NBC begins year-out push from Games with live ‘Today’ reports from Italy

The 2026 Milan-Cortina Games begin next February, and NBC’s “Today” spent a large portion of this morning’s show previewing the event as part of its company-wide marketing efforts. “Today” co-host Craig Melvin was joined live in Milan by NBC’s Mike Tirico, who hosts the network’s Olympics coverage, and Tirico touched on what will make these games, the first to be jointly held by two cities, different than previous versions. He said, “It’s just a different feel. Usually you get to the Olympics, there’s one central location. This feels a little different. As we went to some of the venues … it’s spread out around Milan, let alone Cortina.” Tirico: “The organizers are hoping people come to Milan and enjoy this area, and then go to these other places where the Olympics will be taking place. Together it’s a unique thing because there’s never been two hosts cities. But I think it can work because of the spirit each place has and the real genuine connection it has to the Games.” Later in the program, U.S. speed skater Erin Jackson, freestyle skier Jaelin Kauf and figure skater Isabeau Levito joined Melvin in Milan to discuss their attempts to make Team USA.

MASCOT MANIA: The official mascots of the 2026 Games were introduced on “Today,” with Melvin announcing their names are “Mila” and “Tina,” short for the names of the two host cities. The mascots are stoats, an animal that Melvin described as being a “short tale mammal found in the Italian Alps” that is a “cousin of the weasel” (“Today,” NBC, 2/12).