NBCUniversal (CMCSA+0.41%) is already courting advertisers for its ambitious 2026 lineup, which features a slate of major live events.
In a message to clients and partners on Monday, NBCUniversal’s ad sales chairman, Mark Marshall, confirmed that the company will once again hold its upfront presentation at Radio City Music Hall on the morning of May 12. The announcement, detailed in a note obtained by The Hollywood Reporter, signals NBCU’s early push to secure advertising commitments for what it is framing as a historic year.
Every major media company holds upfront presentations, where they showcase programming to advertisers ahead of the fall broadcast season, aiming to lock in the bulk of their ad sales for the year. But NBCUniversal is positioning 2026 as a milestone, coinciding with the 100th anniversary of NBC and an unprecedented lineup of high-profile live events.
In 2026, NBC will be the home of Super Bowl LX and the Winter Olympics. The year will also bring the FIFA World Cup, BravoCon, and the return of the NBA to the network. And staple events like the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade (M-0.54%), professional golf, college football, and Premier League soccer will round out the network’s big year.
Marshall called it “the greatest collection of content that has ever been assembled by one media company.”
The pitch to advertisers comes as NBCUniversal has been solidifying major rights deals. The company recently extended its partnership with the International Olympic Committee, ensuring that NBC and Peacock will continue broadcasting the Olympics through 2036 in a $3 billion deal. This follows last summer’s Paris Olympics, which were a massive success for NBC and generated record advertising revenue for the network.
And it’s not just about sports. NBC is expected to pay triple its previous rate — $60 million — for the broadcasting rights of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade over next decade. NBC has aired the parade since 1953.
NBCU’s aggressive push also underscores the growing importance of live programming across the media landscape. As traditional networks and streaming giants like Netflix (NFLX-1.99%) compete for audience attention, live events remain a rare opportunity to attract massive viewership numbers and premium advertising dollars.
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