'Disappointed' NBC Sports, IOC Look to Make Spectator-Less Tokyo Games a Must-Watch

Thursday’s ban of all in-person spectators at the upcoming Tokyo Olympics cast a pall over NBCUniversal’s 7,000-hour coverage plans for the Games. But the broadcaster and organizers of the Summer Olympics, which begin in two weeks, are looking for ways to bring fans back into stadiums and competition venues digitally to retain some of the excitement that comes from having fans in the stands. For NBCUniversal, the approach to the production challenge will be informed by the last year of learnings from other sports programming that had limited spectators due to Covid-19. Some live sports programming, including the NBA, have used production tricks like enhanced crowd noises to help retain some of the magic that comes with a full stadium, although it’s unclear whether that will be a feature of the upcoming broadcast. “We’re disappointed that there won’t be spectators at the events, but we've long had plans for enhancing the viewing experience across our many platforms,” an NBC Sports spokesperson said in a statement. “We’ve had a lot of experience with events without spectators throughout the pandemic. Although unfortunate, this won't diminish the incredible stories and achievements of the athletes from Team USA and around the world.” Tokyo Olympics Bans All Spectators Following Japan’s State of Emergency The broadcaster has already developed plans to capture some of the excitement from spectators ahead of the ban that allowed for remote production, including a separate production wing dedicated to capturing athletes’ families as they watch their loved ones compete. That wing, which the broadcaster calls Friends and Family, is designed to replicate some of the live reaction spots and capture some of the emotional highs and lows that come with the competitions, and that footage will be showcased in primetime shows and across platforms. “We’ve been working on this for months, even before the news was announced that international fans would not be allowed to travel to Tokyo,” Rob Hyland, a coordinating producer for NBC Sports responsible for NBC Olympics’ primetime show, told reporters last month at an Olympics press event. “We really want to bring those moments between families and the Olympics together.” Bringing fans virtually to Olympic stadiums Meanwhile, the International Olympic Committee and the Olympic Broadcasting Services, the production company that helps deliver Olympics programming to TV rightsholders globally, are also introducing some features to brings virtual fans back into competition stadiums. Those features, which the IOC detailed in a release Friday, include something called a “fan video matrix” where fans can share their reactions to competitions through five-second video selfies that will be displayed as a video matrix inside venues, and a virtual “cheer map,” where fans can virtually clap or cheer by clicking an on-screen button and then have their reactions recorded in through a map of “cheer activity.” Those maps can be broadcast as a video stream and showcased on video boards erected in certain venues. At certain venues, Olympic athletes will be able to interact directly with their family and friends back home following their competitions at special set-ups dubbed “Athlete Moment” stations. “Our ambition is to bring the magic of the athletes’ achievements to the world on an unprecedented scale,” Olympic Broadcasting Services CEO Yiannis Exarchos said in a statement. “Technology is going to play a critical role and allow us to bring fans ‘inside the venue’ virtually. This is an important ambition, not just for the fans, but also for the athletes as they compete on the world’s biggest stage. The IOC and OBS have been able to benefit from the great partnerships we have with the world’s leading media companies and sponsors and with Tokyo 2020. We also believe these new digital innovations will leave a legacy which we will build on at future editions of the Olympic Games.” The last-minute ban on spectators, which accompanies a fourth state of emergency declared in Japan due to the Covid-19 pandemic, throws a curveball at NBCUniversal, which has already had to adjust to the Games’ year-long delay. The broadcaster is hoping to use the Games to supercharge its fledgling streaming service Peacock and has planned wall-to-wall coverage of the competition across all of its media properties. In addition, NBCUniversal has secured more than $1.2 billion in ad revenue sold against those plans from more than 120 advertisers. As NBCUniversal projects confidence about the upcoming Games, so are some of the broadcasts’ biggest sponsors. Said a spokesperson for P&G: “P&G has always used our sponsorship of the Olympic Games to support athletes and their families. We will continue to use our program for Tokyo 2020 to tell inspiring stories about the athletes and their families, and shine a light on the good they are doing in their communities.”

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'Disappointed' NBC Sports, IOC Look to Make Spectator-Less Tokyo Games a Must-Watch

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Kelsey Sutton

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Kelsey Sutton