New data from Samba TV reveals a strong rebound in viewership for the Paris 2024 Olympics compared to previous Olympic Games.
According to Samba TV, 59.4 million U.S. households watched the Paris Olympics across both linear television and streaming platforms. This marks a notable 11% increase in household viewership from the Tokyo 2020 Games and a 25% jump from the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics.
The Paris Games not only saw a large total audience but also consistently attracted new viewers each day. Samba TV data indicates that no fewer than 600,000 new U.S. households tuned in daily, with 12 out of the 17 days of the Games bringing in over 1 million new households. Viewership peaked on July 28, when 27.8 million households watched, coinciding with the U.S. women’s gymnastics team’s debut. Another significant spike occurred on August 4, with 25.7 million households watching, which again aligned with key women’s gymnastics events.
Viewership trends also showed that Olympic fans were eager to begin watching early. By the fourth day of the Games, 69% of the households that would eventually tune in had already done so. This figure grew to 80% by the seventh day and reached 96% by the twelfth day. Despite the early engagement, new events continued to draw in fresh viewers throughout the Olympics. For example, a significant number of new households watched the men’s basketball final between the U.S. and France on August 10.
The data also highlights specific demographic trends in viewership. White households were 5% more likely to watch the Olympics than their share of the U.S. population, and households with incomes over $200,000 were the most over-represented, with an 8% increase in viewership compared to their census representation.
This surge in viewership underscores the enduring appeal of the Olympic Games and the effectiveness of NBC’s broadcast strategy across different platforms in reaching a wide and diverse U.S. audience.