NBC Sports has followed in the footsteps of ESPN and Fox Sports by asking its top on-air talent to take temporary pay cuts as a result of the sports competition shutdown amid the global Covid-19 pandemic.
Well-known figures such as Mike Tirico, Al Michaels and Dan Hicks will take pay cuts ranging between five and 10 per cent until the end of the year, Variety reports.
Senior executives at parent company NBCUniversal have also taken pay cuts amid the financial fallout of the ongoing health crisis.
NBC Sports has been particularly affected by the postponement of the Tokyo Olympics until 2021, in addition to the absence of other popular live sports properties such as the English Premier League and the National Hockey League.
In March, NBC Sports announced it had sold $1.25bn (€1.16bn) in US ad sales for the Olympics, setting a new record for any broadcaster for the Games. NBC was also planning to utilize the Olympics to promote its new streaming service Peacock.
“Our on-air personalities reached out to see how they could contribute to helping our company at this difficult time, and all have voluntarily accepted temporary pay reductions,” NBC Sports Group president Pete Bevacqua said in a statement. “It’s another reminder of the truly great team we have at NBC Sports, and how we’re all working together to get through this immense challenge.”
Fox Sports and ESPN made similar wage reduction moves in April.