Brian Fung writes that we have NBC to thank for funding the Olympics:

• In the United States NBC has become the network known for carrying coverage of Olympic Games.
• It pays handsomely for this privilege – exclusive broadcast rights to the Winter Games in Sochi cost $775 million.
• This makes up 62% of the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) broadcast revenue for the games.
• In fact if you look at past summer and winter games NBC is responsible for about half of the IOC’s broadcast revenue.
• This is despite the fact that there are 22 other broadcasters who pay for exclusive rights in other countries.
• This ultimately means that NBC is subsidizing a large portion of The Olympics.

See the share that NBC has paid for the Olympics over the years, and more statistics over here.

Source: The Washington Post