NBC’s Winter Olympics viewing figures skyrocket as gamble pays off

Concerns over NBC’s substantial $7.75 billion investment in US Olympic media rights through 2032 appear to have been assuaged, as the broadcaster recorded its most-watched Winter Games in 12 years.

The significant viewership figures suggest a strong return on the 2014 deal, which many had initially questioned.

According to data from Nielsen and Adobe Analytics, NBC’s prime afternoon and primetime coverage of the Milan Games averaged 24 million viewers through Friday. This represents a remarkable 94 per cent increase compared to the 2022 Beijing Games.

This success follows a similar trend from the 2024 Paris Summer Games, which saw an 82 per cent rise in viewership from the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, indicating a sustained resurgence of interest.

Full viewership data for the 17-day event, including the US men’s hockey team’s overtime victory against Canada, is anticipated to be released shortly.

Rick Cordella, President of NBC Sports, speaking from Milan, credited the previous Summer Games for this renewed engagement.

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"I think that the Paris Games deserve a lot of the credit for rejuvenating that interest and enthusiasm, and some of that momentum continued through to Milan," he stated.

Molly Solomon, NBC’s president and executive producer for the Olympics, and her team are also being lauded for their strategic shift in coverage following the Beijing Games.

Instead of reserving key events for primetime, they were made available live via streaming, alongside NBC’s network and cable channels.

The primetime broadcast was subsequently re-envisioned to offer highlights, in-depth interviews, and analysis, complementing the live action viewers might have already seen.

"How do we best make sure that we are continuing to tell the story (of athletes) after they leave the venues? I do think that one of the improvements we made from our Paris coverage was to follow the athletes to their after-parties and reunions with their friends and families," said Ms Solomon, overseeing operations from Stamford, Connecticut.

She cited examples such as following Alex Ferreira’s gold medal celebration and being present for Mikaela Shiffrin’s Team USA toast.

"These athletes trusted us to have our cameras there, and I do think it made for even richer storytelling and taking the audience there."

This approach, which mirrors formats long used in other countries, also responded to viewer demand for change.

While NBC has streamed all Olympic sports since the 2012 London Games, the launch of Peacock in 2020 marked a significant leap.

By Friday, the Milan Games had accumulated 14.8 billion minutes of streaming in the US, more than double the total for all previous Winter Games combined (6.9 billion).

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Improved performance by the US team, which underperformed in the Covid-impacted Tokyo and Beijing Games, also contributed to the viewership gains.

Thursday’s win by the US in women’s hockey over Canada in overtime and Alysa Liu’s gold medal in figure skating averaged 26.7 million across NBC, USA Network, Peacock, and NBC Universal’s other digital platforms.

USA Network and Peacock averaged 5.3 million viewers for the gold-medal hockey game, making it the most-watched women’s hockey game on record. It peaked at 7.7 million in overtime when Megan Keller scored the game-winning goal.

"It was truly a golden hour. We popped between control rooms, and you just never know what’s going to happen," Ms Solomon remarked.

"The energy in our control rooms on site, we couldn’t believe the confluence of drama and excitement, but that really is what the Olympics is about. It’s unpredictable, thrilling, and it just coincided in the golden 64 minutes."

NBC is well-positioned to maintain this momentum for upcoming Games. The 2028 Summer Games in Los Angeles will feature extensive live coverage, while the 2030 Winter Games in the French Alps will see a return to the successful coverage model employed in Paris and Milan.

Although the 2032 Summer Games in Brisbane, Australia, will present challenges due to time zone differences, the 2034 Winter Games in Salt Lake City promise another live Olympics experience for US audiences.

NBC holds the rights to the Olympics through 2036, having secured the 2034 and 2036 Games last year for an additional $3 billion.

Mr Cordella concluded: "Paris begets Milan, and Milan will beget LA. I think the Olympics are just unique in many respects. The US-Swiss curling match, there are hundreds of thousands of people online streaming.

“They’re seeking it out and watching these matchups of these athletes; they probably didn’t know about them before the Olympics began. It’s compelling TV, and that’s kind of what the Olympics does."