• Loading stock data...
Wednesday, December 11, 2024
The 2024 Best Employers in Sports Award winners have been announced! See the full list of winners

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

Notre Dame

College Football Playoff on Campuses Sends Ticket, Travel Prices Soaring

Postseason games are coming to South Bend, State College, Austin, and Columbus.
Joe Tsai

NFL Owners Set to Vote on Dolphins, Bills Stakes for Tsai, Carter,..

The deals are likely to be approved at the owners meetings in Dallas.
Oct 22, 2024; Kansas City, MO, USA; TCU Horned Frogs center Sedona Prince (13) talks to media during Big 12 Women’s Basketball Media Day at T-Mobile Center.

Athletes in Landmark House Case Ask for College Players’ Association

Plaintiffs in the House v. NCAA case want more than just revenue-sharing.

McLaren F1 Team Nearly Folded in 2020. An American Exec Just Led..

An investment from MSP Sports Capital in 2020 saved McLaren.

Featured Today

Nov 2, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; Detailed view of a Wilson NBA basketball held by a referee during the second half between the Utah Jazz against the Denver Nuggets at Ball Arena

‘Obvious Weak Point’: Refs Remain an NBA Gambling Concern

A season after Jontay Porter, the biggest risk may not be players.
Nov 2, 2024; Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA; Michigan Wolverines cheerleader runs with a flag before the game against the Oregon Ducks at Michigan Stadium.
opinion
December 7, 2024

College Football’s Billionaire Backer Era Begins

Is this the new normal in CFB recruiting?
LA Galaxy forward Dejan Joveljic (9) celebrates with midfielder Riqui Puig (10) after scoring a goal against Seattle Sounders FC in the second half in the 2024 MLS Cup Western Conference Final match at Dignity Health Sports Park
December 6, 2024

With or Without Messi, Major League Soccer Is Barreling Into the Future

After the Cup final, the league looks to accelerate its growth.
Dec 18, 2022; Lusail, Qatar; FIFA president Gianni Infantino claps during the awards ceremony after the 2022 World Cup final between Argentina and France at Lusail Stadium.
December 2, 2024

FIFA Wants More Matches. Resistance Is Growing Inside the Global Soccer World

Resentment and frustration over expanded schedules is nearing a breaking point.
Sep 13, 2024; Bolingbrook, Illinois, USA; (Editors Notes: Caption Correction) Bryson DeChambeau of the Crushers GC and Brooks Koepka of the Smash GC shake hands after the first round of the LIV Golf Chicago tournament at Bolingbrook Golf Club.

DeChambeau, Koepka Hope Showdown Helps Unite LIV–PGA Tour

The golfers will compete against Rory McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler.
December 10, 2024

NBA Cup TV Ratings Down 10% Through Group Play

The NBA has faced stiff competition from other sports.
Nov 15, 2024; Arlington, Texas, UNITED STATES; Mike Tyson (black gloves) fights Jake Paul (silver gloves) at AT&T Stadium.
December 10, 2024

Netflix Spectacle Made Tyson, Paul Top Trending U.S. Athletes of 2024: Google

The Yankees and Dodgers were among the top trending sports team searches in 2024.
Sponsored

How UBS Crafts Impactful Partnerships Across Sports, Arts, and Culture

As UBS continues to expand its impressive array of sports and entertainment partnerships, the company solidifies its position as a leader in wealth management.
December 9, 2024

Amazon Breaks NFL Streaming Record (Again) With ‘TNF’ Ratings

The “Thursday Night Football” game drew 17.29 million viewers.
December 6, 2024

NHL Winter Classic Shifts to New Year’s Eve Seeking Viewership Boost

The NHL moved its Winter Classic to December for the first time.
Randy Moss
December 6, 2024

Randy Moss Taking ‘Extended’ ESPN Leave With Health Issue

Moss had discussed it on Dec. 1 before stepping away.
December 5, 2024

Netflix Tackles Buffering Woes Just in Time for NFL, WWE Debuts

The streaming giant says it has “learned” from the Paul-Tyson fight.