The Tokyo Olympics are set to start in just under three months despite Japan’s skyrocketing Covid cases and declared state of emergency. As nationwide hesitation for the games heats up, the Olympic Committee remains steadfast in continuing with the games, insisting all necessary safety precautions and testing will be rigorously implemented and upheld. Assuming the games do proceed as planned, this particular spectator-less spectacle might lack some of the classic Olympics appeal and flair, but a general increase in digital sports viewerships offer marketers assurances in outreach opportunities during this year’s Olympic games and livestreams.
 
Sports viewerships are on the rise, through the pandemic and beyond. While the U.S. struggled with COVID last year and sports game rescheduling, digitally-savvy fans kept their favorite sports afloat, helping to sustain viewership numbers during times of decreased television ratings. As we’ve previously reported, hardcore sports fans provided much-needed propulsion during the pandemic, and the value of sports sponsorships also grew, with fans engaging even more across digital channels with their favorite teams and players. 2020 revealed the power of the digital sports fan, and we’ll only see these viewership trends continue even while stadiums inevitably fill again.

The pandemic accelerated migrations to digital spaces, and sports audiences have adapted fast, getting comfortable within the digital realm and providing increased viewing times for livestreams. Super Bowl LV experienced low television viewership but attained the highest streaming numbers yet, growing 69% over the previous Super Bowl’s record-setting digital viewership. Across the globe, a similar trend can be seen with the FA Cup final breaking last year’s record viewership with 9.1 million tuning in. Although that total combines all BBC platforms, there’s no denying the significant contribution digital livestreaming numbers now make for sporting events.
 
NBC, who will be broadcasting the Tokyo Olympic telecasts, will also be offering livestreams via their Peacock streaming platform. A relative newcomer to the streaming arena, Peacock offers viewers a variety of tiers, including an ad-supported free option, allowing for programmatic placement during game livestreams. Ultimately, the more methods for audiences to access games, the greater the ability for digital marketers to reach engaged Olympics watchers, walled or not. As livestreams are predicted to continue their upward trajectory, strategic digital placements during these heightened traffic times can help maximize outreach effectiveness.
 
Digital sports fans are growing in both numbers and power, and reaching these audiences while they’re actively engaged with livestreams and events helps marketers capture the ongoing excitement regardless of stadium attendees or telecast viewerships. Whether fans are in or out of the games, our powerful social insights-based audiences can help you reach Tokyo Olympics audiences anywhere. Want to reach a particular segment of Olympics fans? Our audiences cover over 4K entities, giving your segmentation the customization necessary for peak performance during an unprecedented time. Get in touch to learn more.