24 Jul 2024 | Sabrina Quagliozzi

NBCUniversal offers first-ever commercial-free hour during Paris Olympics opening ceremony

NBCU Olympics

Mais oui! Get ready for an uninterrupted spectacle! NBCUniversal is shaking things up for the 2024 Paris Olympics, offering viewers a historic first: a commercial-free hour during the Opening Ceremony’s live broadcast.

A unique partnership for a unique ceremony

This groundbreaking move comes courtesy of a partnership between NBCUniversal and six major sponsors: Coca-Cola, Delta, Lilly, Toyota, Visa, and Xfinity. NBCUniversal’s live coverage of the Opening Ceremony for the Olympic Games Paris 2024 kicks off on Friday, July 26th. While commercials will be absent during the 1:30 p.m. ET start time, these sponsors will still be acknowledged. Their logos will rotate onscreen in 10-minute increments, ensuring brand exposure while viewers enjoy the ceremony uninterrupted. “We are proud to partner with these six Team USA partners to bring fans the first-ever commercial-free hour of coverage for an Opening Ceremony. The Opening Ceremony will be packed with emotion and evoke a profound sense of unity for everyone watching. Running commercial-free will help to amplify this grand spectacle,” says Dan Lovinger, president of Olympic and Paralympic Partnerships at NBCUniversal.

Why the change?

The decision to go commercial-free stems from the unique nature of this year’s Opening Ceremony. Unlike past Olympics held in stadiums, Paris will showcase a spectacular flotilla carrying thousands of athletes from over 200 nations down the Seine River. Award winning director Thomas Jolly is the Artistic Director for the Opening Ceremony. Recognizing the potential for a truly captivating spectacle, NBCUniversal wanted to ensure viewers could experience it all without interruption.

A win-win for all

“We created a win-win,” explains Lovinger. “We’re not eliminating advertisers—we’re giving them a different role.” According to NBCU, sponsors gain valuable brand recognition, while viewers can immerse themselves in the ceremony’s grandeur. “At The Coca-Cola Company, we believe in the real magic that can happen when the world comes together, so being a part of this spectacular presentation of the Opening Ceremony on NBC is a tremendous opportunity to celebrate and share those unifying and inspiring moments. We’re proud of our 96-year long relationship with the Olympic Movement and look forward to bringing our portfolio of brands to fans throughout the Olympic Games Paris 2024,” says Robin Triplett, VP, Integrated Marketing at Coca-Cola North America.

A record-breaking Olympics for NBCUniversal…

This innovative approach reflects the high stakes of the 2024 Games. NBCUniversal is on track to surpass $1.2 billion in ad sales, a record for the Olympics. They’re achieving this through bespoke brand integrations and “Olympicized” creative that resonates with viewers. With a star-studded broadcast team featuring NBC Olympics primetime host Mike Tirico, Emmy Award-winning talk show host and Grammy Award-winning artist Kelly Clarkson, and Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback and two-time Super Bowl champion Peyton Manning, and reporters positioned along the Seine, NBCUniversal is promising comprehensive coverage.

… and a boost for Peacock!

NBCUniversal hopes the Paris games will boost its struggling streaming service, Peacock. The media giant will make all of its 2024 Olympics coverage available on Peacock, including some bonus and specialty shows, marking a fresh start for the network after executives acknowledged its two previous Olympics broadcasts were “significantly challenged” and “impaired” by the COVID-19 pandemic. “We had Peacock in play and it was part of our coverage in Tokyo, and then again in Beijing, but in Tokyo, frankly, we didn’t do a very good job for our customers,” Mark Lazarus, NBCUniversal’s Media Group Chairman who oversees streaming, told reporters last month.