Universal Sports extends USA Swimming partnership

US cable-television broadcaster Universal Sports, part of US media group NBCUniversal, has extended rights for events operated by the USA Swimming national governing body.

The new agreement will run for three-and-a-half years, starting immediately and running until 2016.

Under the deal, Universal Sports will retain exclusive multi-platform rights for USA Swimming’s annual Arena Grand Prix Series, as well as rights to other grand prix competitions staged by the governing body.

David Sternberg, chief executive of Universal Sports, said: “Swimming is an integral part of our programming line-up, and this agreement reinforces our commitment to these outstanding athletes and providing the growing US swimming community with the events they crave.”