NBC Pivots Olympic Coverage in Attempt to Win Ratings Gold
NBC's new strategy explained.
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NBC Pivots Olympic Coverage in Attempt to Win Ratings Gold
In 2014, just three years after securing the broadcast rights to the Olympic Games through 2020, NBCU extended their rights through 2032 with a $7.75 B deal. Record-low viewership for the pandemic-impacted games of Tokyo in 2021 and Beijing in 2022 has raised questions about the standing of the Olympic Games in the crowded U.S. sports landscape. Despite sagging viewership, the Olympic Games remain one of the preeminent sporting events in the world, and interest in the U.S. remains high.
Entertainment Meets Athletic Excellence
In a new Hub Survey, nearly three-quarters of all respondents (73%) indicated that they would tune in at least once to this summer’s Paris Olympic games. In the same survey, when asked what were the primary motivations to watch, respondents’ top two answers across nearly every age and gender break were “Entertainment” and “Athletic Excellence.”
Athletic excellence is already baked into the Olympic Games, but in a world where attention spans are short, entertainment seems to be the key to ratings success. Molly Solomon, an executive producer who is leading the Olympic coverage, reminds her team that “every second counts.” If something is boring, “kill it.”
The television experience for the Paris Olympics is no doubt benefitting from the return of cheering crowds, packed venues, and a favorable time zone, but NBC believes that those factors alone are not enough to bring audiences back. With ten years left on their rights deal, the leadership of Comcast and NBCU came to the realization that their presentation of the games needed to change. NBC has reinvented its coverage and reached outside of traditional journalism and sports talking heads to re-engage loyal fans of the games and draw in a new generation of viewers.
Here are 3 key parts of NBC’s new Olympics strategy:
Emphasis on Fun. NBC enlisted the help of three of the biggest names in sports and entertainment to help bring the fun to the typically staid coverage of the opening and closing ceremonies. Joining returning host Mike Tirico in the booth for this year’s opening ceremony were the affable celebs Peyton Manning and Kelly Clarkson. Clarkson received blowback for her distracting commentary during the opening ceremony. But we still have the closing ceremonies to look forward to, which are typically looser and more celebratory. Those will feature Tirico, Tara Lipinski, and Johnny Weir. Tara and Johnny return as hosts and will bring their style and humor that has endeared them to ice skating fans. This year the trio will be joined for the first time by Tonight Show host Jimmy Fallon, who will undoubtedly add a bit of playfulness to the event.
NBC Universal Celebrity Spin. To attract a more diverse audience, NBC enlisted Snoop Dogg and Leslie Jones as celebrity correspondents. Snoop Dogg, will bring his own unique spin as he carries the Olympic torch, explores the city, and embraces the Olympic spirit as only the Doggfather can. Olympic enthusiast and SNL alumna Leslie Jones will serve as the “chief super fan commentator,” reporting from various sites across Paris and sharing updates on her social media channels.
According to Hub’s data, “Famous Athletes” are a notable reason for nearly a quarter (22%) of viewers to tune in. NBC plans to have Snoop and Leslie capitalize on this as they document their interactions with the athletes and their families.
Finally, SNL “Weekend Update” anchor Colin Jost moved from behind the anchor desk to Tahiti for the surfing competition, providing commentary and a bit of humor to compliment the play-by-play hosts working remotely from the U.S.
Tapping Creators. Hub survey data found that 18-24 year olds were the least likely (64%) to say they intended to watch the games. In addition, a third of this group (33%) indicated “The Social Experience” as one of their primary motivations to watch the Olympics, a response rate 94% higher than for all respondents. Attracting a new generation of Olympic enthusiasts is vital to their success and requires innovation. In an effort to connect with GenZ and Gen Alpha on social media, NBC deployed the Paris Creator Collective, sending 27 creators to Paris to provide their own commentary on the games across Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube, and Overtime. With full access, the creators will tell the stories of the games through their eyes with custom content. For younger viewers, many of these creators are likely more familiar than the first-screen celebrity hosts and correspondents, making this second-screen experience a valuable strategic move for NBC.
A Make-or-Break Moment
The pandemic precautions, empty stands, and unfavorable time zones that marred the presentation of the last two games is not an issue in Paris. Instead, these games will unfold in a city beloved by many Americans, with venues packed with enthusiastic fans. This feels like a make-or-break moment for Olympic coverage in the U.S., and NBC is keenly aware of this. Early indications are that viewers have returned. Reinventing their strategy was essential for Comcast and NBCU and could set the standard for the remaining four Olympic games under their deal with the IOC. The focus on entertaining viewers will play a crucial role in determining whether the Olympics regain their former prominence or become just another event in a crowded sports calendar.
Chip Walters is a media strategy analysis and communication leader and with more than 20 years of experience supporting premier entertainment studios and broadcast/cable networks. He is known for his ability to synthesize and communicate complex data to internal and external stakeholders. Chip was most recently SVP of Research for The CW Television Network.
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