The Closing Ceremony on NBC and Peacock concluded NBCUniversal’s presentation of the 2024 Paris Olympics – highlighted by 7,000 hours of coverage and 329 events. The company reached a Total Audience Delivery (TAD) of 30.6 million viewers across the combined live Paris Prime (2-5 p.m. ET) and U.S. primetime (8-11 p.m. ET/PT) time periods – up 82% from the Tokyo Olympics (16.9 million), according to fast national data from Nielsen and Adobe Analytics. The NBC Broadcast Network extended its streak to 152 consecutive Summer Olympics nights as primetime’s No. 1 show.
Led by Peacock, 23.5 billion minutes of Paris Olympics coverage were streamed – up 40% from all prior Summer and Winter Olympics combined (16.8 billion minutes across NBCUniversal digital platforms). USA Network ranked as the #1 cable sports/entertainment network in Total Day and primetime viewership over the two weeks of competition.
Gary Zenkel, President, NBC Olympics, said: “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. Benefitting alongside the American audience were our Olympic advertisers who believed, as we always have, in the unifying power of the Games.”
Mark Lazarus, Chairman, NBCUniversal Media Group, added: “Our NBCUniversal team matched the occasion of this transformative Paris Olympics, presenting peerless coverage in daytime and primetime across all platforms, including the NBC broadcast network, which once again was home to the most-watched night of television for 17 consecutive days. The Games marked a groundbreaking moment for Peacock, which delivered a flawless user experience and cutting-edge innovation while shattering all-time Olympics streaming records. USA Network went around-the-clock and ranked #1 in cable sports and entertainment for the past two weeks. Telemundo Deportes provided extensive Spanish-language coverage. NBC News broadcast from on-location in Paris and dominated the competition, while our owned-stations and affiliates had soaring local news ratings. We sold more advertising for the Paris Olympics than for any other Games, and we delivered for all of our partners. Parks and Studios received unmatched promotion, as the ‘halo effect’ boosted all of our businesses. The Paris Olympics was as exciting as we could have hoped, and we can’t wait to work with our partners at the IOC and USOPC in Milan-Cortina in ’26 and LA28.”
NBCU's lead Olympics host, Mike Tirico, anchored nearly 100 hours of primetime coverage, presenting the best events live while adding context and special elements for the evening audience. This strategy paid off, with NBCUniversal posting a TAD of 30.6 million viewers across the combined Paris Prime and U.S. primetime periods, marking an 82% increase from Tokyo. Over the full duration of the Games, Paris Prime and U.S. primetime coverage drew a streaming TAD of 4.1 million viewers daily.
NBC's dominance extended beyond the Olympics. The network's primetime broadcast streak, now at 152 consecutive nights as the No. 1 show, has boosted NBC to the top spot among Adults 18-49 for the 2023-24 season. This dominance is expected to continue through the conclusion of the 12-month season in September, with New Orleans leading all markets in local NBC station ratings during the Paris Olympics.
Peacock, as the streaming home of the Paris Olympics, offered the most comprehensive Olympic destination in U.S. media history. Fans could access over 5,000 hours of coverage, with features like Peacock Discovery Multiview and the generative AI-powered "Your Daily Olympic Recap on Peacock." These innovations allowed fans to navigate the extensive coverage according to their preferences, with up to 60 concurrent live event streams available during the first week alone. Gold Zone, one of Peacock's most popular offerings, consistently ranked among the top five most-watched Olympics titles, nearly quadrupling its viewership over the course of the Games, with a 300% increase in viewership. More than a quarter (25%) of Olympics viewers on Peacock watched via Multiview, with 50% of the time spent in the featured live events and 50% watching in the quad box view. Six out of ten viewers (60%) used the "Browse by Sport" navigation menu in the Olympics hub to quickly dive into a specific sport.
USA Network's strong performance during the Olympics solidified its position as the #2 entertainment cable network in the Adults 18-49 demo for 2024. The network ranked #1 in Total Day and primetime viewership during the two weeks of Olympic competition, outpacing all other cable sports/entertainment networks.
NBC News also thrived during the Paris Olympics, with "TODAY" and "NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt" ranking No. 1 in total viewers and key demographics. These programs achieved their largest Summer Olympics advantages since the 2016 Rio Olympics.
Telemundo Deportes set a new standard for Spanish-language Olympic coverage, providing the most extensive coverage ever, including the first-ever broadcasts of the Opening and Closing Ceremonies. The network's Paris Olympic viewership increased by 26% compared to Tokyo, while Universo viewership surged by 138%. Telemundo also streamed a record 3.1 billion minutes of content, up 18% from the Tokyo Olympics.
NBC Sports' social media platforms reached new heights during the Paris Olympics, generating 6.55 billion impressions, a 184% increase from Tokyo, and 53% above the Rio Olympics. The platforms also saw a 497% increase in social video viewership and added 4.7 million new followers. The "On Her Turf" initiative, focused on women's sports, achieved seven times (7X) the social engagement compared to Tokyo, highlighting the continued power and growth of women's sports.
The 2024 Paris Olympics also delivered significant benefits for NBCUniversal's advertising partners. The Games generated substantial lifts across the brand funnel, with a 27% increase in ad attention, a 44% increase in message recall, a 14% rise in brand search engagement, and a 17% boost in purchase intent. NBCUniversal delivered the highest Olympic and Paralympic advertising revenue in history, with more advertisers than Rio and Tokyo combined, and over half a billion dollars coming from first-time sponsors. The impact on viewers was profound, with 75% of viewers trusting Olympic advertisers and 66% finding Olympics advertisements more credible than other ads.
The 2024 Paris Olympics not only captivated audiences across the globe but also set new benchmarks for media consumption and advertising impact. As NBCUniversal looks ahead to Milan-Cortina in 2026 and the LA28 Games, the success of Paris 2024 serves as a testament to the strength of the Olympic brand and its ability to resonate with audiences and advertisers alike.
We sold more advertising for the Paris Olympics than for any other Games, and we delivered for all of our partners. Parks and Studios received unmatched promotion, as the ‘halo effect’ boosted all of our businesses.” Mark Lazarus Chairman, NBCUniversal Media Group
Related News
