IOC Says NBC Can Delay Whatever It Wants

If NBC wants to show Usain Bolt's 100-meter victory on tape delay, the International Olympic Committee says that's up to the network.

IOC spokesman Mark Adams deflected criticism aimed at NBC, which is the biggest financial backer of the Olympic body. "It's certainly not for us to tell them how to reach their audience," Adams said, adding that NBC live-streamed the race for online viewers. "If you wanted live, you could get it live." NBC has exclusive U.S. rights for the London Games. It struck a $2.2 billion deal with the IOC in 2003, which included rights to the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics. "Obviously, NBC are a good partner of ours," Adams said. "Clearly they know their audience best. They have got absolutely record figures for these games. They tried to get the moment where it would reach the biggest possible audience, which they did." NBC has experience built on broadcasting every Summer Olympics since 1988. It also has shown every Winter Games since 2002 in Salt Lake City. The network will extend that run through 2020 after signing a package last year for four games. NBC will pay $4.38 billion to the IOC for those exclusive rights. The deal includes all broadcast platforms, including Internet, cell phones and handheld devices.