New media get deals

NBC Universal isn’t alone in panning for gold in Olympic-style sports.

The media giant owns exclusive media rights for Olympic Games through 2012, but two Los Angeles-based companies have staked their claims for such sports as swimming, gymnastics, fencing and skiing when the Games aren’t in session. The U.S. Olympic Committee also has announced plans to form a new media arm.

Last month, NBC Universal signed a marketing agreement with L.A.-based WCSN, which bills itself as “the home of world champions.” The company’s roster runs from badminton to wrestling, which is delivered via cable (reaching 13 million homes) and the Internet. WCSN is being re-branded as Universal Sports.

L.A.-based Wasserman Media Group has signed long-term, exclusive contracts to develop online destinations and other digital media for USA Gymnastics, USA Swimming and USA Track & Field. The deals are designed to bolster each sport’s brand online and through other digital media.

Athletes and their sports federations have high hopes when it comes to new media.

“During the past few years, media companies and the public have been realizing that there is monetary value in the Olympic sports,” USATF communications director Jill M. Geer said. “And new media is completely changing the way the public is exposed to these sports.”

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-- Greg Johnson

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Road to Beijing

NBC Universal expects more than 200 million consumers to catch some of the 3,600 hours of Olympic content it will beam and stream on these platforms.

Broadcast: NBC, Telemundo.

Cable: USA, Oxygen, MSNBC, CNBC, Bravo and various Video on Demand channels.

Internet: NBC.com, UniversalSports.com.

Mobile: Various applications being developed for cellphones.