NBC Sells Out Commercial Time at Olympic Games

NBCUniversal said it sold out of its Olympic inventory in January, setting a new Winter Olympics ad sales record with more advertisers investing in the upcoming Winter Games than ever before. The Milan Cortina Winter Olympics kick off the company’s “Legendary February” programming, which also includes Super Bowl LX and the NBA All-Star Game. The trifecta has generated extraordinary demand from advertisers leading to sell out across all three tentpole moments.

Ad time during the opening ceremonies on Friday was sold for a reported $1 million for a 30-second slot. It’s a huge weekend for NBC since the network is also airing Super Bowl LX on Sunday with ads also sold out for $10 million each.

“With the resurgence of the Olympic movement, our strongest Sports Upfront in history, the early sell out of Super Bowl LX, and the remarkable return of the NBA, NBCUniversal has solidified itself as a sports powerhouse and brands have taken notice. 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.”

— Mark Marshall, Chairman, Global Advertising & Partnerships, NBCUniversal

Following the success of the 2024 Paris Olympics, brands were more eager than ever to commit to the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics, with over 100 new advertisers investing in the upcoming Games. NBCUniversal also marks the highest linear and digital revenue in Winter Olympics history with the Milan Cortina Games, further showcasing the power of cross platform for brands. 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, +174% from Beijing 2022. Partners are prioritizing viewer-friendly advertising, with over a dozen brands investing in sponsorships to offer more live sports viewing to fans, +75% from Paris 2024.

“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 fans a word class viewing experience; while providing brands the powerful halo effect the Olympics has to offer.”

— Peter Lazarus, Executive Vice President NBC Sports & Olympics, Advertising and Partnerships

The Games will kick off the company’s “Legendary February,” which will see a first in sports media history with the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics, Super Bowl LX, and the NBA All-Star Game airing across NBCUniversal starting February 6, 2026. Throughout February, NBCUniversal is slated to reach 2 in 3 Americans providing brands with unmatched reach and ample storytelling opportunities cross-property.

The NBA’s return to NBCUniversal this past fall sparked a flurry of demand from advertisers, with the company’s unprecedented broadcast and streaming footprint driving strong interest. That demand extended to the NBA All-Star Game, leading to an early sell-out. Additionally, as previously announced, the NBA is debuting a new U.S. vs. World format for the 2026 NBA All-Star Game. NBC/Peacock will present the league’s annual midseason showcase on Sunday, Feb. 15 at 5 p.m. ET/2 p.m. PT at Intuit Dome in Inglewood, Calif., home of the L.A. Clippers.

NBC is also broadcasting Major League Baseball this year in a three-year deal. The network last aired MLB games in 2000.

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