NBC Sports Group partners with the World Rowing Federation on exclusive U.S. media rights for 2017 World Rowing Championships

For immediate release
Lausanne, 1 June 2017

NBCSN and the Olympic Channel to Combine for More Than 10 Hours of Coverage

Content will be Presented as Part of the Olympic Channel Partnership among NBCUniversal, the IOC, and the USOC 

NBC Sports Group and the World Rowing Federation. FISA, have partnered in an exclusive U.S. media rights agreement for the 2017 World Rowing Championships, both parties announced today. NBC Sports Group will present more than ten hours of coverage of the 2017 World Rowing Championships, from Sarasota-Bradenton, Fla., beginning Thursday, 28 September.

The World Rowing Championship regatta, held at the end of the season, is the biggest and most important annual World Rowing event of the year.

“The opportunity to stage our premier event, the World Rowing Championships, in the United States is a huge benefit for our sport as we see the ongoing growth of rowing in the nation,” said Jean-Christophe Rolland, FISA president. “This partnership with NBC Sports Group recognises the demand for rowing coverage in the US and World Rowing completely supports the initiative.”  

“Rowing fans can cheer in unison now that we are presenting one of the sports’ premier events, and our most extensive coverage since the 2016 Rio Olympics,” said Jim Bell, President, NBC Olympics Production and Programming. “As an Olympic sport since the 1900 Summer Games in Paris, we are always thrilled to showcase the stamina, strength and harmony that these world class athletes display every time they race.”

Headlining the U.S. team will be the women’s eight, which is looking to win its twelfth-straight world or Olympic title. The Americans’ flagship boat has won every major event since 2006, most recently claiming Olympic gold last summer in Rio. The U.S. roster will be confirmed later this summer. In addition, coverage includes the para-rowing finals on Thursday.

NBC Sports anticipates utilizing NBCSN, The Olympic Channel: Home of Team USA, NBCSports.com, the NBC Sports app and possibly other platforms to provide more comprehensive U.S. coverage of the numerous events included in the agreement than ever before. In addition to television, coverage will include simultaneous streams on desktops, mobile devices, tablets, and connected TVs.

All rowing events will be presented by the Olympic Channel: Home of Team USA, part of a comprehensive content and distribution partnership formed in 2016 by the IOC, USOC, and NBCUniversal. The centerpiece of the partnership is a U.S. linear cable channel, which will launch this summer.

ABOUT NBC SPORTS GROUP

When the Comcast-NBCUniversal transaction was completed in January 2011, the sports assets of the two companies combined to form NBC Sports Group, which serves sports fans 24/7 with premier live events, insightful studio shows, and compelling original programming. The sports media company consists of NBC Sports, NBC Olympics, NBCSN, Golf Channel, NBC Sports Regional Networks, NBC Sports Radio and NBC Sports Digital, which includes NBCSports.com, NBCOlympics.com, GolfChannel.com, the digital assets of the NBC Sports Regional Networks, Rotoworld, the NBC Sports Talk franchise, multiple apps, and two transactional sports businesses, GolfNow and SportsEngine. NBC Sports Group possesses an unparalleled collection of television rights agreements, partnering with some of the most prestigious sports properties in the world: the International Olympic Committee and United States Olympic Committee, the NFL, NHL, NASCAR, PGA TOUR, The R&A, PGA of America, Churchill Downs, Premier League, Tour de France, French Open, Formula One, IndyCar and many more.

ABOUT THE WORLD ROWING FEDERATION

The World Rowing Federation, FISA is the governing body of the sport of rowing. With 151 member nations, FISA is represented in every continent. FISA sets the rules and regulations for the practice of the sport in all of its forms including elite rowing, para-rowing, coastal, masters and aspects of indoor rowing this includes overseeing the running and organisation of World Rowing events. FISA also helps the development of rowing around the world including the provision of coaching education.   

ABOUT SARASOTA-BRADENTON

The 2017 World Rowing Championships will be hosted by Sarasota-Bradenton in Florida at its newly developed Nathan Benderson Park. The park is purpose designed for water sports with the rowing regatta course built to be of an international standard. It is situated on the Gulf Coast with people attracted by the year-round warm weather and white sandy beaches.