By Duncan Mackay

NBC Universal have already set a record for the amount they raised in advertising for Sochi 2014September 30 - American broadcaster NBC Universal have sold a record $800 million (£494 million/€592 million) in advertising for next year's Winter Olympics in Sochi and expect it to raise even further, it was reported today. 


Seth Winter, executive vice-president for sales and marketing for NBC Sports Group, told Ad Age, a global source of news for marketing, that the money had been raised from fewer advertisers than for Vancouver 2010. 

Winter predicted that the final total amount raised could approach $970 million (£599 million/€712 million), comfortably outstripping the previous record of $750 million (£463 million/€555 million) raised for Salt Lake City 2002 and Vancouver 2010, but short of the $1 billion (£618 million/€739 million) plus raised for London 2012. 

"As of today, we see $800 million, which is a Winter Games record for us, surpassing Torino [2006], which was in the mid $600s, and both Salt Lake and Vancouver, which were in the mid-$700s," Winter told Ad Age.

"Today we see $800 million - and we think there's growth beyond that."

Olympic TOP sponsors Coca-Cola, General Electric, McDonald's, Procter & Gamble and Visa are among the companies to have booked space on NBC during the Games.

They have been joined by AT&T, BMW, BP, Citibank and Liberty Mutual, sponsors of the United States Olympic Committee.

The amount companies like Coca-Cola are prepared to spend marketing their involvement with Sochi 2014 does not appear to have been affected by the controversy over Russia's anti-gay lawThe amount companies like Coca-Cola are prepared to spend marketing their involvement with Sochi 2014 does not appear to have been affected by the controversy over Russia's anti-gay law

The amount firms have been willing to spend on advertising during Sochi 2014 has not been affected by the recent controversy surrounding Russia's anti-gay laws which have been condemned around the world. 

"We have not seen a single advertiser fall out," Winter told Ad Age.

"While I know all of the advertisers are concerned, and will address it in their unique way, none of them have been shy about investing in the Olympics."

NBC paid $775 million (£471 million/€573 million)) for the rights to broadcast Sochi 2014 as part of a record $4.38 billion (£2.66 billion/€3.44 billion) deal signed in 2011 to continue having the rights to the Olympics until 2020.

Some companies are paying more, Winter revealed, to ensure exclusivity during Sochi 2014. 

"If you're a particular company, you want to shut out your competitors - and have a sole share of voice over those three weeks," he said. 

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