Ebersol Says USOC Should Make Accommodations In IOC Dispute

By Tripp Mickle, Staff Writer, SportsBusiness Journal

NBC's Dick Ebersol Comments On  USOC And IOC Revenue Sharing Debate

DELAY OF GAMES: On the IOC's decision to postpone its rights bidding process for the '14 and '16 Olympics, Ebersol said, "The world situation right now preaches caution and I very much embrace what I think is the IOC's position -- let's wait and see. ... The delay that comes right now is worthwhile for everybody." He tried to dispel the idea that the delay is because media companies want Chicago to win badly, saying, "Of course, we're Americans. We want Chicago to win badly. But there's value in the Olympic Games wherever you have them. But that value would be diminished right now if they were brought to bid." 

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DOUBLING UP: Ebersol recounted his legendary IOC TV rights deal that made NBC the first rights holder of two Olympic Games. He was finishing up a birthday party when his boss called to express concerns about a joint bid NBC was planning with ABC. His boss didn't think the deal would work. He asked Ebersol to break the agreement, but the sports broadcaster said he'd given ABC his word they would bid on the Games together. Randy Falco, who was in the room, asked, "What if we bid on two Olympics? Would that be breaking your word?" After getting approval from GE CEO Jack Welch, Ebersol flew to Sweden to meet with then-IOC President Juan Antonio Samaranch at an international track event and present the idea. He and the NBC team hid in a freight elevator waiting to meet Samaranch and trying to avoid being seen by someone who might tip off competitors. Samaranch approved and recommended they meet with Dick Pound, the IOC executive negotiating TV rights at the time. Ebersol flew to meet with Pound in Montreal where he got the IOC executive's approval. He closed the deal on Friday for the '00 and '02 Games and announced it on Monday. A few days later, Samaranch called to hear about the reaction in the United States. He then said he liked the idea of bidding for multiple Olympics and asked Ebersol about bidding before the Olympics had even been awarded to a host city. It was long before NBC had bought rights to the '04, '06 and '08 Games without even knowing where they would be held.

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