Universal Sports Assets Taken Over by NBCU

NEW YORK: The portfolio of rights held by the shuttered Universal Sports Network has been sold to NBCUniversal by World Championship Sports Network.

Universal Sports Network, in operation for almost a decade, was majority owned by InterMedia Partners, with NBCUniversal holding a minority stake. The signal for the network ceased today. In a deal with World Championship Sports Network, effective immediately, NBC Sports is taking over the portfolio of rights held by Universal Sports. This includes agreements with international and national governing bodies for Olympic-sport events in swimming, track and field, gymnastics, figure skating, skiing, cycling, triathlon, volleyball and more.

“Acquiring these valuable media rights builds on our long-term investment in the Olympic Games through 2032, and reaffirms our commitment to Olympic sports and the stories of the great athletes who compete in them,” said Gary Zenkel, the president of NBC Olympics, a division of NBC Sports Group. “We now have a great opportunity to engage with the Olympic-sport audience year round and inspire the next generation of Olympic fans, which is a critical part of our ongoing Olympic strategy.