Poly(norbornene)- and poly(cyclooctene)-based copolymers, bearing carbazole and 8-hydroxy-quinoline side chains, were prepared. Upon complexation of the pendant quinoline ligands in the side chain with ytterbium followed by the addition of 2 equiv of additional quinolines, infrared-emitting copolymers that emit around 970 nm were obtained. The emission intensities increased linearly as the density of lanthanide-quinolate complexes increased in the copolymers. Finally, we were able to prove that the polymer backbones do not interfere with the optical properties of the polymers, suggesting that these polymers are outstanding materials as IR emitters.