NBCUniversal is on track to achieve a groundbreaking milestone in advertising revenue during the 2024 Paris Olympics, already securing “$1.2 in ad sales commitments.”
According to a press release of today’s conference call with Dan Lovinger, NBCUniversal president of Olympic and Paralympic Partnerships, $350 million of the $1.2 billion in committed ad sales is from new advertisers.
Lovinger also announced that NBCUniversal has already sold out almost 95% of its Olympics-centered primetime marketing integrations, while its Olympic primetime sponsorships have quickly sold out.
The 2024 Olympics will be held in “The City of Light” between July 26 and August 11.
With this amount of ad sales early on in the game, Lovinger is confident that NBCUniversal will record “the most advertising revenue in Olympic history.”
NBCUniversal will air the Summer Games on its TV networks and live stream them on Peacock with a Multiview feature that allows the simultaneous viewing of up to four events.
Peacock’s 2024 Olympics coverage is expected to drive NBCUniversal’s ad sales to new heights, aligning with the evolving viewer preferences towards streaming platforms for live sports content.
“Digital advertising revenue for this year is already setting a new record, surpassing any digital ad revenue in the history of the Games,” Lovinger announced.
Alex Cooper will be at the Paris Olympic Games this summer to host Watch with Alex Cooper, a series of live interactive watch parties streaming on Peacock. pic.twitter.com/bpMiADboYA
— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) April 3, 2024
“Digital advertisers will not only have access to all live streaming and simulcast events, but their ads will also flow through our host feeds, our interactive watch with Alex Cooper experience, the Gold Zone, and all the various ad innovations and formats we have on Peacock,” he added.
Focusing on Women's Sports and Female Viewership
The interest surge in women's sports and the success of the Peacock streaming service have been pivotal in attracting advertisers.
With an emphasis on featuring female athletes, NBCUniversal expects half of its primetime coverage during the Paris Olympics to cater to female audiences.
It's also noticeable that its social media platforms contain more content about women athletes.
This Katie Ledecky stat is over a decade in the making. đź‘Ź pic.twitter.com/0IInCgqtUa
— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) April 7, 2024
“With the gargantuan ratings recently seen in the women’s NCAA Tournament, the opportunity for advertisers to support women in sport and reach female viewers has never been greater with the Olympics,” Lovinger revealed.
“From Paris Hilton to Dolly Parton to Peyton Manning and Megan Thee Stallion, Emily Collins, new Olympic fans are connecting with the franchise and planning to view,” he added.
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In January 2023, Hilton kicked off NBCUniversal’s campaign on its official coverage of the 2024 Paris Olympics with the "All Eyes on Paris" ad.
This strategic move has enticed new Olympic advertisers, contributing to the $350 million secured in ad revenue.
“The Olympics is the ideal place to reach women, to support women, and we’re very, very proud of that,” Lovinger said.
“Taking a new approach for such an iconic and loved event like this is never easy, but our decision to think big and provide an experience that’s new and exciting for fans is certainly paying off.”
