NBC Sports Group partners with World Rowing on exclusive three-year deal

NBC SPORTS GROUP PARTNERS WITH THE WORLD ROWING FEDERATION ON EXCLUSIVE THREE-YEAR U.S. MEDIA RIGHTS FOR PREMIER ROWING EVENTS

NBCSN and Olympic Channel: Home of Team USA to Combine for 30 Hours of Television Coverage in 2018

Content Includes World Rowing Cup, European Rowing Championships, and World Rowing Championships Through 2020

STAMFORD, Conn. – May 14, 2018 – NBC Sports Group and the World Rowing Federation, FISA, have partnered on an exclusive, three-year U.S. media rights agreement for coverage of the three World Rowing Cup regattas, the European Rowing Championships, and the World Rowing Championships through 2020, both parties announced today.

NBC Sports Group will present 30 hours of television coverage of the events across NBCSN and Olympic Channel: Home of Team USA.

NBCSN coverage also will be streamed via authentication on NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app. Olympic Channel: Home of Team USA content will be streamed via authentication on NBCSports.com, OlympicChannel.com, the NBC Sports app, and the Olympic Channel app.

“World Rowing is very pleased to announce this step-up of the relationship with the world’s leading Olympic movement broadcaster NBC Sports Group,” says Matt Smith, FISA Executive Director. “There is more viewing interest than ever before in the United States from the growing number of rowers in the country at all levels from high school rowers through to masters rowers and, of course, the tremendous growth in the number of collegiate rowers. This new development will bring the major events of rowing to the living rooms of many, many more potential viewers.”

“By extending the relationship with NBC Sports Group through the 2020 Olympics, we have the opportunity to showcase our team and athletes to a national audience and to broaden our visibility through our Olympic partners’ multiple platforms,” said Patrick McNerney CEO USRowing.

Coverage kicks off with the first of three World Rowing Cup regattas beginning on 3 June from Belgrade, Serbia, and continues with the European Rowing Championships in August, before wrapping up with the World Rowing Championships in September.

“Rowing fans are some of the most passionate out there, and we’re proud to bring them our most extensive coverage of the sport’s most prestigious events,” said Jim Bell, President, NBC Olympics Production and Programming. “We’re thrilled to give these world-class athletes more exposure as we look forward to Tokyo 2020.”

Headlining the U.S. team at the World Rowing Championships will be the women’s eight, which had an unprecedented winning streak that went from 2006 through to the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. The Americans’ flagship boat won every major event since 2006 and claimed Olympic gold in Rio. The U.S. roster will be confirmed later this summer.

The NBC Sports app is available on Apple iOS, Android and select Samsung devices, as well as on Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Chromecast, Roku, Win10, and Xbox. Fans can enter their zip code here to find NBCSN and Olympic Channel: Home of Team USA in their area.

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, IndyCar and many more.

ABOUT THE WORLD ROWING FEDERATION

The World Rowing Federation, FISA, is the governing body of the sport of rowing. With 153 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 organization of World Rowing events. FISA also helps the development of rowing around the world including the provision of coaching education.