Raise your hand if you are surprised.
NBC’s Winter Olympics coverage in China drew the smallest TV audience in its history, dropping more than 40% since the last Winter Games.
In trying to explain the precipitous slide, NBC called it the ‘most difficult Olympics of all time.’
Due to COVID protocols, the network was limited in the number of staff they could send to cover the Games in Beijing.
Add to that the significant time difference, the controversies involving China’s horrific human rights record, and the general apathy towards some of the sports that are featured in the Winter Games.
After the heartbroken athletes that didn’t medal, add NBC to the list, which agreed to pay approximately $1.3 billion every two years through 2032 to broadcast the summer and winter Olympics in the U.S.
