NBC Sports shuffles execs

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NBC Sports Group has announces an internal restructuring.

• President Pete Bevacqua will essentially take over control of the group.
• Bevacqua will add the Olympics and production and operations divisions that previously were under the leadership of Mark Lazarus, who is chair of NBCUniversal Broadcast, Cable, Sports and News.
• Bevacqua will still report to Lazarus.
• Lazarus, meanwhile, will join the NBCU executive committee, lead by CEO Steve Burke.
• The changes are at least partially triggered by Lazarus’ promotion last month to oversee NBC News Group, CNBC, cable and NBC owned TV stations and affiliate relations.
• The changes notably put Bevacqua in charge of the network’s Olympics unit, which were previously headed up by Jim Bell.
• Bell shifted directions in October 2018 and became showrunner on “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.”
• Earlier this year, NBC Sports lost one of its most prominent on air faces, when Bob Costas announced his departure.
• It was later revealed that his desire to bring awareness to traumatic brain injuries suffered by professional football players played a big role in him falling out of favor at NBC, with NBC first yanking him from Super Bowl coverage and then Olympics.