The 2024 Summer Olympics was a remarkable celebration of sport and culture in Paris, France. From July 26 to August 11, 2024, the world watched as athletes competed for gold medals, striving for excellence and a place on the podium. This edition marked Paris’s third time hosting the Summer Games, following the iconic events of 1900 and 1924.
We now deep dive into trends experienced by some of NPAW’s Video Streaming clients – OTTs, broadcasters and Telcos who live-streamed the Olympic Games worldwide.
The following stats and insights were compiled from data gathered via the NPAW Video Intelligence Suite, giving us broad estimates of consumption habits for typical viewers.
Streaming Video – Top Plays Day
Sitting atop the podium for the day with most video plays, the gold goes to July 28th. That day represented 8% of total plays streamed during the Olympics.
The highlight events for July 28th were:
- Swimming: Finals in the men’s and women’s 100m breaststroke
- Gymnastics: Artistic – Men’s Qualifiers
- Diving: Men’s 10m platform preliminary round
In the Men’s 100-metre breaststroke final, Italian Nicolò Martinenghi won the gold medal. South Africa’s Tatjana Smith graced the podium twice at these games, winning gold in the 100-metre breaststroke and silver in the 200-metre breaststroke. Smith became the most decorated Olympian in South African history.
Average Daily Playtime
The gold medal for Top Average Daily Playtime goes to July 26th. The glamour, intrigue and spectacle of the Opening Ceremony led to viewers watching for almost twice as long as on other days – an average playtime of 27 minutes. Even those who may not be avid sports fans tuned into the festivities.
Top Playtime Day
For the Top Playtime Day (total viewership), the gold medal goes to August 4th. That day attracted huge audiences, as the following events took centre stage:
- Athletics: Men’s 100m final
- Swimming: Women’s 50m freestyle final
- Gymnastics: Artistic – Women’s All-Around Final
The men’s 100m final was breathtaking, with the USA’s Noah Lyles and Jamaica’s Kishane Thompson running a near-identical time of 9.79 seconds. Lyles was awarded the gold medal via a photo-finish, Thompson the silver, and USA’s Fred Kerley the bronze, with a time of 9.81 seconds.
Subscribers
The gold medal for subscribers goes to July 29th, with approximately 25% more subscribers than the average of all days. July 26th managed to gain the least number of subscribers.
July 29th held several events that boosted viewership:
- Swimming: Men’s and women’s 200m freestyle finals
- Gymnastics: Artistic – Men’s Team Final
- Fencing: Men’s individual épée finals
A Successful & Diverse Global Competition
This year’s Olympics Games saw athletes reach the podium from 84 countries earn Gold, Silver and Bronze medals.
We saw perennial medal winners the USA and China dominate parts of the tournament – both countries taking home more than 90 medals – and 40 gold medals each. Japan (20 gold), Australia (17 gold) and host country France (16 gold medals) rounded up the top five countries on the podium.
We also witnessed sprinter Julien Alfred, from the tiny island nation of St. Lucia, winning both gold and silver in the Women’s 100m and 200m finals respectively.
Paris, A City Steeped in Olympic History
A full century after it last hosted these great games, Paris held a remarkable Summer Olympics 2024. This centennial celebration was not only a nod to France’s rich sporting history but also an opportunity to showcase the evolution of Paris into a modern global city.
The timeless global competition was truly that – a competitive, beautiful, exciting and memorable Paris Olympics, from start to finish. NPAW and our clients were happy to be a part of the coverage – looking forward to 2028 in Los Angeles!