After a year of delays, the Tokyo Olympics is finally here.
But the growth in streaming is expected to lower broadcast viewership numbers. About 27.5 million people tuned into the 2016 Rio Olympics each night during Primetime, and around 86 million households had a cable or satellite subscription that year. This time around, the Tokyo Olympics are at least 13 hours ahead of the U.S.' main broadcasting hours, and 11 percent fewer households still maintain their cable or satellite bundles. On top of this, NBC Sports is saving the live feed of several popular sports, including mens' and women's gymnastics and track and field, for its streaming service Peacock in order to drive viewers to the platform.
But despite the protests and concerns over safety during COVID-19, advertisers haven't stopped backing the Games. While sponsor Toyota announced it would pull its ads running in Japan during the Olympics, it is still moving forward with its plans in other countries. In fact, NBC Sports said it has at least 120 advertisers this year, 80 of which are brand new. It is expecting to bring in more than $1.2 billion in ad revenue, which was the last benchmark set by the 2016 Rio Olympics.
"I think it shows a sensitivity to their specific region and a respect, which the Japanese people are known for, so I think it was the right thing to do," said Influencer marketing agency Takumi CMO Kristy Engels about Toyota.
"When you look at the other advertisers out of the major ad sponsors, no one else has pulled out to date so they're all sticking with their existing programs so you'll still see the Toyota ads running here in the U.S.," she added.
Here are the headlines you Need 2 Know for Wednesday, January 15, 2020.
The WNBA and its union announced a tentative eight-year labor deal Tuesday that will allow top players to earn more than $500,000 while the average annual compensation will surpass six figures for the first time.
Here are the headlines you Need 2 Know for Tuesday, January 14, 2020.
In bringing esports to the big screen, IMAX President Megan Colligan said the company is trying to find new ways to make the most of movie theaters at times when ticket sales generally lag.
Here are the headlines you Need 2 know for Friday, January 10, 2020
Six-time NBA All-Star Paul George is promoting his Nike PG4s — and he says the new collaboration is different from any other sneaker that fans have seen on the court.
Even though TeamFight Tactics was initially released as a League of Legends game mode, it has become so much more. And is now a staple within the autobattler genre. Inven Global's Esports Journalist Tom Matthiesen joined us to give us a review of 2019 as well his thoughts for TFT's 2020 future.
Despite expanding into music festivals and other notable entertainment venues, Satisfi co-founder and CEO Don White says that sports remain the company's number one priority.
These are the headlines you Need 2 Know for Monday, January 6, 2020.
Former NBA commissioner David Stern, who died on New Year's Day, carved out his professional legacy by turning the league, and the sport of basketball, into a massive commercial success. But the hard-nosed executive also left behind lasting social impact with the decisions he made over the course of his three-decade tenure at the top, remembers David Levy, former president of the Brooklyn Nets and a friend of Stern.
