• Loading stock data...
Thursday, June 26, 2025
Front Office Sports Launches Front Office Sports Studios Learn More

2024 Olympics Opening Ceremony, Saturday TV Ratings Way Up

  • NBCUniversal posts its best opening-ceremony viewership since 2012, while Saturday viewership surges 83%.
  • Water quality in the Seine is once again a pressing concern.
Andrew P. Scott-USA TODAY Sports

The momentum is back for Olympics viewership. 

The initial two days of data from the Paris Games have supported many of the hopes of NBCUniversal and parent company Comcast, and showed a strong reversal from record lows posted in Tokyo in 2021 and Beijing a year later, in large part because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

NBC Sports said viewership for Friday’s opening ceremony averaged 28.6 million viewers in the U.S. across platforms, marking the best such figure since 2012, and bettering the comparable figure from 2021 by 60%. 

Those numbers were then improved Saturday, the first full day of competition from Paris, as that day averaged 32.4 million viewers across all platforms, 83% better than the comparable figure from Tokyo. Further growth is expected later Monday once numbers arrive from Sunday’s events, including the first game for the U.S. men’s basketball team. 

These numbers, comparable to a top regular-season or wild-card game for the NFL, further reinforce the Olympics as one of the most powerful entities in all of sports media. 

“We are off to a strong start that is in line with the expectations of our NBC stations, and our distribution and advertising partners,” said NBC Sports president Rick Cordella. “We are in a great position as we look forward to the next two weeks of competition.”

Peacock Burst

As had been hoped, the Peacock streaming service has been an increasing driver of the robust initial Olympic viewership numbers. For the opening ceremony, Peacock generated more than 2.5 million viewers, representing the No. 1 entertainment event in the platform’s history. Across all of NBCUniversal’s streaming platforms, including Peacock, the company also generated more than 1 billion minutes of consumption through Friday—six times the comparable figure from Tokyo. 

Saturday, meanwhile, brought 4.7 million viewers to Peacock, marking its second-best day of engagement ever, trailing only an exclusive NFL wild-card game in January that set a U.S. streaming record.  

Water Concerns

Rain in Paris throughout Friday and most of Saturday is now throwing new levels of doubt as to whether the water quality in the Seine will be sufficient to allow for open-water swimming events in the Olympics. Swimming in the Seine has been illegal for a century, but Paris 2024 preparations included a massive clean-up effort in hopes of making it usable for the Games.

But pollution in the Seine, particularly E. coli levels, often increases after heavy rains in the area. Because of that, training in the Seine for upcoming triathlon events was canceled for a second straight day Monday. The latest testing has deemed the water unsafe, but organizers are hoping for improving conditions with the men’s triathlon scheduled for Tuesday and the women’s triathlon due to follow the next day.

“Given the weather forecast for the next 36 hours, Paris 2024 and World Triathlon are confident that water quality will return to below limits before the start of triathlon competitions on July 30,” the two organizations said in a joint statement. 

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

December 30, 2024; Santa Clara, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy (13) celebrates after scoring a touchdown against the Detroit Lions during the second quarter at Levi's Stadium.

California Finds Money for World Cup, but 49ers Remain Tens of Millions..

The NFL team promised to cover costs of games at their stadium.
May 29, 2025; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks forward Precious Achiuwa (5) sets a pick against Indiana Pacers guard Bennedict Mathurin (00) for Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) during the third quarter of game five of the eastern conference finals during the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Madison Square Garden.

Activist Investor Thinks the Knicks Are Trapped Inside MSG Sports

An activist investor wants the Knicks to be spun off or sold.

Bold Trades Shake Up NBA Draft After Predictable Start

A flurry of trades and falling draft positions lead the post-Flagg activity.
opinion

From Woj Bombs to Shams Calm: ESPN Insider Avoids Draft Spoilers

Charania’s presence was fairly muted both on ESPN and social media.

Featured Today

Mar 15, 2025; Fort Worth, TX, USA; UAB Blazers forward Yaxel Lendeborg (3) dribbles the ball upcourt against the North Texas Mean Green during the first half at Dickies Arena

NIL Is Shrinking the Pool of NBA Draft Entrants

Agents are now advising many players to stay in school.
Apr 24, 2025; Green Bay, WI, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions defensive end Abdul Carter on the red carpet before the 2025 NFL Draft at Lambeau Field
June 21, 2025

‘More Is More’: The Elite Luxury Jewelers Decking Out Athletes

Meet the elite group of luxury designers crafting the biggest statement pieces.
Dec 5, 2024; Miami, FL, USA; FIFA president Gianni Infantino presents the FIFA Club World Cup trophy during the Club Word Cup draw at Telemundo Studios.
June 15, 2025

Revamped Club World Cup Is FIFA’s Billion-Dollar Gamble

The revamped soccer event debuts amid controversy.
Jun 10, 2025; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; United States head coach Mauricio Pochettino stands during the anthem against the Switzerland during the first at Geodis Park
June 14, 2025

Gold Cup Is Complicated for USMNT—but U.S. Soccer Has Its Eyes on..

Uncertain tournament success isn’t fazing forward-looking U.S. soccer.

Fever vs. Aces Draws 5th-Largest TV Audience of 2025 WNBA Season

ESPN will carry seven more Indiana Fever games this year.
June 19, 2025

Pacers Force Game 7, Could Spark Big Ratings Boost for NBA Finals

Game 7 could boost NBA Finals ratings after a slow start this year.
June 23, 2025

NBA Finals Game 7 Is Most-Watched Since 2019, but Series Drops 9%

Game 7 drew 16.35 million viewers, the most-watched NBA game since 2019.
Sponsored

Hottest Matchups Following NFL Schedule Release

The NFL released the 2025 regular-season schedule, and anticipation is already building in the ticket marketplace with four months to go.
June 17, 2025

Stanley Cup Final Delivers Drama but Struggles for Eyeballs in U.S.

U.S. viewership fell while Canadian audiences for the event rose slightly.
June 17, 2025

Streaming Tops Linear for First Time, Sports Still Key to TV’s Resilience

Streaming hits another critical milestone in an accelerating media transition.
June 17, 2025

Zaslav Takes Pay Cut, TNT Sports Future Unclear in WBD Shake-Up

The TNT Sports parent company retools its executive pay after shareholder pushback.
Tyrese Haliburton
June 16, 2025

NBA Finals Ratings Up Again in Game 4 but Still Down Overall

More than nine million people watched Games 3 and 4.