Olympic Roundup: A Strong First Weekend for Team USA, but Not for NBC's Ratings

Viewership remains low compared to 2008 and 2012

The 2016 Summer Olympics kicked off Friday with the opening ceremony in Rio de Janeiro. Here's a look at the most important stories from the Olympics for marketers:

NBC Ratings Continue to Struggle Compared to Previous Games

Viewership of the opening ceremony for the 2016 Rio Olympics on NBC dipped 28 percent compared to the 2012 London Games opener, and Day 2 didn't fare much better. Saturday's ratings, while strong compared to the rest of broadcast, remained down substantially compared to the opening Saturday of London 2012 and Beijing 2008. (Adweek)

Here's Why NBC Believes Viewers Are So Frustrated With Olympics Ads

Facing criticism for its Opening Ceremony tape delay and an ad load that many viewers felt was too heavy, NBC told Adweek that there might be a surprising reason for the backlash: the recent shift to commercial-free binge viewing on services like Netflix. (Adweek)

Team USA Ends Opening Weekend Tied With China...

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