NBC Sports is gearing up to produce an impressive lineup of events for Peacock and NBC, including the Milan Winter Olympics (Feb. 6-22), the Super Bowl (Feb. 8), and the 75th anniversary NBA All-Star Game (Feb. 15), among other events.

NEW YORK and CUPERTINO, Calif.—Apple and NBCUniversal said they will sell Apple TV and Peacock streaming bundles to U.S. subscribers starting Oct. 20.

U.S. customers can save more than 30% by subscribing to the Apple TV and Peacock Premium (ad-supported) bundle for $14.99 per month, or Apple TV and Peacock Premium Plus (mostly ad-free) for $19.99 per month, the companies said.

Apple One subscribers on the Family and Premier plans can also subscribe to Peacock Premium Plus and receive a special 35% discount—the first benefit of its kind for Apple’s all-in-one subscription bundle.

“There is no more perfect combination of entertainment than the Apple TV and Peacock Bundle, with our complementary content portfolios featuring the best shows, movies, sports and live events,” NBCUniversal Media Group Chairman Matt Strauss said. “With this first-of-its-kind initiative with Apple, we’re redefining what the customer journey should be for a streaming bundle with rich sampling and a smooth sign-up process, and we’re broadening the reach of Peacock to even more audiences.”

“We’re thrilled to introduce this all-inclusive bundle of incredible programming and to bring Apple TV’s beloved shows and movies to more viewers in more places,” said Oliver Schusser, Apple’s vice president of Apple TV, Apple Music, Sports and Beats. “From acclaimed originals to can’t-miss live sports, the Apple TV and Peacock Bundle unites the best of entertainment in a simple and seamless experience.”

To help promote the advantages of the bundle the two companies are letting Apple TV app users and Peacock subscribers sample an extensive and curated selection of the partner service’s shows in each respective app.

At launch, Peacock subscribers can enjoy up to three free episodes of Apple TV’s "Stick,” “Slow Horses,” “Silo,” “The Buccaneers,” “Foundation,” “Palm Royale” and “Prehistoric Planet,” while Apple TV app users will be able to watch up to three free episodes of Peacock shows “Law & Order,” “Bel-Air,” “Twisted Metal,” ‘Love Island Games,” “Happy’s Place,” “The Hunting Party” and “Real Housewives of Miami.”

With only two weeks until the 2025-2026 NBA season tips-off on NBC and Peacock— the first under the league’s new 11-year, $77 billion media rights contracts—NBCUniversal is reporting that it is exceeding its advertising expectations, with nearly 170 advertisers and nearly all inventory already sold out.

NBCU reported that over 20% of advertisers are new to NBCUniversal and that the NBA’s return to NBCUniversal sparked interest from first-time brands with nearly 10% new investments into the franchise at large.

A key driver has been crossplatform demand. More than 70% of its clients are investing in crossplatform deals, further demonstrating the importance of a multiplatform, omnichannel approach to reaching audiences at scale, the company reported. Additionally, over 30% of overall NBA investments have gone solely towards digital inventory.

However, NBCU also noted that investments in linear exceeded initial expectations by more than 20%.

In July 2025, NBCUniversal and the NBA announced an 11-year agreement to present NBA and WNBA regular-season and playoff basketball games across numerous platforms beginning with the 2025-26 season.

As part of the deal NBC Sports will present 100 NBA regular-season games and up to 40 playoff games; six conference finals over 11 seasons, including in 2026; and the NBA All-Star Weekend/Game every year.

In a statement, Peter Lazarus executive vice president, NBC Sports & Olympics, Advertising and Partnerships noted: “The demand for live sports over the last year has been unprecedented across our properties and the NBA is no exception. Launching a new property, there were certain expectations we had and the appetite from our partners far exceeded all of those. Advertisers were eager to invest across linear, streaming and digital, leading to our near sell-out. We are proud to welcome the NBA to our incredible roster of sports and bring both viewers and advertisers an unrivaled, world-class experience.”

The 2025-26 season begins on Tuesday, Oct. 21, with a doubleheader featuring reigning NBA MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder hosting Kevin Durant and the Houston Rockets, followed by Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors traveling to Los Angeles to take on LeBron James and the Lakers on NBC and Peacock.

Starting Oct. 27, “Peacock NBA Monday” will stream up to three NBA games nationwide on Monday nights throughout the regular season. A 30-minute studio program will lead into game coverage each Monday night.

More specifically, the company said it had officially sold out of all key positions for this season of the NBA with investments across all core categories including auto, finance, QSR, entertainment and retail. The key positions include:

• American Express will be the Official Halftime Sponsor for NBA on NBCUniversal.
• As part of its larger collaboration with NBCUniversal, DraftKings will serve as the Official Betting Partner of NBA on NBCUniversal.
• Kia will be the Official Presenting Sponsor of Tuesday’s NBA Coast to Coast.
• McDonald’s will sponsor “Basketball Night in America” and “NBA Showtime” on Sunday nights
• State Farm will be the sponsor of Tuesday’s “NBA Showtime” studio show.
• Wingstop will sponsor the Monday “NBA Showtime’ studio show.
• Xfinity will be the Official Presenting Sponsor for Peacock NBA Monday.

PHILADELPHIA—NBC Sports will present tonight’s NFL Kickoff Game between the ’25 Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles and Dallas Cowboys on Peacock in Dolby Atmos immersive audio.

The broadcaster also plans to stream weekly regular-season “Sunday Night Football” games in Dolby Atmos, a first for any NFL streamer.

“Peacock is the leader in live streaming because we’ve been focused since day one on providing our customers with an innovative, high-quality viewing experience that pushes the industry forward,” said Patrick Miceli, chief technology officer for Global Streaming & NBCUniversal Media Group.

“Peacock being the first streamer to support Dolby Atmos for NFL games adds to a list of sports streaming accomplishments that we’re very proud of, including our award-winning Olympics hub, record-setting NFL exclusives, all that we have coming for the NBA, and much more.”

The news follows Gray Media’s Super Bowl broadcast from eight of its NextGen TV Fox affiliates in February, which offered enhanced coverage of the championship game. The stations launched some combination of Dolby Vision high dynamic range (HDR), HDR 10+ and Dolby Atmos prior to the game, including WVUE in New Orleans, the game’s host city.

More information is available on the Dolby website.

NEW YORK AND CULVER CITY—Comcast NBCUniversal and Amazon have announced new and extended distribution agreements that will expand the content available on their various distribution platforms, including Prime Video, Fire TV, Xfinity X1 and Xumo.

As a result of the deals, customers will be able to subscribe and access Peacock Premium Plus, the streaming service’s ad-free experience, as a subscription via Prime Video for $16.99 per month and $169.99 per year.

The companies also renewed several existing distribution deals that will enable customers to continue to access Peacock on Fire TV; buy and rent films from Universal Pictures Home Entertainment on Prime Video; and watch Prime Video on Xfinity X1 devices.

The deals highlight the growing complexity of the streaming landscape with companies like Comcast and Amazon providing both streaming services and distribution platforms.

“This multi-faceted set of agreements is a testament to our close collaboration with Amazon, delivering significant value across our businesses and expanding exposure of our world-class content,” said Mike Cavanagh, president of Comcast Corporation. “Millions of Amazon customers can continue to enjoy NBCUniversal’s popular shows, films, and live events on Peacock via Fire TV or through Prime Video Subscriptions, or buying or renting on Prime Video, while also accessing Amazon’s premier entertainment on Xfinity X1 — ensuring they can watch what they love, wherever and however they choose.”

“At Amazon, we are always working to make customers’ lives better every day and these new agreements with Comcast NBCU are fantastic for millions of customers, who are looking for the fastest and easiest way to find all their entertainment and sports in one place,” said Mike Hopkins, head of prime video and Amazon MGM Studios. “Adding Peacock to our growing list of subscriptions – while renewing our long-standing agreements for Fire TV, Universal Pictures Home Entertainment, and Xfinity X1 – deepens an incredible working relationship with Comcast/NBCU, and we look forward to a future of mutual distribution that benefits our shared customers.”

More specifically, beginning on August 28, Amazon customers will be able to sign up for Peacock Premium Plus ad free tier as a subscription for $16.99 per month or $169.99 per year. Premium Plus is Peacock’s ad-free experience, which also offers customers the ability to download certain content for offline viewing and access to live, local NBC channels.

Peacock joins Prime Video’s extensive collection of more than 100 subscription options in the U.S., which are available for customers alongside Amazon MGM Original films and series; the world’s leading selection of movies and series to buy or rent; live sports including Thursday Night Football, NBA, WNBA, NASCAR, and NWSL, as well as hundreds of FAST channels.

In addition, a new multi-year renewal agreement ensures that the Peacock app remains available to Fire TV customers in the U.S. and films from Universal Pictures Home Entertainment will continue to be available to buy and rent on Prime Video’s TVOD store.

The agreements also provide distribution for Prime Video on Comcast’s Xfinity X1 and Xumo, Comcast's streaming joint venture with Charter.

Xfinity TV customers will continue to receive seamless access to Prime Video’s extensive library of premium shows, movies, live sports, subscriptions and FAST channels, directly through Comcast’s Xfinity X1 platform and the Xumo streambox as part of a multi-year renewal.

Customers will also be able to continue to search for Prime Video content using Comcast’s Xfinity Voice Remote.

Finally, Comcast’s Sky will provide access to Prime Video on Sky devices across its footprint in Europe. Sky Sports fans in Germany also can now access Sky Deutschland’s premium live sports offering, WOW Live Sports, directly through the Prime Video app as a subscription.

CINCINNATI—The E.W. Scripps Company has announced that six of its channels are now streaming as part of Peacock’s 24/7 channel offering and are available to subscribers of NBCU’s Peacock streaming service.

The six channels are ION, ION Mystery, Bounce, Court TV, Court TV Legendary Trials and Scripps News.

Peacock’s always-on streaming channels are designed to be a robust collection of fan-favorite content across a variety of categories, including Sports (NFL, Premier League), News (NBC News, Sky News, TODAY), Entertainment (WWE and Saturday Night Live); and dozens more channels for every fan, from reality, true crime, Spanish-language, comedy and more.

Scripps described the six channels as follows:

• ION is a leading general entertainment network featuring an expansive programming lineup that includes women’s sports, popular off-network series and more.
• ION Mystery is home to some of television’s most binge-worthy dramas, docuseries and originals.
• Court TV is devoted to live gavel-to-gavel coverage, in-depth legal reporting, and expert analysis of the nation's most important and compelling trials.
• Court TV Legendary Trials features Court TV’s archived footage from some of the nation’s most gripping trials through the years.
• Bounce features a programming mix of original series and movies, theatrical motion pictures, off network series, specials and events designed for African American audiences.
• Scripps News delivers compelling, context-driven news, fact-based reporting and a deeper look at the “why” of each story with objective, impactful storytelling.

STAMFORD, Conn., and LIBERTY CORNER, N.J.—NBCUniversal has extended its media rights agreement with the United States Golf Association (USGA) through 2032. Its current deal expires in 2026.

The deal includes media rights for the men’s U.S. Open and other USGA tournaments for NBC and Peacock, as well as on networks owned by Versant, which will be spun off from Comcast this year.

Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. Puck’s John Ourand has reported that NBC will be paying around $93 million a year.

“The USGA has been an important partner of ours for most of the last 30 years and we’re extraordinarily proud of our relationship with their leadership team,” NBC Sports President Rick Cordella said. “We have built something incredibly special with the U.S. Open on NBC. We look forward to further advancing and enhancing our coverage of the U.S. Open, U.S. Women’s Open, and U.S. Senior Open across NBC and Peacock through 2032.”

As a result of the deal, NBC will be the exclusive broadcast home of the U.S. Open, U.S. Women’s Open and U.S. Senior Open. The deal also includes provisions that the U.S. Open will continue to have the most broadcast hours of any major championship, at least 25 hours of coverage.

In addition, NBCU’s streaming service Peacock will simulstream all USGA programming airing on NBC and will provide exclusive streaming coverage of the U.S. Open and U.S. Women’s Open.

The agreement also includes post-spinoff provisions for Versant’s Golf Channel and USA Network to have media rights through 2032.

More specifically, USA Network will provide coverage of the U.S. Open and U.S. Women’s Open, while Golf Channel will carry coverage of the U.S. Senior Open, U.S. Senior Women’s Open, U.S. Amateur, U.S. Women’s Amateur, U.S. Junior Amateur, U.S. Girls’ Junior, U.S. Adaptive Open, Walker Cup and Curtis Cup.

The new elements of the agreement will begin in 2027 following the conclusion of the current pact in 2026.

“We’re proud to partner with the USGA and present coverage of 11 USGA championships across USA Network and Golf Channel,” said Matt Hong, president of sports, at Versant. “The USGA championships represent some of the most prestigious events in all of golf. USA Network’s reach and Golf Channel’s reputation as the television home of the sport are ideal platforms to bring the USGA championships to golf fans across the country.”

NBCU described the coverage highlights as follows:

• 48 hours of U.S. Open coverage, including 25 hours on NBC (33 when on the West Coast); an increase of four hours of NBC coverage on Thursday/Friday (for a total of five hours per day, including two in primetime, one each day); combining to deliver more broadcast network coverage than any other major championship;
• 27 hours of U.S. Women’s Open coverage, including seven weekend hours on NBC;
• 18 hours of U.S. Senior Open coverage, including six weekend hours on NBC;
• 15 hours of coverage for both the U.S. Amateur and U.S. Women’s Amateur and continuing coverage of the U.S. Junior Amateur, U.S. Girls’ Junior, U.S. Adaptive Open and U.S. Senior Women’s Open;
• 12 hours of coverage for the Walker Cup (played over two days) and 16 hours of Curtis Cup coverage (contested over three days) when played in the U.S.
• Golf Channel critically-acclaimed Live From studio show will deliver comprehensive pre-championship and post-round coverage on-site at the U.S. Open and U.S. Women’s Open each year and will continue to deliver its coast-to-coast “election-night” style coverage surrounding U.S. Open Final Qualifying known as “Golf’s Longest Day.”

NEW YORK—Despite widespread concerns about a soft advertising market, NBCUniversal said it closed its 2025-26 upfront negotiation cycle with a record ad sales volume.

The media giant said that sports and live events, the addition of the NBA, growth in Peacock, and advancements in technology were key factors in the record sales commitments overall.

It also reported that it delivered its largest digital upfront in history.

NBCU did not report specific numbers, aside from saying it brought in nearly $1 billion in programmatic investments alone for the 2025-25 upfront cycle.

More specifically, NBCU reported that three major tentpole events—the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics, the Super Bowl and Telemundo’s Spanish-language telecasts of the FIFA World Cup—drove additional record sales to the business for its 2025-26 upfront, outpacing all three of the property’s combined previous benchmarks.

“This year, we went to the market earlier than ever to strategically align our powerful content slate with our clients’ goals,” said Mark Marshall, chairman, Global Advertising and Partnerships, NBCUniversal. “The response has been extraordinary, and we are incredibly grateful for our partners’ trust and collaboration. In a year set to redefine industry benchmarks, ad-supported reach remains the most influential force in media —and no one delivers it like NBCU. With a cross-platform strategy supercharged by cutting-edge technology, we’re proud to engage 286 million people monthly—setting a new standard and delivering the most successful Upfront in our company’s history.”

The company also reported that with the addition of the NBA, NBCU delivered its strongest sports upfront in history, adding 20% new clients over last year and securing a 45% year-over-year increase in volume beyond the big three tentpoles. NBC, Peacock, Telemundo, Golf Channel and USA Network all benefited from the demand for sports, driving new clients and sports commitments for the properties.

In addition, with a renewed focus on live events in 2026, as well as the Spanish-language presentation of the FIFA World Cup, Telemundo has experienced its best upfront to date, already exceeding the revenue for the previous World Cup with over 10 months until kickoff.

On the digital front, NBCU reported that Peacock delivered its highest Upfront to date. The streamer has seen consistent year-over-year growth, driving over 20% YoY increase and now representing nearly one-third of NBCUniversal’s total upfront commitments, NBCU reported.

In addition, client demand for Peacock’s ad performance has propelled NBCUniversal’s strength in its overall digital footprint, leading to the company’s largest digital Upfront in history.

According to NBCU, other highlights included:

• The company reported a resurgence in broadcast across news, sports and entertainment, nearly 15% year-over-year driven in part by new opportunities with the NBA. Over 25% of NBCUniversal’s NBA advertisers will be new to broadcast this year.
• Bravo has continued to see steady growth over the past five years, representing nearly 20% of the company's entire entertainment demand across broadcast and cable.
• The portfolio of networks that represent Versant, Comcast's planned spinoff of cable news, sports and entertainment brands and digital businesses, saw nearly a 10% increase in client investment.
• The company generated 30% net-new small-medium business (SMB) clients this upfront cycle, signaling a shift in how this sector is prioritizing inventory in the upfront timeframe.
• Advertisers with NBCUniversal are increasingly moving beyond standard age and gender demos, with nearly 60% of investments now transacted on advanced audiences.
• NBCUniversal’s robust programmatic business—which has included sports and live events since 2023—continues to see strong demand, bringing in nearly $1B in programmatic investments alone for the 2025-26 upfront cycle.
• The company saw record revenue growth across key categories this upfront, including retail, restaurants, auto, travel and financial services—which all grew by about 12%. The marketplace strength in studios has fueled demand in the company’s studio-adjacent properties, including Fandango.
• In the 2025-26 Upfront negotiations, NBCUniversal sold the company's entire portfolio across linear and streaming under its One Platform banner. The company will continue to represent domestic Versant advertising inventory, including CNBC, E!, Golf Channel, MSNBC, Oxygen, Syfy, USA, and digital platforms, for the next upfront cycle.

The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) said this year’s Eurovision Song Contest broke records, both in terms of share and engagement in individual countries.

The 69th contest, staged in Basel, Switzerland, reached 166 million people across 37 public-service media markets, the EBU said, 3 million more viewers than in 2024.

The viewing share of the 2025 Grand Final was 47.7%, the highest since 2004, and more than double the average for the same group of broadcast channels (19.9%).

Among 15-to-24-year-olds, the Grand Final achieved a viewing share of 60.4%—the highest on record, the EBU reported.

The May 17 final delivered viewing shares above 50% in 19 of the 37 markets where the event was broadcast, led by Iceland (97.8%), Finland (90.5%), Sweden (89.6%), Norway (85.4%) and Denmark (75.1%).

In host country Switzerland, an average audience of 1.1 million viewers watched the Grand Final—a 57% year-on-year increase.

(Also Read: What the Hell Just Happened: TVBEurope Visits Eurovision)

In the week following the broadcast, the Grand Final attracted 12.1 million views on the Official Eurovision Song Contest YouTube channel, up 8% on 2025. Peak concurrent viewership on the night reached 1.58 million, up from 1.51 million in 2024.

“This year’s Eurovision Song Contest has once again demonstrated its extraordinary power to unite millions across continents through the joy of music and shared celebration,” Martin Green, director of the Eurovision Song Contest, said. “In a fragmented media landscape, the ESC stands out as a unique global moment—bringing viewers back to live television while simultaneously thriving across digital platforms and reaching new generations in new ways.”

In the U.S., the event was streamed live and on-demand exclusively via Peacock. Viewer numbers have not yet been released.

This article originally appeared on TV Tech's sister brand TVBEurope.

NEW YORK—NBCUniversal at its upfront presentation laid outplans for new product features coming to Peacock for its NBA coverage, promising “an unprecedented level of integration between the platform and NBC Sports’ production,” the company rsaid.

NBCU, Amazon and The Walt Disney Co. split the NBA rights in a deal an 11-year deal valued at $2.45 billion per year. The new deal, which left longtime rightsholder Warner Bros. Discovery out in the cold, begins with the 2025-26 season.

“Peacock will be the most fun and engaging place to stream NBA games for longtime basketball fans and new ones, too,” NBC Sports President Rick Cordella said during the upfront at Radio City Music Hall. “We’re bringing the same level of innovation, inspiration and commitment that we’ve brought to so many other huge sports moments and leagues to deliver an intuitive, interactive and reliable streaming experience that the full range of NBA fans will enjoy.”

The company said that the new viewing features build on its streaming coverage of the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics, which reached nearly 100 million active users.

NBCU described the new features for next NBA season as follows:

• Instant Game Access. Peacock will make it easier than ever to stream NBA games, with the convenient Live in Browse feature allowing fans to jump straight into the action as soon as they open the Peacock app. Real-time insights and stats on the home page will give fans instant context about the matchup to quickly catch up before they start watching the game.
• Catch-Up. Fans tuning in late can use the Catch Up with Key Plays feature during a live game from any device. For mobile users who are watching on the go, the dedicated Can’t Miss Highlights playlist will have the latest game highlights and notable pre- and post- moments from across the league — and with one quick tap, fans can get to the live game on Peacock.
• Peacock ScoreCard. It is a first-of-its-kind, real-time streaming experience that is like "bingo meets fantasy sports” and will be available on TV and mobile. Fans will have the option to scroll to choose a game card based on a team or theme, and then earn points depending on what happens during the game. Personalized Peacock ScoreCard alerts will let fans know how they are doing throughout the matchup and how they stack up against other players. Top-ranked fans might even see their username on-air as part of a season leaderboard.
• Peacock Performance View. This is a new viewing mode that fans can choose to easily toggle on or off, unlocking real-time stats that break down the game, from which player is on a shooting streak to where they are most likely to score from next. The on-screen data overlay helps fans understand what might happen, before it does.
• Courtside Live. For Monday’s Peacock Exclusive Games, fans can get a coveted courtside seat to witness the energy and atmosphere from the arena through the Courtside Live feature starting during the second half of the season. Celebrating the culture of the NBA, this specially curated viewing experience will spotlight the moments fans care about and allow them to take control of how they watch — from the player arrivals and their latest fits to pregame shoot arounds, player spotlights and even courtside reactions from celebrity row. All these insider angles immerse fans even more deeply into the game, whether they are on-the-go and watching on mobile or via a special Multiview on the TV at home.

STAMFORD, Conn. and NEW YORK, N.Y.—Charter’s Spectrum and NBCUniversal has announced that NBCU’s Peacock streaming service is now available to all Spectrum TV Select video customers at no extra cost.

The addition is part of the companies’ new multi-year distribution agreement and Spectrum’s strategy of adding more streaming services to its video packages.

“The integration of Peacock advances our goal of offering customers high-value video products that include the best of linear and streaming television,” said Tom Montemagno, executive vice president, programming acquisition for Spectrum. “Peacock’s inclusion means customers in our most popular packages now enjoy free access to the industry’s major streaming services with their Spectrum TV plan, providing up to approximately $80 per month of retail value at no extra cost. We appreciate NBCUniversal’s willingness to help build a healthier video ecosystem for viewers.”

Spectrum TV Select customers will receive ad-supported Peacock Premium, which retails for $7.99 per month, included with their video package and featuring live sports, news and entertainment programming from brands such as NBC, Bravo, Universal Pictures and DreamWorks Animation.

As part of the launch, Spectrum TV Select customers can use the Xumo Stream Box or any other Peacock-supported device to immediately begin watching one of the streaming service, which provides audiences access to breakout original series, more than 80,000 hours of live sports and entertainment programming, hit movies and next-day access to all new shows from NBC and Bravo, library content and daily live news.

“Spectrum has long been an important distributor of NBCUniversal’s leading broadcast and cable networks, and we are proud to build on that partnership by making Peacock Premium available to Spectrum TV Select customers,” said Matt Schnaars, president, Platform Distribution and Partnerships, NBCUniversal. “Peacock’s valuable content offering will further strengthen Spectrum’s video products and continue Peacock’s impressive growth.”

Spectrum’s addition of Peacock to its video packages is part of a wide effort to negotiate major programming distribution agreements that include applicable streaming services within Spectrum TV Select packages. As a result of that, Spectrum’s TV Select customers now have access to seamless entertainment with ad-supported Peacock, Max, Disney+, ESPN+, Paramount+, ViX and Tennis Channel, with more on the way this year, the operator said.

A new study suggests that the 50th season of “Saturday Night Live” is proving to be a major financial success for NBCUniversal’s Peacock, generating an estimated $50 million in subscriber revenue in 2024 for the streaming service.

The data, which comes from Parrot Analytics’ Streaming Economics model, underscores the enduring power of live event programming in the streaming era and highlights the crucial role of “SNL” in attracting and retaining Peacock subscribers, the researchers reported.

The Streaming Economics data also indicated that Q4 2024 marked a streaming milestone: “SNL” generated $18.4 million in subscriber revenue for Peacock—matching the peak revenue the show earned across Hulu and Peacock when it was available on both (Q2 2022).

Parrot Analytics also noted that by the end of 2024, the cumulative revenue SNL had generated for Peacock since first-quarter 2020 surpassed its total revenue for Hulu over the same period. Its Streaming Economics model calculates that SNL delivered $50M in Peacock subscriber revenue for all of 2024.

“While that’s below the peak 12-month value earned across both Hulu and Peacock ($67M from Q3 2021-Q2 2022), the latest season is clearly delivering this current value, given the show’s topical nature,” the researchers reported. “Of course, this doesn’t account for ad revenue and other monetization channels, but it shows that Peacock’s subscriber revenue alone covers roughly half the reported cost of producing a season—a compelling indicator of the show's streaming strength.”

STAMFORD, Conn.—NBC Sports said 2024 was its best year in terms of ratings since 2016. Its success was fueled by the Paris Summer Olympics as well as its NFL coverage, both on Peacock and broadcast.

Collectively, these events, among others, gave NBC Sports its most-watched year since 2016, with more than 400 billion minutes (or more than 7 billion hours) consumed across NBCUniversal platforms.

NBC Sports delivered 32 shows in 2024 which topped 20 million viewers in Total Audience Delivery (TAD) across multiple platforms. Over the more than 7,000 hours of coverage it provided for its marquee event, the Summer Games in Paris, NBCU registered a TAD of 30.4 million viewers across the combined live Paris Prime (2-5 p.m. ET) and U.S. primetime (8-11 p.m. ET/PT) periods—up 80% from the Tokyo Summer Olympics (16.9 million), according to official data from Nielsen and Adobe Analytics.

The NBC broadcast network extended its streak to 152 consecutive Summer Olympics nights as primetime’s No. 1 show. Led by Peacock, 23.5 billion minutes of Paris Olympics coverage were streamed—up 40% from all prior Summer and Winter Olympics combined (16.8 billion minutes across NBCUniversal digital platforms).

NBC also used its NFL coverage to boost its broadcast ratings and also to juice its Peacock streaming subscriber base. Although it drew negative reactions at the time, Peacock’s exclusive AFC wild-card game on Jan. 14 became the most-streamed live event in U.S. history at the time, with 32.1 million total viewers tuning in to watch the Kansas City Chiefs defeat the Miami Dolphins, according to Nielsen. That record was surpassed later in the year by the 74 million who livestreamed the Nov. 15 Mike Tyson-Jake Paul fight on Netflix.

The network’s “Sunday Night Football” finished the 2023-2024 TV season as primetime’s No. 1 TV show in all key metrics for the 13th consecutive year.

Other sports standouts included the 16.7 million viewers who tuned into the Kentucky Derby on May 4, the largest audience for the Triple Crown horse race since 1989. In soccer, NBC Sports’ presentation of the English Premier League’s first match week of the 2024-25 season was the most-watched opening weekend on record in the United States, NBC Sports said. It averaged 820,000 viewers across six matches live on NBC/Peacock, USA Network, and NBC Sports Digital platforms from Friday, Aug. 16-Sunday, Aug. 18.

DALLAS—Amazon’s Prime Video remains atop Parks Associates’ annual list of the 10 most-popular U.S. streaming services for the third straight year. Parks bases the chart positions on estimated numbers of subscribers through September 2024 from the firm’s Streaming Video Tracker.

The two streaming leaders maintained their market position from 2003, with Prime Video in the top position above Netflix. Parks Associates said 88% of all households have a streaming service and 42% now use ad-based services, “creating incredible competition for subscription streaming services.”

This year’s top 10 list shows Disney+ taking the third position and pushing Hulu to No. 4. Peacock cracked the top five for the first time, jumping ahead of Max and Paramount+. YouTube Premium held onto its 10th position.

“Tracking the changes at the top of the market over the past five years reveals the extent of rebranding and consolidation shaping this market,” Parks Associates VP, Research Jennifer Kent said. “Showtime, which was in the top 10 back in 2020 and 2021, no longer exists as a standalone SVOD service and is now a premium add-on tier for Paramount+. We expect to see more premium content used to differentiate subscription tiers or create content bundles, giving consumers choice in how to build their packages.”

The chart positions don’t necessarily jibe with budgets, though, with Peacock parent Comcast NBCUniversal spending an estimated $22 billion, followed by Prime Video at $21.5 billion, Netflix at $19.5 billion and Disney at $18.5 billion, according to Filmtake.

PHILADELPHIA—As Comcast reported better-than-expected third-quarter financial results, executives told analysts the company is considering spinning off its cable networks, a move that could produce a significant shift in its corporate strategies and in the U.S. media landscape.

“Like many of our peers in media, we are experiencing the effects of the transition in our video businesses and have been studying the best path forward for these assets,“ Comcast President Mike Cavanagh said of the cable networks, part of its NBCUniversal unit, on the company’s third-quarter earnings call. “To that end, we are now exploring whether creating a new, well-capitalized company owned by our shareholders and comprised of our strong portfolio of cable networks would position them to take advantage of opportunities in the changing media landscape and create value for our shareholders. We are not ready to talk about any specifics yet, but we’ll be back to you if and when we reach firm conclusions.

“I’m not talking about Peacock or broadcast,” Cavanagh added, though he did say Comcast would be willing to “consider partnerships in streaming despite their complexities.”

Some analysts, though, have already thrown cold water on the idea and have highlighted a wide range of problems such a deal would pose.

Cavanagh didn't address those specifics and stressed that it is early in a process that, he conceded, would raise a lot of complex issues. Executives were going public with the idea so Comcast shareholders would have a better understanding of what they were exploring, he said.

“There are a lot of questions to which we don't have answers so we want to do the work, and we want to do the work with transparency around it so that as rumors fly and the like, we expect that,” he said. “But we want our shareholders to understand what we’re willing to look at. And that's in the context of a broader, ‘We look at a lot of things.’ And I do think in a moment of a lot of transition in the industries we're part of, I think we've got a very strong hand given the strength of the businesses.”

In response to the possibility of the spinoff, LightShed Partners analysts Richard Greenfield, Brandon Ross and Mark Kelley were generally negative about the prospects of a cable spinoff or any deal involving Peacock.

“Given the acceleration in cord-cutting and the secular decline of linear TV advertising, particularly basic-cable networks, it’s no surprise that Comcast/NBCU would be interested in spinning off its cable networks,” they wrote. “Unfortunately, spinning off NBCU’s cable networks is challenging at this stage of their life cycle and merging Peacock with a streaming-industry peer is beyond complicated. In turn, we wonder whether this is really much ado about nothing or if it could actually lead to a far broader strategic conversation where Comcast revisits spinning off/merging all of NBCU ex-Theme Parks.

“We suspect this is much ado about nothing and is simply a sign of just how structurally challenged linear cable networks and subscale, U.S.-only streaming platforms are in 2024 and beyond,” the analysts concluded. “When you see a dismal future, with no path to growth, you sound the alarm and explore strategic alternatives.”

Cable Carriage Deals a Concern
One major problem with a spinoff was the value of those networks in ongoing negotiations with multichannel video programming distributors (MVPDs) as a separate company without NBC, which Cavanaugh said would not be included in the spinoff.

“While Comcast Cable could certainly sign a long-term distribution deal with NBCU’s cable networks, why would any other distributor want to renew its carriage agreements or at least renew at levels anywhere near current agreements?” they asked. “It is one thing to package USA, Syfy, Bravo, MSNBC and CNBC cable-network distribution with NBC broadcast, which controls ‘Sunday Night Football,’ college football, Olympics and soon NBA. But without NBC, those cable networks would be in an incredibly precarious position.”

“Remember what happened to Diamond Sports after it lost the protection of the Fox Broadcast Network?” the analysts added, referencing the troubled former Sinclair subsidiary that acquired the Fox Sports regional sports network business spun out during Disney’s acquisition of 21st Century Fox. “Diamond’s $2 billion of EBITDA evaporated within three years and entered bankruptcy because it lost distribution. And remember, there is a lot of NBCU cable network content on Peacock, so for consumers that love that content, there are still ways to access that content, even if not carried by an MVPD/vMVPD.”

Likewise, they noted that some sort of partnership with Peacock is an appealing idea given the streaming platform has already lost $9 billion and is still losing $400 million a quarter. But a “Peacock merger with another streaming service sounds even more complicated and hard to effectuate,” they said.

Issues that would complicate such a deal include control over the partnership; the difficulties of untangling the close ties between Peacock and NBC in terms of programming and sports rights; the regulatory environment; and existing sports-rights deals that could be voided by a merger.

NEW YORK—NBCUniversal has launched a new content collection ExcellencE! on Peacock that will provide its streaming subscribers with a new destination for the content targeting cross-cultural audiences. 

NBCU partnered with the mission-driven media company, Group Black to create the offering. 

The launch means that Peacock subscribers can visit the ExcellencE! destination to view thousands of hours of diverse-led, inclusive programming such as "Bel-Air," "Martin," and "The Real Housewives of Atlanta." 

NBCU plans to add additional original content in 2025.

This launch is part of NBCUniversal and Group Black's expanded partnership, which originated from Peacock's Black Excellence 365 program in 2023. Over 30 brands joined to support Black-led and diverse content all year-round.   

"NBCUniversal's deep library of inclusive programming is the perfect launching pad for the new ExcellencE! collection on Peacock,” explained Val Boreland, executive vice president, content acquisitions, NBCUniversal Entertainment. “Together with Group Black, we are bringing thousands of hours of diverse-led content to a curated destination, enabling our audiences to better explore cultural conversations through storytelling."

"ExcellencE! on Peacock will champion authentic voices and stories that reflect audiences' experiences everywhere," said Cavel Khan, chief growth officer of Group Black. "This collection embodies what excellence stands for – a platform where multicultural perspectives can thrive."

For more information about ExcellencE! and its available content, visit https://www.peacocktv.com/watch/excellence.  

NEW YORK and STAMFORD, Conn.—Charter Communications will begin offering the ad-supported version of NBCUniversal’s Peacock streaming service free to its Spectrum TV Select video customers as part of a multiyear renewal of its carriage agreement with the programmer. 

Through its programming deals reached over the past year, Charter said it will soon provide Spectrum TV Select video customers up to $65 per month of direct-to-consumer streaming value, including Peacock, Disney+, ESPN+, Paramount+, AMC+, BET+, ViX, Max and Discovery+. Charter also will allow video customers to upgrade to Peacock Premium+, which is ad-free, and will make both Peacock products available for purchase to its millions of broadband-only customers in 2025. At $95 per month, Spectrum TV Select is the top-tier subscription package for Charter customers. 

“This extension of our strategic relationship with Charter ensures Spectrum video customers will continue to have access to the leading media portfolio, whether they choose to watch on traditional TV or stream it on Peacock,” NBCUniversal Chairman, Content Distribution Matt Bond said. “We also achieved our primary goal, which was to strike a deal that recognizes the value of our linear programming and the investments we’ve made in developing premium content, expanding the distribution of Peacock to more consumers. We are pleased to partner with Charter to reach these objectives to the benefit of our viewers.”

In addition to the inclusion of Peacock Premium for Spectrum video customers at no extra charge, the distribution agreement ensures Charter’s continued carriage of NBCUniversal’s NBC- and Telemundo-owned stations, Bravo, CNBC, CNBC World, E!, MSNBC, Universo, Oxygen, Syfy, Telemundo Network, Universal Kids, USA Network, Golf Channel, NBC Sports Regional Networks and New England Cable News. The following channels will be included in the Spectrum TV Stream service: Bravo, CNBC, CNBC World, E!, MSNBC, Oxygen, Syfy and Universal Kids.

“With the renewal of our longstanding partnership with NBCUniversal, we now have completed deals with every major programmer to create better flexibility and greater value to our customers by including DTC streaming apps with their Spectrum TV service at no extra cost,” said Tom Montemagno, executive vice president, programming acquisition for Charter, which operates the Spectrum brand. “As we look ahead to 2025, we plan to extend this customer-first philosophy and deliver even greater value and choice to better align with customers’ current viewing preferences, including through hybrid linear DTC relationships, DTC streaming to Internet-only subscribers, and smaller video packages with DTC add-ons. We appreciate NBCUniversal’s willingness to join forces with us for the benefit of our video and broadband customers.”

Financial terms were not disclosed; Charter expects to begin offering Peacock to its customers in the coming months. 

STAMFORD, Conn.—As part of its plans to stream a record-breaking 1,500+ hours of live coverage across all 22 Paralympic Sports, Peacock will also be offering Gold Zone and Multiview, two of the streamers highest profile initiatives its coverage of the Paris Olympics, during the Paralympic Games when competition coverage begins Aug. 29. 

The two features add to NBCUniversal’s already robust programming plan across NBC, Peacock, USA Network, and CNBC for this year’s Paris Paralympics, which run from Aug. 28 through Sept. 8.

“Coming off its resounding success during the Paris Olympics, Gold Zone will make its Paralympics debut and provide a whirlwind trip around the Games each day as Team USA’s athletes compete against the world’s best,” said Molly Solomon, executive producer and president, programming, NBC Olympics and Paralympics. “Paralympic veteran host Carolyn Manno will guide viewers to the best events, moments, and stories as they happen, from goalball to blind soccer to table tennis and many more.”

“Gold Zone and Multiview broke through as two fan-favorite features during the Olympics, and we know they’ll continue to be valuable in driving discovery and engagement during the Paralympics,” added Kelly Campbell, president, Peacock and Direct-to-Consumer, NBCUniversal. “They epitomize Peacock’s unique, industry-leading live streaming experience, seamlessly showcasing both the magic of the Games and the power of the platform.”

Gold Zone, one of the breakout hits of the Paris Olympics, will debut for the Paralympics on Thursday, Aug. 29, the first day of competition. Hosted by Carolyn Manno, Gold Zone will stream live on Peacock from 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. ET each day through Sept. 7. 

NBCU reported that Paris 2024 marks the first time the Paralympics will get live whip-around show treatment, showcasing the must-see moments as they unfold. As one of the most popular offerings of Peacock’s comprehensive Paris Olympics coverage, Gold Zone consistently ranked in the platform’s top five most-watched Olympics titles and nearly quadrupled its viewership over the course of the Games, with one in five Olympics viewers tuning in.

Beginning on the first day of competition on Aug. 29 and running until Sept. 4, Peacock will also provide a daily Multiview feed featuring the top live Paralympic events to help fans discover and dive into featured events curated by NBC Sports experts.

Peacock’s extensive Paralympics hub will be easily accessible on the Peacock home page from the main navigation menu starting Aug. 20 and feature curated rails of live and upcoming events; dedicated in-depth sections for each Paralympic sport; simul-streams of the Opening and Closing Ceremonies and all linear coverage from NBC, USA Network and CNBC; full-event replays; curated video clips; medal standings; and an interactive schedule.

Other unique features for this year’s Paralympic Games one for the ages, include a breathtaking Opening Ceremony set to take place on the Champs-Élysées at the Place de la Concorde. Located in the heart of Paris, an estimated 4,400 athletes representing over 180 delegations from around the world are expected to take part in the opening festivities. Additional events taking place amidst the iconic Parisian landmarks include the Eiffel Tower, Roland Garros, Versailles, and more. This will be the first time the French capital will host the Paralympic Games.

NBCU’s Paralympic Games coverage will include the most streaming hours ever for a Paralympic event, with approximately 1,500 hours of live coverage across all 22 Paralympic sports set to be streamed on Peacock throughout the duration of the 12-day event. Additionally, more than 140 hours of Paris Paralympic television coverage across NBC, USA Network, and CNBC will be presented. NBCOlympics.com and the NBC Sports app will provide streaming coverage via authentication.

In addition to the huge audiences the 2024 Summer Olympics delivered for NBCUniversal, a new study from Antenna found that the games also produced a burst of new signups to NBCU’s streaming service Peacock, which saw 2.8 million sign ups during the games. 

Typically, many of the biggest acquisition moments for streaming are related to the NFL, but the 2024 Paris Games approached those levels. Between July 25 and July 31, Antenna observed 2.8 million sign-ups to Peacock. 

The researchers also reported that average daily sign-ups to Peacock of 398k during the first week of The 2024 Olympics represented a 5.6x increase versus the 8-week benchmark. 

“For now, we know that there is no doubt that the 2024 Paris Games had an impact on acquisition,” a blog post on the results reported. “On average, Peacock has commanded 16% share of Premium SVOD Gross Adds over the prior 12-months. In July 2024, Peacock drew 29% share of all Gross Additions in the category.”

Antenna has previously noted that live sporting events, especially the NFL, drive acquisition for streaming video services. In fact, earlier this year Antenna observed 3 million sign-ups to Peacock during the January NFL AFC Wild Card Weekend, and 3.4 million sign-ups to Paramount+ for Super Bowl LVIII. But the nature of those events—a single game on a single day—is much different than the Olympics, which are spread across multiple days and weeks. 

Antenna also found that the loyalty of the AFC Wild Card cohort, a significant acquisition moment in SVOD, was just -7pts weaker than the service’s benchmark.

For more detailed information on Antenna’s methodology and definitions of core metrics, please visit http://www.antenna.live/methodology. 

NEW YORK—Streaming made TV history for a second consecutive month in July as it notched the most dominant performance by a single viewing category ever in Nielsen’s The Gauge, accounting for 41.4% of TV viewing. Streaming levels were over 5% higher in July compared to June, leading streaming to grow its share of TV by more than a point (+1.1 share points) and shatter the previous record it set just last month.

During the month, YouTube became the first streaming platform ever to exceed 10% of total TV usage in July. The most popular streamer shot up 7% versus last month, accounting for 10.4% of TV usage (+0.5 share points). This comes after YouTube hit 9.9% of TV in June and secured the second largest share of TV viewing among all media distributors. 

July also ushered in the beginning of the Summer Olympics in Paris, and despite only three days of coverage included in the July Gauge report, the impact the Games had on TV viewing was evident. Total TV usage was up 2.3% in July compared to the previous month, and up 3.5% compared to July 2023. 

Nielsen also reported that broadcast viewing increased slightly this month to 20.3% of TV, but was up 5% compared to a year ago. The category also finished 0.3 points higher than July 2023 when it recorded its lowest share ever (20.0% of TV). When TV usage is isolated by week, the start of Olympics coverage in the final week of July pushed the broadcast average up to over 22% of total TV. This is further emphasized by the fact that the Olympics accounted for the top five, and seven of the top 10, broadcast telecasts in the July report, with the largest audience averaging 19 million viewers on NBC on Sunday, July 28.

Peacock’s coverage of the Olympics vaulted the streamer to 1.5% of TV (+0.3 share points) and its second best share of TV ever (behind 1.6% in Jan. 2024). Also boosted by viewing to Love Island USA, Peacock’s 33% monthly usage increase in July was the largest for any streaming platform in The Gauge. 

It was followed by two more streamers with double-digit monthly increases: Amazon Prime Video viewing was up 12% from June to notch 3.4% of TV (+0.3 share points), its best since November 2023. The Roku Channel was up 10% and added 0.1 point to achieve a platform best 1.6% of TV. 

July is typically a peak month for streaming usage, and this year, each week of the July interval* led to the top four most streamed weeks ever reported by Nielsen. The streaming fireworks kicked off with a notable week in Nielsen’s Streaming Top 10 when, for the first time ever, 10 titles exceeded 1 billion viewing minutes. What’s more, July 2024 now holds four of the top 10 most streamed days on record.

"House of the Dragon" on Max topped streaming programs in July with 4.7 billion viewing minutes, also helping to drive an increase of over 4% for the streamer to retain its 1.4% share of TV. It was followed by "Bluey" on Disney+ with 4.3 billion viewing minutes in July. Disney+ usage was up 9.2% this month to finish with a platform best 2.1% of TV. Prime Video’s original series "The Boys" was third among streaming programs with 4.2 billion viewing minutes.  

Cable viewing in July was even compared to June, but due to the larger increase of overall TV usage, the category lost half a share point and ended the month with 26.7% of TV. Cable news viewing saw a strong increase in July, driven by the Republican National Convention and coverage of the assassination attempt on former President Trump. The news genre was up 23% compared to June, and up 52% compared to July 2023. Of July’s top 25 cable telecasts, Fox News Channel owned 24 of them.

* The measurement month of July 2024 included four weeks: 07/01/2024 through 07/28/2024. Nielsen measurement weeks begin on Mondays and run through the following

STAMFORD, Conn.—NBCUniversal is reporting that its coverage of the Paris Olympics attracted viewing audiences that were up 82% from the Tokyo Olympics and that the games produced record levels of streaming and engagement on social media. 

More specifically, the games delivered a Total Audience Delivery (TAD) of 30.6 million viewers across the combined live Paris Prime (2-5 p.m. ET) and U.S. primetime (8-11 p.m. ET/PT) time periods – up 82% from the Tokyo Olympics (16.9 million), according to fast national data from Nielsen and Adobe Analytics. 

In addition, NBC Broadcast Network extended its streak to 152 consecutive Summer Olympics nights as primetime’s No. 1 show and USA Network ranked as the #1 cable sports/entertainment network in Total Day and primetime viewership over the two weeks of competition.

Led by Peacock, 23.5 billion minutes of Paris Olympics coverage were streamed – up 40% from all prior Summer and Winter Olympics combined (16.8 billion minutes across NBCUniversal digital platforms).

“Our NBCUniversal team matched the occasion of this transformative Paris Olympics, presenting peerless coverage in daytime and primetime across all platforms, including the NBC broadcast network, which once again was home to the most-watched night of television for 17 consecutive days,” said Mark Lazarus, chairman, NBCUniversal Media Group. “The Games marked a groundbreaking moment for Peacock, which delivered a flawless user experience and cutting-edge innovation while shattering all-time Olympics streaming records. USA Network went around-the-clock and ranked #1 in cable sports and entertainment for the past two weeks. Telemundo Deportes provided extensive Spanish-language coverage. NBC News broadcast from on-location in Paris and dominated the competition, while our owned-stations and affiliates had soaring local news ratings. We sold more advertising for the Paris Olympics than for any other Games, and we delivered for all of our partners. Parks and Studios received unmatched promotion, as the ‘halo effect’ boosted all of our businesses. The Paris Olympics was as exciting as we could have hoped, and we can’t wait to work with our partners at the IOC and USOPC in Milan-Cortina in ’26 and LA28.”

“Led by our best-in-class engineering and production teams in Paris and Stamford, a staff of more than 3,000 worked tirelessly to present these reimagined Games in new and innovative ways in all dayparts and on all platforms,” added Rick Cordella, president, NBC Sports/ 

NBCU described the other highlights as follows: 

• NBCU’s lead Olympics host Mike Tirico anchored nearly 100 hours across two primetime presentations – live “Paris Prime” coverage from 2-5 p.m. ET and the traditional U.S. primetime at 8 p.m. ET/PT – as NBCU featured the best events live while adding context and special elements for the large evening audience.
• Over the full Games, Paris Prime (daytime) and U.S. primetime coverage posted a streaming TAD of 4.1 million viewers daily across Peacock and NBCU Digital platforms.
• NBC has dominated broadcast primetime since the beginning of the Paris Olympics, which has boosted NBC to No. 1 among Adults 18-49 in the 2023-24 season. NBC is now on pace to win the demographic for the 12-month season, which concludes in September.
• New Orleans led all markets in local NBC station ratings during the Paris Olympics (“Paris Prime” + primetime windows). 
• Led by Peacock, 23.5 billion minutes of Paris Olympics coverage were streamed – up 40% from all prior Summer and Winter Olympics combined (16.8 billion minutes across NBCUniversal digital platforms).
• As the streaming home of the 2024 Paris Olympics, Peacock provided fans with the most comprehensive Olympic destination in U.S. media history. Through innovative new features like Peacock Discovery Multiview, Live Actions and the generative A.I.-powered “Your Daily Olympic Recap on Peacock,” fans were able to navigate more than 5,000 hours of Olympics coverage in a way that best fit their interests or timetable.
• Peacock managed up to 60 concurrent single live event streams and up to 300 live events a day during the first week alone – leading to a total of over 3,200 live events over the course of the Games. As one of the most popular offerings of Peacock’s comprehensive Paris Olympics coverage, Gold Zone consistently ranked among Peacock’s top five most-watched Olympics titles and nearly quadrupled its viewership over the course of the Games, with one in five Olympics viewers tuning in.
• More than a quarter of Olympics viewers on Peacock watched via Multiview, with half of the time spent in the featured live events, and half watching in the quad box view. Six of 10 viewers used the Browse by Sport navigation menu in the Olympics hub to quickly dive into a specific sport.
• USA Network dominated the cable landscape during the two weeks of Paris Olympic competition, ranking as the #1 cable sports/entertainment network in Total Day and primetime in both total viewers and the Adults 18-49 demo.
• With its strong performance, USA Network is now the #2 entertainment cable network in the demo for 2024.
• TODAY and NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt ranked No. 1 in total viewers and the key Adult 25-54 and Adult 18-49 demos during for the two weeks of the 2024 Paris Olympics, according to Nielsen.
• TODAY and Nightly posted their largest Summer Olympics across-the-board advantages vs. the competition since the 2016 Rio Olympics.
• Telemundo Deportes presented the most Spanish-language coverage of an Olympics to date, including the first-ever broadcasts of the Opening and Closing Ceremonies on Telemundo. The network deployed its largest Olympic commentary team, with 40+ hosts, commentators, and in-country reporters, representing the different disciplines and countries relevant to Hispanic audiences.
• Through Thursday, Aug. 8, Paris Olympic viewership on Telemundo increased 26% from the comparable period for the Tokyo Olympics, while Universo viewership spiked 138%. In addition, Telemundo streamed a record 3.1 billion minutes of content through Thursday – up 18% from the full Tokyo Olympics.
• Paris Olympics content registered a record 6.55 billion impressions across NBC Sports social channels – a 184% increase vs. the Tokyo Olympics and 53% above the Rio Olympics.
• In addition, NBC Sports social channels delivered a 497% increase in social video viewership over the Tokyo Olympics and 566% over Rio; they added 4.7 million new followers to the full portfolio of accounts/channels; scored 7X social engagement for On Her Turf over the Tokyo.
• Paris 2024 provided massive scale and high engagement across all platforms for NBCUniversal’s advertising partners – generating both immediate return and lasting impact. The Paris Olympics delivered significant lifts throughout the brand funnel vs. competitive TV among the 30.6 million multiplatform viewers: +27% greater ad attention; +44% greater message recall; +14% higher brand search engagement; +17% increased purchase intent. 
• For NBCUniversal brand partners, this impact among 30.6 million viewers isn’t just transactional – it’s transformational – with 3 in 4 viewers saying they trust Olympic advertisers and 2 in 3 consumers finding Olympics advertisements more credible vs. other ads.
• NBCUniversal delivered the highest Olympic and Paralympic advertising revenue in history for Paris 2024, with more advertisers than Rio and Tokyo combined and more than half a billion dollars coming from first-time sponsors.

STAMFORD, Conn.—The U.S. Men’s Basketball Team’s down to-the-wire 98-87 victory over France produced some ratings gold for NBCUniversal, with an average audience of 19.5 million viewers on NBC and Peacock. That made it the most-watched gold medal game since the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, based on fast national data from Nielsen and Adobe Analytics. 

The game peaked at 22.7 million viewers from 5-5:15 p.m. ET as Team USA pulled away for the win. During the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, the U.S.-Yugoslavia matchup drew 25.8 million.

Final data for the full Olympics hasn’t been released, but beginning with Friday’s Opening Ceremony, NBCUniversal has a posted a 16-day Total Audience Delivery average of 31.3 million viewers across the combined live Paris Prime (2-5 p.m. ET) and U.S. primetime (8-11 p.m. ET/PT) time periods – up 82% from Tokyo (17.2 million).

Led by Peacock, the Men's Gold Metal game also ranked as the most-streamed event of the Paris Olympics across NBCU digital platforms, with an average minute audience (AMA) of 2.7 million viewers.

Earlier on Saturday, the U.S. Women’s National Team’s 1-0 victory over Brazil in the gold medal soccer match (11 a.m.-1 p.m. ET) averaged approximately 9.0 million viewers on NBC and Peacock, marking the most-watched gold medal soccer game since the 2004 Athens Olympics.

NBCUniversal’s presentation of the final Saturday of Paris Olympics competition on NBC, Peacock, and across key NBCU platforms posted a projected Total Audience Delivery (TAD) of 30.7 million viewers, according to fast national data from Nielsen and Adobe Analytics – nearly tripling the audience for the comparable Saturday of competition for the Tokyo Olympics (11.7 million across all platforms).

Total Audience Delivery is based upon live-plus-same day fast national figures from Nielsen and digital data from Adobe Analytics. Live viewership from 2-5 p.m. ET (Paris Prime) is inclusive of NBC, Peacock, USA Network, E!, CNBC, Paris Extra 1, Paris Extra 2, and additional NBCU digital platforms. Primetime viewership includes NBC, Peacock, USA Network, Paris Extra 1 and Paris Extra 2.

STAMFORD, Conn. and NEW YORK—Spectrum and EverPass Media have inked an agreement offering Spectrum Business customers the ability to get NFL Sunday Ticket and Peacock Sports Pass via EverPass Media throughout Spectrum Business' 41-state footprint. 

As EverPass' first Official Channel Partner, Spectrum will offer new and existing business customers such as bars, restaurants and hotels access to stream NFL Sunday Ticket and Peacock Sports Pass, the companies reported. 

Spectrum also announced it will again carry Thursday Night Football for Spectrum Business customers this season and that it is launching a new sports video tier aimed at commercial establishments. The Spectrum Business Sports Fan TV package features more than 40 live and local sports channels. New business customers can get Sports Fan TV for the introductory price of $79.99/month as a standalone service or $59.99/month when bundled with another Spectrum service, for 12 months.

"We know how important it is for small business customers to have access to a broad portfolio of sports content so their patrons can watch all their favorite live events," said Tom Montemagno, executive vice president, programming acquisition for Charter Communications, Inc., which operates the Spectrum brand of connectivity services. "The combination of NFL Sunday Ticket and Peacock Sports Pass via EverPass and our new Sports Fan TV tier means we can offer businesses a sports solution that includes almost all NFL games, college football, and professional basketball, hockey, baseball, soccer and more."

NFL Sunday Ticket is a premium sports package that broadcasts all out-of-market Sunday afternoon National Football League games not available on local CBS or FOX affiliate stations. EverPass holds the exclusive rights to distribute NFL Sunday Ticket to commercial establishments across the United States, Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands.

Peacock Sports Pass provides commercial businesses with exclusive access to premier live sports events from Peacock, including Big Ten football and basketball, Premier League matches and the NFL's first-ever regular-season game in Brazil, a Friday night primetime game in Week 1 on September 6.

"We are thrilled to partner with Spectrum Business as our first official channel partner," said Alex Kaplan, EverPass CEO. "EverPass was founded with the goal of innovating the out-of-home sports and entertainment viewing experience while also empowering business owners to have complete control of the content their customers desire. This strategic relationship allows us to tap into Spectrum Business' extensive network and expand access to NFL Sunday Ticket and Peacock Sports Pass for commercial establishments, further positioning EverPass as the preeminent live sports and entertainment content platform for businesses across the U.S."

More information about Spectrum Business Internet and TV offerings for bars, restaurants, hotels and other business establishments is available at www.spectrum.com/Sunday. 

MIAMI, Fla.—Audiences for the 2024 Paris Olympics are not only significantly up for NBCUniversal’s English language coverage. Telemundo is also reporting that its coverage through opening weekend of the 2024 Paris Olympics averaged a Total Audience Delivery (TAD) of 318,000 viewers across Telemundo, Peacock and Telemundo streaming platforms, up +44% vs. Tokyo through the same point in the Games. On linear, more than 12 million viewers have watched Olympic coverage on Telemundo and Universo. 

Beginning with Wednesday’s fútbol coverage before Friday’s Opening Ceremony, total minutes consumed has surpassed 1.1 billion across Telemundo, Universo, Peacock and Telemundo streaming and social media platforms up +65% vs. Tokyo through the same point in the games. Opening weekend alone generated 19.2 million streamed minutes across all content types (live/replay/highlight), making it the most streamed weekend in Telemundo’s Olympics history, NBCU reported. 

The weekend was highlighted by the network’s Olympic soccer coverage. On, Sunday, USA women’s soccer victory over Germany (4-1) posted the #1 event in Paris to date with 731,000 total viewers on Telemundo. On Saturday, France-Guinea men’s soccer match was the most watched event of the day and #2 highest sporting event of Paris-to-date with 589,000 total viewers on the network, NBCU reported. 

Other data points released by Telemundo included:  

• The historic presentation of the Opening Ceremony delivered the highest Friday 1-6 p.m. performance since the 2022 World Cup with a TAD of 686,000 viewers.  
• The Opening Ceremony generated record-breaking streaming with 3.5 million live minutes, a 286% increase from the most-watched livestream in Tokyo 2021 (Mexico vs. Brazil semi-final on August 3rd, 2021, with 906,000 live minutes).   
• Locally, Telemundo’s Opening Ceremony ranked #2 regardless of language among P18+ in Los Angeles, Miami, New York and Houston, only behind NBC’s presentation. 

Digital and social media milestones posted through the opening weekend, include: 

• Paris 2024 nearly doubles Tokyo 2021’s total minutes watched with 31 million across Telemundo’s digital platforms (vs. 16.5M minutes).  
• Social media reached 13 million views to date, an increase of 791% compared to the 2021 Tokyo Olympics during the same period, driven by the addition of TikTok and substantial growth on Instagram (49X higher), X (9X higher), and Facebook (6X higher).  
• The Paris Olympics have achieved three of the six biggest days for social views in Telemundo’s Olympic history. 

Source: Nielsen L+SD and Adobe Analytics, 7/24/2024-7/28/2024. Total Audience Delivery is based on national data from Nielsen and digital data from Adobe Analytics. Reach based on Nielsen, P2+, 1 min qualifier. Social Analytics from ComScore Social. 

STAMFORD, Conn.—NBCUniversal’s presentation of the Paris Olympics Opening Ceremony on NBC and Peacock was the most-watched Opening Ceremony for a Summer Olympics since London 2012 with a Total Audience Delivery (TAD) of 28.6 million viewers, according to custom fast national data from Nielsen and Adobe Analytics. In addition, Telemundo Deportes delivered 666,000 viewers for the Opening Ceremony.

“Last night’s Opening Ceremony, one of the most ambitious and complex in Olympic history, was a spectacle for those in attendance in Paris, delivered a huge audience across our NBCU platforms, and set records for Peacock,” said NBC Sports president Rick Cordella. “Thanks to the tireless effort of our production and engineering teams, and extensive promotion, we are off to a strong start that is in line with the expectations of our NBC stations, and distribution and advertising partners. We are in great position as we look forward to the next two weeks of competition.”

With coverage live in the afternoon followed by a special primetime presentation on July 26, the Opening Ceremony audience of 28.6 million viewers on NBC and Peacock was more than 10 million viewers (60%) larger than the Tokyo Opening Ceremony (17.9 million) and an 8% increase over the Rio Opening Ceremony (26.5 million), NBCU reported on Sunday, July 26.

The Opening Ceremony was also the most-streamed ever (more than 2.5 million viewers) and ranks as the No. 1 entertainment event in Peacock history, NBCU reported.

Led by Peacock, Paris Olympics streaming consumption across NBCUniversal platforms exceeded 1 billion minutes through Friday – six times greater than the Tokyo Olympics through the comparable time frame, the company also said.

The strong audience metrics were accompanied by positive data for advertisers, NBCU also stressed. Brands advertising in the Opening Ceremony generated +320% greater search volume than brands in the Tokyo Opening Ceremony according to EDO data.

Total Audience Delivery is based upon live-plus-same day custom fast national figures from Nielsen and digital data from Adobe Analytics. Official viewership will be available on Monday.

PHILADELPHIA—Comcast reported improved results at Peacock, with paid subscribers growing to 33 million and losses at the streaming service continuing to decline. But it continued to hemorrhage pay TV subs, which fell by 419,000 in Q2 2024, and it lost 120,000 broadband subscribers. 

Overall, Comcast’s pay TV subscribers fell from 14.495 million subs a year ago in Q2 2023 to 13.199 million in Q2 2024, a decline of nearly 1.3 million. Meanwhile broadband subs fell by 120,000 in Q2 2024 to 32.068 million, which was also down from the 32.305 million broadband subs in Q2 2023. 

Overall the company exceeded earnings estimates but missed on revenue, thanks to problems with its theme parks and movie studio operations, pushing the stock down 4.2% at 12:05 p.m. ET on July 23. 

However, adjusted earnings before interest taxes depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) for its media segment, which include its broadcast, network and streaming operations, increased 9.0% to $1.4 Billion, driven by improved performance at Peacock. 

Peacock paid subscribers increased 38.0% compared to the prior year period to 33 million. Peacock’s revenue also jumped, increasing by 28% to $1.0 billion. That was the best year-over-year improvement in adjusted EBITDA for any quarter since launch in 2020, Comcast said. 

Overall Peacock had $1.0 billion of revenue and an adjusted EBITDA loss of $348 million in Q2 2024, a notable improvement to $820 million of revenue and an adjusted EBITDA loss of $651 million a year earlier in Q2 2024.

PHILADELPHIA—Comcast launched a new low cost offering “Now TV Latino” that offers 25+ live Spanish-language streaming channels, plus Peacock for $10/month.

Now TV Latino can be purchased standalone or as a bolt-on to Xfinity’s other streaming offerings, like Now TV, Now StreamSaver, and Xfinity StreamSaver, the operator reported. 

“As we continue our focus on providing unique experiences, differentiated products and bring value to Hispanic consumers, Now TV Latino provides great Spanish-language and English-language content at an affordable price for Hispanic viewers with a wide variety of tastes and interests, with no fees or contracts,” said José Velez Silva, vice president, multicultural strategy, operations & community engagement. “Now TV Latino is easy to add to any Xfinity broadband products, offering customers new ways to save money on streaming entertainment via the nation’s best and most reliable network.”

Now TV Latino’s programming, which includes 20-hour DVR service, can be accessed at home or on-the-go via the Xfinity Stream app, and Peacock programming can be accessed via the Peacock app on supported devices. Customers looking for a seamless way to access all their subscribed streaming content from Xfinity, including Now TV Latino, Now TV and the StreamSaver offerings, can add a Xumo Stream Box at no additional monthly cost for the first box to get simple, aggregated access on one device, Comcast said. 

Comcast described the content highlights as follows: 

• Movies and TV Shows in Spanish – Enjoy live and on-demand shows and movies from Cinelatino, Sony Cine, Kanal D Drama, Pasiones, Televisión Dominicana, ViendoMovies, Telemundo (via Peacock), and more. Some highlights include Pasiones’ Madre, Kanal D Drama’s Vidas Rotas, Cinelatino’s Cesar Chávez, Sony Cine’s The Wedding Planner, Televisión Dominicana’s Qué León, and more. 
• Live News – Tune in to Estrella News, Caracol Televisión, CentroAméricaTV, WAPA America, and a collection of national and local FAST channels from Telemundo, including Noticias Telemundo Ahora (24/7), Telemundo Noticias Florida, Telemundo Noticias Texas, Telemundo Noticias California, and Telemundo Noticias Noreste.
• Peacock Premium – Offered at no additional cost as part of Now TV Latino, Peacock Premium includes a huge collection of hit movies, next-day access to all new shows from NBC and Bravo, and fan-favorite library content, available in English and Spanish. With Peacock Premium, customers can also watch live events, like the Latin Billboards, and thousands of hours of live sports, including Premier League soccer, Team USA Men and Women’s soccer, Chivas Liga MX home matches, select NFL games, WWE, and the upcoming Paris 2024 Olympics and FIFA World Cup 26.

Comcast also reported that customers can easily combine Now TV Latino with one or all of Xfinity’s existing streaming offerings. Those bundles include: 

• Now TV Latino + Xfinity StreamSaver ($25/month): Everything included in Now TV Latino with Peacock Premium, plus Apple TV+ and Netflix Standard with ads.
• Now TV Latino + Now TV ($30/month): Everything included in Now TV Latino with Peacock Premium, plus over 60 additional streaming channels including AccuWeather, AMC, A&E, Hallmark, History Channel, Lifetime, NBC News, TODAY All Day, WEtv and Xumo Movies.
• Now TV Latino + Now StreamSaver ($40/month): Everything included in Now TV Latino with Peacock Premium, 40+ streaming channels, and Apple TV+ and Netflix Standard with ads.

NEW YORK—NBCUniversal has released its detailed plans for coverage of the 2024 Paris Olympics on its various networks and digital platforms, with NBC and Peacock leading the coverage and NBC airing more live coverage than any previous Olympics.

Key highlights of the coverage include more live coverage on the NBC broadcast network than any previous Olympics, three hours of coverage in prime time on NBC and streaming coverage of all sports and events on NBCU’s streaming service Peacock.  

In addition parent company Comcast will be offering simulcast 4K feed of the coverage on the USA Network to Xfinity subscribers and NBCU will be providing a record amount of Spanish-language coverage. 

Other key highlights include:

• NBC and Peacock will present live coverage of the Opening Ceremony on Friday, July 26, beginning at Noon ET. Telemundo will provide Spanish-language coverage beginning at 1 p.m. ET. Primetime coverage will begin at 7:30 p.m. ET/PT on NBC and Peacock.
• Record amounts of live coverage of basketball, gymnastics, swimming and other sports will be available. 
• Primetime in Paris: NBCUniversal is re-imagining its Olympic primetime coverage for the Olympic Games Paris 2024 and renaming its signature show, Primetime in Paris, which will deliver enhanced storytelling and bring viewers closer to the Olympics than ever before every single night on NBC and Peacock.
• Peacock will be the U.S. streaming home of the 2024 Paris Olympics, providing fans with the most-comprehensive Olympic destination in U.S. media history. In a Summer Games first, the service will stream every sport and event, including all 329 medal events, and will feature full-event replays; all NBC programming; curated video clips; virtual channels; original programming; and more.
• Peacock’s viewing experience for the Olympic Games Paris 2024 will introduce industry-first interactive features that help fans navigate more than 5,000 hours of live coverage throughout the Games, including all 329 medal events. 
• Peacock Live Actions: a new interactive tool that lets fans choose their own viewing journey during live and primetime coverage, and follow the events they are most interested in watching. 
• Peacock Discovery Multiview: With up to 40 live events happening simultaneously, Peacock Discovery Multiview will offer an industry-first, enhanced four-view experience that helps users navigate to the most important events, with real-time on-screen descriptions from NBCU’s Olympic experts informing viewers about what is at stake, such as a medal event, an elimination risk or a first-time Olympian. 
• Olympic Hub: Peacock will provide fans with an intuitive, easy-to-navigate Olympics destination that will allow every kind of fan – both avid and casual – to view the Olympic Games in the way that best fits their interests or timetable, including a spotlight of the biggest live events prominently displayed at the top of the screen when fans enter the Olympics hub, browse by sport and search by athlete features, an interactive schedule, medal standings, catch up with key plays, and more. 
• Olympic Highlights with Kevin Hart and Kenan Thompson: Commentary series hosted by comedians Kevin Hart and Kenan Thompson, bringing their signature hilarious insights to recap the 2024 Olympics’ best and most unexpected moments throughout the Games.
• Watch with Alex Cooper: Alex Cooper, the multi-hyphenate creator, host, and executive producer of Call Her Daddy, will be at the Paris Olympic Games this summer to host Watch with Alex Cooper, a series of live interactive watch parties streaming on Peacock.
• Gold Zone: The whip-around show will stream for the first time live on Peacock during NBCUniversal’s coverage of the Olympic Games Paris 2024. With hosts Scott Hanson, Andrew Siciliano, Matt Iseman and Akbar Gbajabiamila, Gold Zone will stream live on Peacock from 7 a.m. – 5 p.m. ET each day from July 27-Aug. 10. With up to 40 events happening simultaneously during the Paris Olympic Games, Gold Zone will present viewers with the best and most compelling moments happening at any time. Gold Zone’s daily offering will provide viewers with the most comprehensive and all-encompassing live whip-around coverage of any Olympic Games to date.
• Your Daily Olympic Recap on Peacock: Peacock is harnessing A.I. technology to present “Your Daily Olympic Recap on Peacock,” a first-of-its-kind, personalized experience complementing NBCUniversal’s comprehensive coverage of the Olympic Games Paris 2024. 
• USA Network, E!, CNBC, and GOLF Channel will present live action and programming throughout the Olympics, featuring qualifying and medal rounds.
• USA Network will be the primary home for U.S. team sports and longform content such as swimming heats, track and field, soccer, basketball and 3x3 basketball, beach volleyball, rugby, cycling, volleyball, water polo, and more.
• CNBC will feature boxing, cycling, rugby, skateboarding, and more. On July 27, CNBC will present live coverage of the first gold medal event of the 2024 Paris Olympics with the shooting mixed team air rifle final at 5 a.m. ET. 
• E! will feature coverage of track & field, gymnastics, canoeing, diving, equestrian, artistic swimming, breaking, fencing, water polo, and more. 
• GOLF Channel will show the live golf competitions throughout the Paris Olympics from Le Golf National in Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines. The Team USA men’s team features World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, defending gold medalist Xander Schauffele, Wyndham Clark and Tokyo Olympian Collin Morikawa in Paris. The women’s team consists of World No. 1 and Tokyo gold medalist Nelly Korda, World No. 2 Lilia Vu, and World No. 9 Rose Zhang. Men’s coverage tees off on GOLF Channel on Aug. 1 at 3 a.m. ET, with the women beginning on Aug. 7 at 3 a.m. ET.
• Marking 20 years of Olympic coverage on Telemundo, the exclusive Spanish-language home of the Olympic Games in the U.S., the network will present the most extensive Olympic coverage in Spanish-language media history with more programming hours than ever before across Telemundo, Universo and Peacock. Telemundo and Universo will present more than 315 hours of live competitions and daily recap specials. On most days, the network will offer at least 6 hours of daytime coverage of the Summer Games and up to 12 hours of programming on soccer days. In addition, Telemundo will present a two-hour recap show highlighting the best Olympic stories of the day, every weekday at 12 a.m. ET beginning Friday, July 26 through Sunday, August 11.
• For the first time, the network will offer coverage of the Opening Ceremony live on Telemundo on July 26 starting at 1 p.m. ET. 
• Peacock will livestream all Telemundo and Universo programming, offering the most extensive Spanish-language streaming experience for the Olympics in U.S. media history. In addition to the live events, Peacock will feature full-event replays and exclusive short-form content in Spanish curated for Hispanic audiences around the most relevant events, athletes, and countries competing in Paris. 
• Telemundo will be the Home of Fútbol Olímpico, the soccer destination to watch every match, every team, every goal from both Men’s and Women’s tournaments live en español starting two days before the Opening Ceremony on July 24 through August 11 across Telemundo, Universo and Peacock.
• NBC Sports Digital will stream more than 5,000 hours of the Paris Olympics across its TV Everywhere platforms, via authentication, including NBCOlympics.com (desktop), NBC.com (desktop), the NBC Sports App, the NBC App and all other NBCU Apps (e.g., Telemundo, USA, and Bravo), which are available across mobile, tablet and connected TVs. The comprehensive offering features live competition across all 39 sports and all 329 medal events, plus simulstreaming of all linear coverage and the digital Gold Zone whip-around show.
• NBCOlympics.com, NBC.com, and the NBC Sports app will once again feature full-event replays of all event streams, plus extensive video highlights.
• IMAX: The NBC television network will extend its live coverage of the 2024 Paris Olympics Opening Ceremony to IMAX locations nationwide on Friday, July 26 — the first time ever the global event will be presented live in IMAX.
• AMC: The NBC television network will extend its daily live daytime coverage of the 2024 Paris Olympics to AMC Theatres as a ticketed event throughout the United States from July 27-August 11.
• NBCUniversal’s coverage of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 will be more accessible to viewers of all abilities than ever before, providing the opportunity to enjoy the excitement of the Olympic through enhanced closed captioning, expanded audio description, and improved digital content accessibility.
• My New Favorite Olympian: NBCUniversal Local’s NBC-owned stations and NBC Sports Regional Networks present a new season of the award-winning multiplatform podcast My New Favorite Olympian profiling Team USA’s most-inspiring athletes leading up to Paris 2024. The seven-part audio and video series, which began June 12, is led by 12-time Olympic medalist swimmer Natalie Coughlin and Zena Keita, an NBC Sports Bay Area reporter, host and analyst.
• Comcast will offer the highest-possible picture quality on a 24/7 simulcast of USA Network in 4K UHD and an X1 Olympics experience unlike any other. Xfinity’s Olympics destination blends every minute of coverage airing across NBCUniversal’s cable and broadcast networks and streaming on Peacock into one simple experience.
• As previously announced, NBCUniversal and Roku revealed the NBC Olympic Zone on Roku, a new destination on the Roku Home Screen Menu to help users easily access and explore Peacock’s comprehensive coverage of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 this summer.

STAMFORD, Conn.—NBCUniversal has laid out its plans for making the Olympic Games Paris 2024 more accessible to more viewers than ever before with enhanced closed captioning, expanded audio description, and improved digital content accessibility.

Closed captioning, which provides text of the coverage audio for viewers who are Deaf or hard of hearing, will be available for all Olympic events airing across NBCU’s broadcast and cable networks. NBCUniversal will also provide closed captioning for all digital live streams with commentary across Peacock, NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app.

In addition, it will be providing more audio description services – interspersing broadcast audio with skilled voices describing Olympic scenes and context – for viewers who are blind or visually impaired for the Paris Olympics than any previous Games. 

All coverage on NBC, including daytime, primetime, and late night, and the Gold Zone whip-around show on Peacock, will feature audio description provided by Descriptive Video Works. In a first for a U.S. broadcaster, audio description services for NBC coverage will be provided in stereo, enhancing the quality of sound for viewers, the company reported. 

Additionally, improved web content accessibility, including keyboard navigation, color contrast and support for screen readers, will be available on NBCOlympics.com, NBC.com, the NBC Sports app, and Peacock. Livestreams and replays which offer audio description will have English audio description as a language choice within the players on these digital platforms. To easily find all events with audio description, click here.

“We’re excited to provide all viewers with more accessibility to our Olympics coverage than ever before,” said Gary Zenkel, president, NBC Olympics. “With the goal of enabling all viewers to enjoy the unprecedented excitement of the Olympic Games in Paris, we’re proud to provide closed captioning on all live coverage and the most audio description ever.”

All of this audio description and closed captioning will be available to Comcast Xfinity customers who experience the Games on the Xfinity X1 platform, including on the live Olympic Games coverage delivered in 4K, on Xfinity Stream, and on Xfinity Flex.

“For over a decade, Comcast NBCUniversal has been committed to connecting people to moments that matter,” said Tom Wlodkowski, vice president of accessibility at Comcast. “NBCUniversal’s accessible coverage for this year’s Olympic Games is an important part of our mission. As a consumer of Olympics programming with audio description, I could not be more excited to share in the joy that these Paris Summer Games will bring.”

NEW YORK—AI generated content will be breaking new ground in major sports coverage at this summer’s Olympic Games in Paris with NBCUniversal’s streaming service Peacock announcing that it will harness AI technology to present “Your Daily Olympic Recap on Peacock”.

To create what NBCU is calling “a first-of-its-kind, personalized experience” the company is working with Emmy Award-winning, Hall of Fame announcer Al Michaels to use generative AI and AI voice synthesis technology to produce “Your Daily Olympic Recap on Peacock.”  The recaps will provide fans with their own customized playlist featuring highlights of the events most relevant to them from the previous day. Each compilation will feature clips from NBCU’s Olympics coverage and be narrated by a high-quality AI re-creation of Michaels’ voice, which was trained using his past appearances on NBC and matches his expertise and elocution.

“Peacock continues to introduce unique customer-first features that strengthen our unmatched leadership in live streaming,” said Kelly Campbell, president of Peacock and Direct-to-Consumer, NBCUniversal. “With these recaps alongside interactive elements like Peacock Live Actions and Discovery Multiview, we’re bringing the best of sports together with the best of technology to deliver fans a personalized Olympics experience in a way that’s never been possible before.”

“When I was approached about this, I was skeptical but obviously curious,” said Al Michaels. “Then I saw a demonstration detailing what they had in mind. I said, ‘I’m in.’”

“Your Daily Olympic Recap on Peacock” is tailored to the Olympics fan on-the-go and will be available to Peacock subscribers starting July 27 at www.peacocktv.com/olympics on all supported web browsers as well as on the Peacock app on select mobile and tablet devices.

NBCU reported that nearly 7 million personalized variants of “Your Daily Olympic Recap on Peacock” could be streamed across the U.S. during the Games – all generated by pulling from NBCUniversal’s 5,000 hours of live coverage from Paris, where up to 40 Olympics events will be happening concurrently each day.

To receive “Your Daily Olympic Recap on Peacock,” fans can visit the Olympic hub and Home page of Peacock starting July 27 and opt into the types of highlights they would like to see, including their three favorite sports and preferred topics, such as behind-the-scenes and backstories, top competition, viral and trending moments, and a spotlight on international teams. The first edition on July 27 will be highlights from the Opening Ceremony and starting July 28, after the first full day of events, personalized versions for each individual will be available, the company reported. 

The technology will pull from hundreds of NBC Sports-produced clips each day to generate a playlist of around 10 minutes highlighting the most relevant moments from the prior day for each user, along with a look ahead to what fans can expect to see in the NBC Primetime show. The recaps narrated by the A.I. re-creation of Michaels’ voice will give an overview of each selected highlight. A team of NBCU editors will review all content, including audio and clips, for quality assurance and accuracy before recaps are made available to users.

“Your Daily Olympic Recap on Peacock” will be featured in Peacock’s homepage and Olympics hub and available at the individual profile level, so up to six users on one account can receive their own recaps. The majority of users can also be welcomed by their first name for an even more personalized experience. Users can opt into receiving push and in-app notifications to remind them to watch their recaps.

“Your Daily Olympic Recap on Peacock” will be available on the following web browsers: Chrome 112+ (Windows/Mac); Firefox 113+ (Windows/Mac); MS Edge 112+ (Windows/Mac); and Safari 14+ (Mac); and the Peacock app on iOS and iPadOS devices running 14 or later.

As the streaming home of the 2024 Paris Olympics, Peacock will provide fans with the most comprehensive Olympic destination in U.S. media history. In a Summer Games first for Peacock, it will stream every sport and event, including all 329 medal events. Peacock’s extensive Olympics hub will feature curated rails of live and upcoming events; dedicated in-depth sections for nearly 40 sports; full-event replays; all NBC programming, including its nightly primetime show; curated video clips; virtual channels; medal standings; and an interactive schedule.  

Comcast has officially launched its discounted $15-a-month StreamSaver streaming bundle of Netflix, Peacock and Apple TV+ services. The previously announced bundle went live on May 29.

Comcast is also offering a $30 a month bundle that includes those three streaming apps with 40+ streaming channels from its NOW TV offering.  

The $15 a month StreamSaver bundle includes a subscription to Netflix Standard with ads, Peacock Premium, and Apple TV+, delivering a savings of over 30% or nearly $100 a year.

Comcast reported that current and new Xfinity Internet or TV customers can add Xfinity StreamSaver for an everyday price of $15 per month, with no annual contracts. Customers can also combine the bundled apps with NOW TV for one all-in-monthly price of $30. 

Together, the NOW StreamSaver bundles includes access to programming from three of the most popular streaming apps alongside 40+ live TV channels including, AMC, A&E, Hallmark, History Channel, Lifetime, WEtv, plus over two dozen integrated FAST channels like AccuWeather, NBC News, TODAY All Day and Xumo Movies, Comcast said. 

More information is available here. 

PHILADELPHIA—Comcast has released pricing and launch details of its recently announced StreamSaver bundle of Apple TV+, Netflix and Peacock services with the news that the service will launch next week at $15 for new and existing Xfinity Internet and TV customers.

The heavily discounted service was first announced on May 14 by Comcast’s chairman and CEO Brian Roberts. It includes a subscription to Netflix  Standard with ads, Peacock Premium, and Apple TV+, delivering a savings of over 30% or nearly $100 a  year, Comcast reported. 

“StreamSaver is a homerun for consumers who want top-tier entertainment and live sports, and for our  world-class partners Peacock, Netflix and Apple who benefit from the reach and depth of our  entertainment platforms and Xfinity’s marketing engine,” said Dave Watson, CEO of Connectivity and  Platforms, Comcast. “StreamSaver also reinforces the value of our broadband products, offering  customers new ways to save money on streaming entertainment via the nation’s best and most reliable  network in and out of the home.” 

The launch is the latest example of how streamers and pay TV operators are crafting bundles of streaming services as way of adapting to relatively mature streaming market where consumers are looking to cut hefty steaming bills.  

Most recently, Warner Bros. Discovery and Disney announced that they would launch a new streaming bundle this summer that includes Disney+, Hulu and Max. 

Earlier this year, Fox, Disney and WBD also set up a joint venture to launch a major sports streaming service. 

Comcast said that current and new Xfinity Internet or TV customers can add Xfinity StreamSaver for $15 per month, with no annual contracts. 

Customers can also combine the three bundled apps with NOW TV for one monthly price of $30. 

The NOW StreamSaver bundles offers access to programming from three of the most popular streaming apps  alongside 40+ live TV channels including, AMC, A&E, Hallmark, History Channel, Lifetime, WEtv, plus  over two dozen integrated FAST channels like AccuWeather, NBC News, TODAY All Day and Xumo  Movies.  

Customers can access all this programming via Comcast’s Entertainment OS platform and voice remote, where each of these apps are integrated into X1, Xumo Stream Box and Flex  devices. Additionally, customers can find the StreamSaver apps everywhere they access streaming  content today, including Apple TV and other connected TVs and devices, Comcast said.  

To sign up for Xfinity StreamSaver or NOW StreamSaver, customers can visit Xfinity.com.  

NEW YORK—As declines in linear TV viewing make the ongoing popularity of live sports, particularly football, central to financial success of the TV industry, the NFL has released details of its 2024 regular season that will play a major role in the success of broadcasters, networks and streaming companies in the last four months of 2024. 

The league schedule includes specific details on the specific regular season games that will be aired or streamed by CBS, NBC, Fox, ESPN, ABC, Prime Video, Peacock, Netflix and The NFL Network during the 18-week, 272-game regular-season schedule for 2024, which kicks off on Thursday night, September 5, in Kansas City and concludes with 16 division games in Week 18 – two on Saturday, January 4, and 14 on Sunday, January 5. 

For the 2024 NFL regular-season schedule by week, click here.

For the 2024 NFL preseason schedule, click here. 

More specifically, the NFL released these details about the schedule, which it described as follows: 

The 2024 NFL schedule, powered by AWS, will feature each team playing 17 regular-season games and three preseason games for the fourth consecutive year. The 17th game will feature teams from opposing conferences that finished in the same standing within their respective divisions the previous season. The NFC will be the home conference for the 17th game in 2024. For how opponents were determined for the 2024 season, click here. 

The NFL uses the power of Amazon Web Services (AWS) to power its schedule-making process. There are approximately a quadrillion possible schedule combinations each NFL season and over 26,000 factors to take into consideration such as stadium availability, travel requirements, primetime games, competitive fairness and division rivalries. The NFL uses AWS to run high performance computing workloads to find the best possible schedule each year. For more information, click here. 

The NFL's 105th season begins with the league's annual primetime kickoff game, as the defending Super Bowl Champion Kansas City Chiefs host the Baltimore Ravens at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium on Thursday, September 5 (8:20 p.m. ET, NBC) in a rematch of last season's AFC Championship Game. 

The two most recent winners of the Most Valuable Player award, Baltimore's Lamar Jackson (2023) and Kansas City's Patrick Mahomes (2022), are scheduled to face off for the sixth time in their careers, including the postseason. Should both players start as expected, Jackson (two-time MVP) and Mahomes (two-time MVP) would become the seventh different pair of quarterbacks to meet in a regular-season game after both players had won multiple MVP awards. 

The NFL's primetime kickoff game – which has been an annual tradition since 2002 – will feature a rematch of one of the previous season's conference championship games for only the third time and first since 2010, when New Orleans defeated Minnesota in a rematch of the NFC Championship. The other instance was 2004, when New England defeated Indianapolis in a rematch of the AFC Championship.

On Friday, September 6 (8:15 p.m. ET, Peacock), the Green Bay Packers will meet the Philadelphia Eagles at Corinthians Arena in São Paulo, Brazil, the first-ever regular season NFL game to be played in South America. It will mark the first time the NFL has played a game on Friday of their opening weekend in over 50 years, when the St. Louis Cardinals and Los Angeles Rams met on September 18, 1970.

Week 1 continues on CBS at 4:05 PM ET, with two head coaches making their Week 1 debut with their club as Antonio Pierce and the Las Vegas Raiders visit Jim Harbaugh and the Los Angeles Chargers in an AFC West showdown, while Super Bowl-winning head coach Sean Payton and the Denver Broncos travel to Seattle to face the Seahawks, where Mike Macdonald will make his NFL head coaching debut. On FOX at 4:25 PM ET, the Dallas Cowboys visit the Cleveland Browns in a matchup of two 2023 playoff teams and the Washington Commanders, under new head coach Dan Quinn, travel to take on the reigning NFC South champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers. 

Later that day, NBC's Sunday Night Football begins with Mathew Stafford and the Los Angeles Rams visiting Jared Goff and the Detroit Lions (8:20 p.m. ET), in a rematch of last season's NFC Wild Card round, in which the Lions earned their first playoff victory since 1991. NBC will televise one game each Sunday night in Weeks 1-17. Additionally, NBC will feature Miami at Green Bay (8:20 p.m. ET) on Thanksgiving night as well as Houston at Kansas City (1 p.m. ET) on Saturday in Week 16. 

Kickoff Weekend concludes on Monday, September 9, with ESPN/ABC's Monday Night Football, featuring Aaron Rodgers and the New York Jets visiting Brock Purdy and the San Francisco 49ers (8:15 p.m. ET). YouTube TV is the presenting sponsor of Kickoff Weekend, inclusive of the entire Thursday through Monday slate. 

ESPN will televise one game each Monday night in Weeks 1-17 and will be simulcast on ABC in Weeks 1, 8, 14 and 17. In Weeks 3 and 4, there will be two Monday night games with broadcasts at 7:30 p.m. ET and 8:15 p.m. ET. In Week 7, there will be two Monday night games, with Baltimore at Tampa Bay on ESPN at 8:15 p.m. ET and the Los Angeles Chargers at Arizona on ESPN+ at 9 p.m. ET. In Week 15, the two Monday night games begin 30 minutes apart, with Chicago at Minnesota at 8 p.m. ET on ABC and Atlanta at Las Vegas at 8:30 p.m. ET on ESPN. 

Additionally, ESPN/ABC will air two games with playoff implications on the Saturday of Week 18, January 4, at 4:30 p.m. ET and 8 p.m. ET. These games will be selected following the conclusion of Week 17. There will be no Monday night game on the final regular-season weekend (Week 18) to provide more flexibility for the scheduling of the opening weekend of the NFL playoffs. 

Thursday Night Football will air exclusively on Prime Video, kicking off its slate in Week 2 with an AFC East matchup as the Miami Dolphins host the Buffalo Bills (8:15 p.m. ET). Prime Video will broadcast 15 Thursday Night Football games between Weeks 2-17 (excluding Thanksgiving night) and exclusively stream the second-ever NFL Black Friday game when the Kansas City Chiefs host the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 13 (3 p.m. ET). 

The first-ever NFL games streamed on Netflix will be played on Christmas, Wednesday, December 25, in Week 17, as the Kansas City Chiefs visit the Pittsburgh Steelers (1 p.m. ET) and the Baltimore Ravens travel to face the Houston Texans (4:30 p.m. ET). Additionally, Netflix will stream at least one holiday game in 2025 and 2026. 

NFL Network will exclusively televise seven games – four international games and three games in Week 17 on Saturday, December 28. 

The NFL schedule features five international regular-season games – three in the UK, one in Germany and one in Brazil, marking the first-ever regular-season NFL game to be played in South America. As part of the league's expansion of the regular season to 17 games, it was determined that, beginning with the 2022 season, teams from the conference whose teams were eligible for a ninth regular-season home game would be among the designated group to play a neutral-site international game each year. 

The international slate begins in Week 1 in Brazil with Green Bay and Philadelphia (8:15 p.m. ET, Peacock) and follows with games in three consecutive weeks, beginning in London at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in Week 5 with the New York Jets and Minnesota Vikings (Sunday, 9:30 a.m. ET, NFL Network). In Week 6, Jacksonville meets Chicago (Sunday, 9:30 a.m. ET, NFL Network) at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium before the London action shifts to Wembley Stadium in Week 7, when the Jaguars will meet the New England Patriots (Sunday, 9:30 a.m. ET, NFL Network). The Jaguars are scheduled to play two regular-season games outside of the United States for the second-consecutive season. 

As part of the league's commitment to playing regular-season games in Germany, the NFL will conclude the international slate of games in Munich in Week 10 as the New York Giants meet the Carolina Panthers (Sunday, 9:30 a.m. ET, NFL Network). It will mark the league's second game in Munich at Allianz Arena – Home of FC Bayern Munich and the fourth international regular-season game to be played in Germany. 

The Madden Thanksgiving Celebration will feature a tripleheader on Thursday, November 28. The first game will feature a pair of NFC North foes, as the Bears travel to Detroit to face the Lions (12:30 p.m. ET, CBS). The late afternoon game will match two NFC East rivals, as the New York Giants visit the Dallas Cowboys (4:30 p.m. ET, FOX). The Thanksgiving Day festivities end with the Miami Dolphins traveling to Green Bay to face the Packers on NBC (8:20 p.m. ET). 

The regular season will conclude with Week 18 on Saturday, January 4, and Sunday, January 5. For the 15th consecutive year, all 16 games scheduled for the final week of the season are division contests, enhancing the potential for more games with playoff ramifications. 

The NFL's 32 teams will each play 17 games over 18 weeks. Byes will begin in Week 5 and end in Week 14. 

Additional 2024 schedule notes:

• Fourteen games will be Super Bowl rematches and nine 2024 games are rematches from the 2023 playoffs, including Super Bowl LVIII (Kansas City at San Francisco in Week 7), both Championship Games (Baltimore at Kansas City in Week 1; Detroit at San Francisco in Week 17) and all four Divisional playoff games (Tampa Bay at Detroit in Week 2; Kansas City at Buffalo in Week 11; San Francisco at Green Bay in Week 12; Baltimore at Houston in Week 17).
• The top-two picks in the 2024 NFL Draft, Caleb Williams and Jayden Daniels, are scheduled to meet in Week 8 when the Chicago Bears visit the Washington Commanders (1 p.m. ET, CBS). Should both players start, it would mark the sixth game in NFL history between rookie starting quarterbacks selected with the first and second overall picks in the NFL Draft. Williams and the Bears are also slated to play against No. 3 overall pick Drake Maye and the New England Patriots in Week 10 (1 p.m. ET, FOX) and No. 4 overall pick Marvin Harrison and the Arizona Cardinals in Week 9 (4:05 p.m. ET, CBS). 

The NFL will continue to use “flexible scheduling" this season to ensure exciting and meaningful games are available for viewing by the largest number of fans. For up-to-date information about “flexible scheduling" for the 2024 season, please visit https://www.nfl.com/schedules/flexible-scheduling-procedures. 

As in prior seasons, for Week 18, the final weekend of the season, the scheduling of the Saturday, Sunday afternoon, and the Sunday night games is not assigned. In Week 18, two games will be played on Saturday (4:30 p.m. ET and 8 p.m. ET) with the remainder to be played on Sunday afternoon (1 p.m. ET and 4:25 p.m. ET) and one matchup to be played on Sunday night (8:20 p.m. ET). Specific dates, start times, and networks for Week 18 matchups will be determined and announced following the conclusion of Week 17. 

Introduced in 2020 and continuing for a fifth-consecutive year, a total of 14 teams – seven each in the American and National Football Conferences – will make the postseason. The No. 1 seed in each conference will receive a bye in the Wild Card round. The remaining division champions in each conference with the best records will be seeded 2, 3, and 4, followed by the next three teams per conference with the best records seeded 5, 6, and 7. 

Since 1990 – a streak of 34 consecutive seasons – at least four new teams have qualified for the playoffs that missed the postseason the year before, including seven of the 14 playoff teams in 2022. 

AFC and NFC Wild Card games will feature the 2 seed hosting the 7 seed, the 3 seed hosting the 6 seed and the 4 seed hosting the 5 seed. 

Super Wild Card Weekend presented by Verizon for the 2024 season will feature six games, starting on Saturday, January 11.  

Wild Card winners join the top seeds in each conference in the Divisional Playoffs, presented by Intuit TurboTax, on Saturday and Sunday, January 18-19. The AFC and NFC Championship Games, presented by Intuit TurboTax, will be played on Sunday, January 26. The winners meet two weeks later on Sunday, February 9, in Super Bowl LIX at New Orleans' Caesars Superdome (FOX), marking the 11th time the league's final game will be played in New Orleans. 

The NFL is the only sports league that presents all regular-season and postseason games on free, over-the-air television in local markets. All postseason games are distributed nationally. 

Westwood One will broadcast on radio all NFL primetime games, the three Thanksgiving Day games and the entire NFL playoffs. SiriusXM subscribers will have access to every live NFL game, as well as exclusive 24/7 talk channel coverage on SXM NFL Radio. All live and local prime time games will be available to stream on mobile devices with NFL+. 

 Comcast is planning to begin offering a new streaming bundle of Peacock, Netflix and Apple TV+ sometime later this month at a “vastly reduced price,” Comcast chairman and CEO Brian Roberts said at the MoffettNathanson Media conference in NYC on May 14th. 

The launch is the latest example of how streamers and pay TV operators are creating streaming bundles in a relatively mature streaming market where consumers are looking to cut hefty steaming bills. 

Most recently, Warner Bros. Discovery and Disney announced that they would launch a new streaming bundle this summer that includes Disney+, Hulu and Max. 

Earlier this year, Fox, Disney and WBD set up a joint venture to launch a major sports streaming service. 

No pricing has been announced for any of these bundles, but Roberts said that the Comcast bundle would be called StreamSaver and he promised it would be priced at a “vastly reduced price” to anything on the market right now. 

Roberts said Comcast would be releasing more details about the StreamSaver package shortly. 

The interest in creating bundles of streaming services has prompted some analysts to argue it represents a move back to the old pay TV model that simplified the consumer experience and made it easier to find content. Such bundles are particularly appealing to companies like Comcast, Disney and WBD who have struggled with the transition from pay TV bundles to the more costly and insecure economics of streaming services.