LAUSANNE, Switzerland — NBC retained its hold on U.S. Olympic television rights Tuesday in a four-games deal through 2020 worth $4.38 billion, defeating rival bids from ESPN and Fox.
“I can say the Olympics are really in their DNA,” IOC president Jacques Rogge said, referring to the network that has dominated the Olympic broadcast scene in the U.S. for 20 years.
Now controlled by Comcast, NBC won the bid despite last month’s resignation of longtime sports and Olympics chief Dick Ebersol in a dispute with the new owners.
NBC will have exclusive rights to the 2014 Winter Games in Sochi, Russia; the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, as well as the 2018 Winter Games and 2020 Olympics, whose sites have not been chosen.
Fox bid $3.4 billion for four games and $1.5 billion for two, while ESPN offered $1.4 billion for two.
Mayweather to return vs. Ortiz
LAS VEGAS — Six-time world champion Floyd Mayweather Jr. (41-0, 25 KOs) announced he will end a 16-month hiatus when he faces World Boxing Council welterweight champion Victor Ortiz (29-2-2, 22 KOs) on Sept. 17.
NBA players, owners talking
DALLAS — After meeting for more than five hours, NBA owners and players decided to head back to the bargaining table as planned today.
“I just take it as a real positive that we’re continuing to meet,” commissioner David Stern said.
With the current collective bargaining agreement set to expire June 30, both sides said they hope frequent meetings can prevent a lockout.
Stern said they “haven’t reached agreement on anything,” and he reiterated owners still want massive changes to the league’s salary structure, saying they need a “very significant restructuring for the owners to have a sustainable investment here on hopefully approaching $5 billion of revenue.”
The union declined to comment.
• Guard Ray Allen exercised his option to remain with the Boston Celtics next season.
Footnotes.
The Phoenix Coyotes traded the negotiating rights of free-agent goalie Ilya Bryzgalov to the Philadelphia Flyers for forward Matt Clackson, a third-round draft pick in 2012 and future considerations. The Coyotes also signed backup goalie Jason LaBarbera to a two-year contract.
• Tennessee athletics director Mike Hamilton announced he decided to resign so the Volunteers would have a “clean slate” when they go before the NCAA’s Committee on Infractions this week.
• The NFL and its players held talks in New York, seeking a resolution to the labor impasse, though neither side revealed details of the meeting.
• Serena Williams will begin her comeback to professional tennis next week at a grass-court tournament in Eastbourne, England, after nearly a year off because of various health issues.
• Olympic gymnastics champion Paul Hamm said there is a “small possibility” he could be ready to do a few events at the U.S. championships in August, which would be just seven months after shoulder surgery.
The Associated Press
