NBC Sports announced its decision to promote Pete Bevacqua to the group’s Chairman. “In his time with NBC Sports, Pete has been exceptional working with our league and organizational partners, as well as in collaboration with other NBCUniversal leaders to strengthen our sports production and overall business in a challenging environment,” Chairman of NBCUniversal Television and Streaming, Mark Lazarus said.
The news was announced Thursday by Lazarus, who led the sports division before assuming his current role. Bevacqua's promotion makes him the third chairman in the Group’s history, along with Lazarus and Dick Ebersol. Lazarus has since risen NBCUniversal’s corporate depth chart, where he serves as chairman of NBCU television and streaming.
Under Bevacqua's leadership, NBC Sports renewed its PGA Tour deal for nine more years and obtained one of the new NFL Wild Card games as part of its expanded playoffs this season. It will air on Peacock in addition to NBC. In June, NBC Sports re-acquired the rest of the media rights for golf’s U.S. Open through 2026, buying out the rest of Fox’s deal.
In June, Bevacqua and his team re-acquired complete U.S. media rights for all United States Golf Association championships, including the U.S. Open and U.S. Women’s Open for the next six years. NBCUniversal also has set a multi-year partnership with PointsBet. A Supreme Court ruling in 2018 opened the door for individual states to legalize sports wagering, and more than a dozen have already done so.
Bevacqua joined NBCUniversal in September 2018 as President of NBC Sports Group, where he had oversight of programming, marketing, digital, the NBC Sports Regional Networks, and all Golf businesses. In February 2019, Bevacqua assumed oversight of the entire sports division. Before arriving at NBC, Bevacqua was CEO of the PGA of America from 2012 to 2018. He also was global head of golf at CAA, Chief Business Officer for the USGA; and managing director of the U.S. Open Championship.
In his time with NBC Sports, Pete has been exceptional working with our league and organizational partners, as well as in collaboration with other NBCUniversal leaders to strengthen our sports production and overall business in a challenging environment.” Mark Lazarus Chairman, NBCUniversal Television and Streaming
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