IOC, USOC and NBC join forces on U.S. sports channel

(Reuters) – The International Olympic Committee, United States Olympic Committee and NBC Universal have joined forces to bring year-round Games programming to the United States.

The new partnership complements the Olympic Channel that launched as a worldwide digital platform following the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games.

During the second half of 2017 the partnership will start a U.S. television network under the ‘Olympic Channel: Home of Team USA’ brand that will offer fans year-round programming with an emphasis on American athletes and teams.

“The launch … marks an exciting opportunity to promote and celebrate Olympic and Paralympic sport,” said Scott Blackmun, USOC CEO said in a statement on Thursday.

“Launching in conjunction with the inaugural Team USA Winter Champions Series broadcast is a great way to serve the fastest-growing fan base in American sports.”

An earlier effort by the USOC to create a network was undone following objections from the IOC.

The USOC had originally wanted to launch its project in 2010 with Comcast Corp agreeing to carry the channel in its cable lineup.

The move, though, sparked the ire of the IOC which said it had not been consulted.

(Reporting by Steve Keating in Toronto; Editing by Tony Jimenez)