Streaming Hits Record High During RIO Games

Video streaming every competitive event at the Olympics may have been too much of a good thing for NBC, according to The LA Times.

The prime-time TV audience over 17 nights for the Rio Games averaged 25.4 million viewers, the lowest since the 2004 Games in Athens, which averaged 24.9 million viewers. Nielsen data showed an 18% decline from the 31.1 million who watched the  2012 Games in London.

But online streaming of live video on NBC’s apps reached 2.7 billion minutes, nearly double the amount for all previous Olympic Games. When online viewers of replays and highlights are added in, the total is 3.3 billion minutes. NBC said its digital coverage had 100 million unique users, a 29% increase over the 2012 Games.

When NBC executives return from Rio, their first job will likely be analyzing how much streaming cannibalized the traditional TV audience. Every event was available live online and a stream of the prime-time coverage was offered as well.  Live Olympics coverage was also carried on NBCUniversal's cable networks, in effect competing with the broadcast network coverage.

NBC has the rights to the Olympics through 2032 across all TV and digital viewing platforms.

NBC executives expected the Rio Games to show a ratings improvement in over London, as more live competition could be shown from the time zone-friendly venue.