Of all the problems plaguing the upcoming Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, the amount of coverage is certainly not one of them. And while most of today’s headlines surrounding the games focus more on incomplete infrastructure, health concerns, and doping scandals, once the action officially gets underway in just one week, we’ll be paying more attention to the competition than the shortcomings. And to help ensure that happens is a new partnership involving NBC Olympics, Facebook, and Instagram, which will provide Facebook Live content featuring athletes and NBC commentators to bring fans from around the world together on social media.
While this is actually the third consecutive time that NBC Olympics and Facebook have worked together for the games, it’ll be Instagram’s maiden voyage to the event — at least in this capacity.
“This partnership is about reaching fans on Facebook and Instagram with NBC’s great and compelling Olympic content,” said Gary Zenkel, president of NBC Olympics. “It’s about fueling the Olympic conversation and driving interest in watching the games — and it’s a natural outgrowth of our mission to share the powerful and captivating stories behind the world’s most accomplished athletes.”
NBC and Facebook will collaborate on a “Social Command Center” on site in Rio, which aims to capture Facebook Live content like interviews with experts and athletes. These videos will be pushed out across both Facebook and Instagram, and NBC has also committed to producing a two-minute daily recap video for American Facebook users that will serve as a highlight reel for the day’s happenings. And for Instagram, NBC will be producing a “daily slow-motion video around an inspiring moment.”
“We’re excited to work with NBC Olympics to provide fans with a unique, immersive, and engaging Rio 2016 experience on Facebook and Instagram,” said Dan Reed, Faebook’s head of global sports partnerships. “As a complement to NBC’s programming, our platforms will allow fans to access, interact with, and share a wide variety of engaging NBC video content from Rio to stay current and connect with their friends and communities. Together, our platforms will provide both a front row seat and backstage pass to the biggest event of the year.”
