Once savvy, NBC’s Olympics deal is shakier after Beijing

By DAVID BAUDER and JOE REEDY
Associated Press

NEW YORK (AP) — When NBC set a long-term deal to carry the Olympics through 2032, it seemed like a savvy deal. Yet it seems much shakier after the Beijing experience — a buzz-free event from an authoritarian country that saw an alarming drop-off in viewers from previous Olympics. The question for NBC: was this a one-time bummer, or a sign that the Olympic brand is seriously damaged? The network is also navigating the dramatic changes in television viewing and different appetites in how people are experience the action. Working in NBC’s favor is the increasing value of live sports events.