NBC puts positive spin on problems in Rio leading up to Olympics

Most of the non-sports news leading up to next month’s Olympic Games has been negative, but NBC executives put a mostly positive spin on things Monday at a pre-Rio media event in the “Saturday Night Live” studio in New York.

“In a nutshell, we are ready and Rio is ready,” NBC Sports Group chair Mark Lazarus said.

That remains to be seen amid reports of security concerns, construction delays, sluggish ticket sales, polluted water, the pending impeachment trial of Brazil’s president and concerns over the Zika virus.

But NBC’s roster of executives, hosts and reporters has a reservoir of Olympics experience and with the many previous Games that started amid serious worries — most recently in Sochi, Russia, in 2014.

Generally speaking, such concerns tend to fade once the events begin — or at least they recede from the minds of American television viewers once the focus turns to he athletes. Lazarus promised that if there is news that impacts the Games, NBC News and sports personnel can and will cover it.

“Every Olympic Games, whether over the last few or years back, have always had issues,” he said, adding NBC will have a one-hour preview show Aug. 4, the night before the Opening Ceremony, that will address all of them.

“And then we’re going to focus on the athletes and the sport and the celebration of the youth of the world coming together and uniting around this commonality of competition. When we do that, hopefully, these other issues will not rear their head. If they do, we will be there to cover them.”

Bob Costas, who will host the prime time shows during the Games, said: “We will frame all those issues that precede the Rio Games. We are not unaware of them. We’ll set it up beforehand.

“We’ll have our fingers crossed that none of them will intrude on the real reason we’re there, and the real reason people tune in, which is to see the Simone Bileses of the world.”