A Gallup poll released Thursday found that Paris may not be doing much better among U.S. viewers after lower ratings for the Tokyo and Beijing Olympics due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Simone Biles and women’s gymnastics are expected to be highlights, with respondents choosing it as the sport they are most looking forward to.
But according to the poll, 30% of respondents said they would not watch any of the Olympics, 34% said they would not watch too many games, and 35% said they would watch at least a fair amount. This last number is lower than the 48% measured before the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics. Gallup did not measure willingness to watch the Tokyo Olympics, which will be held a year later.
NBC’s primetime coverage of the Tokyo Olympics drew about half the audience of the previous Summer Games. The number of U.S. spectators at the Beijing Olympics hit a record low for the Winter Olympics. Both Olympics were held under tight restrictions, limiting spectators and curbing typical promotional activities. NBC, which owns the U.S. rights through 2032, is trying to reverse that trend by attracting a host of entertainers and non-Olympic athletes to the coverage.
The past three Olympics, including the 2018 PyeongChang Games, have been held in time zones that have limited the live programming NBC can air in prime time.
The network did not immediately respond to The Associated Press’ request for comment on the poll. Still, Biles and the rest of the USA Gymnastics team could bring in big ratings, and Gallup found that overall, women’s sports are just as anticipated as men’s sports. 42% selected women’s gymnastics as their most anticipated sport, while approximately two-thirds of respondents ranked it in their top three. The competition begins with the qualifying rounds on Sunday.
