The Paris Olympics aired on NBC and Peacock from July 26 to August 11. NBC and Peacock’s coverage struck gold in viewership and engagement. NBC’s 16-day broadcast averaged 31.3 million viewers, combining US primetime (8-11 p.m. ET) and Paris primetime (2-5 p.m. ET).
Before Paris’s success, the Olympics didn’t generate as much buzz. Some of the increase in ratings between Tokyo and Paris can be attributed to the more U.S.-friendly time zone difference. Paris, being 6 hours ahead of Eastern Time, is significantly more convenient compared to Tokyo’s 13-hour difference, which makes it almost impossible for many in the U.S. to avoid learning the results of events that happen while they are asleep.
The Tokyo Games saw viewership fall to an average of 15.6 million viewers per night, a notable decrease from the 27.5 million nightly average of the highly successful Rio Games. A year later, the 2022 Beijing Winter Games saw even lower numbers in the US, becoming the least-watched Olympics in the modern era with an average of only 11.4 million viewers per day.
The highest viewership number for the Paris Games was recorded during the men’s basketball gold medal game, where the U.S. secured a 98-87 victory over France in a thrilling finish against the host country, which featured several NBA players, including Rookie of the Year Victor Wembanyama.
The Opening Ceremonies in Paris achieved record-breaking numbers, making it the most-streamed event ever and the top entertainment highlight in Peacock’s history. The Closing Ceremonies attracted 20.9 million viewers, more than double the 9.8 million who tuned in for the Tokyo Games.
Back in Tokyo, NBC had to provide extra commercial time to advertisers when the ratings came in below expectations. At this year’s Games, NBC sold its reserved commercials for more than the ones it bought before the Games.
An NBC representative stated that the final ad revenue for the Paris Olympics will set a record as the largest ever for any TV event in history.
The Nine Network, as Australia’s official broadcaster for the Paris Olympics, also set new viewership records. Week 1 of Nine’s Olympic Games broadcast achieved a national total television reach of 17.5 million, marking the highest weekly reach in VOZ history. For context, VOZ, or Virtual Australia, serves as the foundation of Australia’s new Total TV reporting standard.
Day Two of the Games recorded the highest ratings, with the night session drawing a national total TV reach of 5.741 million and a national average audience of 2.332 million. That evening, Mollie O’Callaghan and Ariarne Titmus competed in the semi-finals of the women’s 200 freestyle, where they went on to secure gold and silver in the finals the following day.
Canada saw a record-breaking 24.3 million hours of Paris content on CBC/Radio-Canada’s digital and streaming services, representing a 170% increase compared to Tokyo. Additionally, 7 out of every 10 Canadians tuned into the coverage.
