Gov. Lamont tours NBC Sports’ Olympics HQ in Stamford
NBC Sports is beaming out 7,000 hours of Olympic events to the world over the next two weeks. To get it all on the air, NBC Sports has brought in an extra 1,300 workers.
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The Olympics may be in Paris, but every television and streaming feed actually comes from NBC Sports’ headquarters in Stamford. The network has brought in hundreds of extra employees for the massive effort.
On Monday, News 12 Connecticut tagged along as Gov. Ned Lamont got a behind-the-scenes look inside the operation.
“IT’S COMING FROM HERE”
Inside a former Clairol shampoo factory on Blachley Road, NBC Sports is beaming out 7,000 hours of Olympic events to the world over the next two weeks.
“It’s coming from here,” said NBC Sports executive vice president Rob Landau. “Everything that people see on air, on Peacock, on USA, on Telemundo – all elements of the content are running through this building in the city of Stamford."
Landau led the governor and Stamford Mayor Caroline Simmons on a tour Monday morning – including the Broadcast Operations Center, where every single feed from Paris comes in live.
“You go in there, you see all the different screens,” said Lamont. “They try and balance it.”
1,300 EXTRA WORKERS
To get it all on the air, NBC Sports has brought in an extra 1,300 workers.
“We have people supporting production, engineering, operation,” said Landau.
In fact, much of the color commentary is actually done remotely in Stamford, instead of Paris.
“There are about 30 audio booths, whereby we have talent and producers calling the action as well,” Landau told us.
And all that extra manpower is having a major economic impact.
“Our hotels are packed,” said Simmons. “They’re enjoying downtown – shopping and going to restaurants."
FILM TAX CREDIT
Simmons said Connecticut’s Film Tax Credit helped make this happen. In recent years, some state lawmakers have pushed to eliminate the tax break.
“I would say it’s worth it, if you look at the job creation,” she said. “Over two thousand jobs here at NBC Sports. We have WWE headquartered in Stamford, iTV and so many growing digital media companies.”
NBC Sports relocated to Connecticut in 2012 using tax incentives, and a $20 million low interest loan, from the state’s former “First Five” economic development program. The network produces nearly all sports programming out of its 32 acre Stamford headquarters, and next year, the network will add NBA games for the first time in 22 years. NBC also produces talk shows like “The Steve Wilkos Show” and “The Karamo Show” from the Rich Theatre on Atlantic Street.
