While it is a safe bet Michael Phelps will slip back into relative obscurity soon after Sunday’s Closing Ceremonies, his exploits at these 2008 Beijing Olympics have led to long-term exposure for his sport.
Fresh off of large Phelps-fueled audiences for the first week of the Olympics, NBC has signed a television deal with USA Swimming that will put the USA Swimming National Championships on broadcast for the next three years. Additionally, NBC will air weekend coverage of the 2009 World Swimming Championships on July 26, August 1 and August 2 of next year.
NBC touts the deal as “the most significant U.S. television package in the history” of swimming. In past years, the network has aired sparse swimming coverage, including the Mutual of Omaha Duel in the Pool in 2007 and the Pan Pacific Championships two years ago. The National Championships have not traditionally gotten major exposure; the 2007 edition aired on the internet.
This deal continues the trend of NBC trying to squeeze as much as possible out of the Phelps phenomenon. The network is selling a DVD titled “Michael Phelps: Greatest Olympic Champion” and plans to have Phelps appear during coverage of February’s Super Bowl.
Ratings for swimming telecasts in non-Olympic years.
0.9/2: Pan Pacific Championships (Sat., 8/26/06, 2 PM NBC)
1.3/3: Pan Pacific Championships (Sun., 8/27/06, 12 PM NBC)
0.6/2: Mutual of Omaha Duel in the Pool (Sat., 4/21/07, 2 PM NBC)
0.8/2: Mutual of Omaha Duel in the Pool (Sun., 4/22/07, 4 PM NBC)
