2020 Tokyo Olympics Propel Peacock Forward as Linear TV Ratings Fall
With streaming on the rise and COVID’s impact on live audiences, consumers are exploring their options for watching major events. Some viewers decided to stream sporting events and awards shows, which means they didn’t get the TV attention they have in years past.
The same is true for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games, the way ratings have been indicating. Olympic TV views are down compared to the 2016 Rio Olympics.
The Tokyo Olympics kicked off on Saturday and reported 15.9 million viewers for NBC, which is a 32% decrease from the first night of the Rio Games. On Sunday, viewers were down 36% from the second day of the 2016 Games, as 20 million viewers tuned in to watch the 2020 Olympics. Monday’s viewers, 16.8 million, were down 46% from the third day of the Rio Games.
“The TV ratings are down more than anticipated,” said Lee Berke, president of LHB Sports, Media and Entertainment. “Between the lack of a live audience, the move to streaming and the ongoing dropouts of key competitors due to COVID, all of it seems to have a negative impact.”
Peacock
Peacock is a subscription video streaming service from NBCUniversal that includes original shows, blockbuster movies, and classic television series. Peacock is home to “Yellowstone,” and “The Office,” as well as original hits like “Poker Face” and “Bel-Air.” You can also watch live sports including Sunday Night Football, Premier League, and exclusive MLB games. Peacock is also the exclusive home to many WWE events like WrestleMania. Premium Plus subscribers can stream their local NBC feed in all 210 markets.
While this is bad news on the TV side, it’s good news for Peacock. On Monday, the Games were streamed by 746,000 viewers, which marks a new record for Olympic streaming. Since the Games began, users have streamed 1 billion minutes of Olympics programming on Peacock, the NBC Olympics app, and the NBC Sports app, according to NBC.
In Comcast’s earnings call Thursday, CEO Brian Roberts reported 54 million sign-ups and 20 million active accounts. This is a 50% increase from quarter one’s numbers. Many factors contribute to these impressive totals, but Peacock’s coverage of sports and the Olympics, in particular, plays a role.
The 2020 Tokyo Olympics’ positive impact on Peacock doesn’t necessarily come as a surprise. Peacock chairman Matt Strauss previously referred to the Games as a “meaningful driver” for the streaming service. Peacock was previously falling behind competitors, but exclusive Olympic coverage is keeping the streamer in the race.