The 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris attracted an impressive average of 30.6 million viewers across NBCUniversal’s platforms, marking an 82% increase in viewership compared to the Tokyo Games and setting a new record as the most-streamed Olympics ever.
NBCU reported a staggering 23.5 billion minutes of streaming time, a 40% increase from all previous summer and winter Games combined. The coverage during “Paris Prime” (afternoons in the US) and prime time attracted 4.1 million daily viewers on Peacock and NBCU Digital platforms.
Telemundo’s Spanish-language broadcast also saw a notable 26% increase in viewership over the Tokyo Games.
NBC Olympics president Gary Zenkel praised the event’s ability to unite the American audience, saying, “The Olympics reestablished its unique power to reassemble the American media audience. That shared experience extended over 17 consecutive days across NBC, Peacock, NBCU’s linear channels, and in short form on social and digital channels, as America rallied around the 594 Team USA athletes and their stories.”
The men’s basketball gold medal game, where the US defeated France 98-87, averaged 20.3 million viewers on NBC and Peacock, making it the most-watched gold medal game since the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.
Peacock’s success during the Games marked a significant milestone for the Comcast-owned streaming platform, which has been striving to compete with larger rivals like Netflix and Amazon Prime Video. The Paris Games’ viewership highlights Peacock’s growth since its 2020 launch, with the platform streaming up to 60 live events simultaneously and over 3,200 events in total.
NBCU attributed the viewership surge to new tools introduced for the 2024 Games, including Peacock Discovery Multiview, Live Actions, and a generative A.I.-powered “Daily Olympic Recap” narrated by Al Michaels. The multiview feature alone was used by over a quarter of Peacock’s Olympic viewers.
The increased viewership comes in contrast to the Tokyo Games, which faced challenges due to the pandemic, resulting in a year-long delay and no in-person audience. This led to record-low interest, with the Tokyo Games averaging 15.6 million viewers in 2021.
The success of live sports in driving large audiences amidst a decline in traditional television viewership underscores the value of streaming platforms investing in sports content. NBCUniversal’s recent acquisition of future NBA broadcast rights and the overall boost in viewership following the Olympics may provide a much-needed revenue boost.
Mark Lazarus, Chairman of NBCUniversal Media Group, noted, “We sold more advertising for the Paris Olympics than for any other Games, and we delivered for all of our partners.” The “halo effect” of the Olympics also benefited NBC, with increased viewership for network news broadcasts.
Despite Peacock’s previous subscriber losses, the Olympics are expected to contribute to a surge in subscriptions. The challenge for NBCU now will be to maintain this growth in the coming months.
