NBC sees record Paralympic viewership numbers after increased investment

The GIST: The numbers are finally in for NBCUniversal’s coverage of the 2024 Paralympics, and the athletes weren’t the only ones shattering records. After offering 1.5K hours of coverage this year, the network reached a record 15.4M total viewers, proving there’s an immense audience opportunity for the Games. Around the world.

The numbers: Over a two-week span, the network averaged 1.2M viewers on NBC and Peacock, up 31% from Tokyo 2020. NBC’s September 1st primetime broadcast averaged 1.8M viewers and peaked at 2.5M to become the second-most watched Paralympics broadcast on record.

• Like the Olympics, this summer’s Paralympics were the most-streamed iteration of all time at 207M total minutes (11x more than Tokyo). USA Network also made history with its live coverage averaging 162K viewers and its September 2nd broadcast drawing 222K average viewers, making it the most-watched Paralympic cable broadcast ever.

The advertisers: NBC has come a long way in only 10 years of Paralympic coverage, but the UK’s Channel 4 has pioneered a strong Paralympics advertising strategy. This year, the network sold tiered ad packages to clients instead of singular ones, which brands snatched up: Channel 4 sold at least 16 brand packages for Paris, compared to Tokyo’s seven.

• In NBC’s case, prominent Paralympic sponsor Toyota returned as the presenting sponsor of its Paris coverage, while Google flexed its AI capabilities in partnership with the network.

• Plus, more televised coverage means more commercial breaks, which advertisers took advantage of in 2024: NBC reported a more than 60% boost in Paralympics ad sales compared to Tokyo. But more content isn’t the only reason — advertisers are leaning into the Games as they increasingly recognize the value add of Paralympic ambassadors.

Looking forward: In the past, there have unfortunately been questions about the marketability and economic viability of sponsoring Paralympic athletes, but NBC’s massive viewership numbers prove that brands activating around these athletes are heading in the right direction.

• As NBC follows in the footsteps of Channel 4 by expanding its coverage and advertising opportunities, companies will have more and more chances to activate around the growing Paralympics ecosystem. Good as gold.