Snoop Dogg attends the women's artistic gymnastics qualification on day two of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games at the Bercy Arena in Paris on July 28, 2024.
Arthur Holmes | Getty Images Sport | Getty Images
Millions of viewers in the United States are tuning in to the Summer Olympics in Paris, and many of them are enjoying a heavy dose of Snoop Dogg as part of the experience.
Starting with the opening ceremony, the five-day average total viewership was 34 million viewers, combining daytime and primetime coverage, up 79% from the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, NBC Sports said in a statement.
Executives of ComcastNBCUniversal, the US television and streaming broadcaster of the Games, has been promoting not only the success of its production but also the celebrities and personalities employed as part of the coverage, most notably Snoop Dogg.
The hip-hop artist turned sportscaster and entertainer has been on the sidelines of the Games in Paris, speaking to athletes and their families, testing sports with Olympic stars and providing analysis.
NBC Olympics executive producer Molly Solomon referred to Snoop Dogg as an “ambassador of happiness” during a press conference this week.
“We were pleasantly surprised by his popularity, but you should never underestimate Snoop Dogg,” Solomon said, noting his “wonderful mix of swagger and positivity, and his charisma and positive vibes.”
Snoop Dogg carries the Olympic flame during the final leg of the Olympic torch relay before the opening ceremony in Seine-Saint-Denis, France, July 26, 2024.
Victoria Valdivia | Hans Lucas | AFP | Getty Images
Snoop Dogg joining the Olympic torch run has generated considerable buzz on social media, from clips of him cheering alongside family members of Olympians to numerous selfies with athletes and people on the sidelines, including tennis legend Billie Jean King.
She has fueled some viral moments, including cheering alongside American swimmer Caeleb Dressel's wife and baby as Team USA won its first gold medal and dancing in the crowd as the U.S. women's gymnastics team responded from the mat.
Her swimming lesson with Olympic legend Michael Phelps also circulated on the Internet.
“The first time I saw him on Olympic coverage was during the track and field trials in June,” said Krissy Birdsall, a student at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, who added that she has been watching the Games more because of the favorable time difference in Paris. “He was very entertaining and brought a different perspective to the world of track and field.”
Excited audience
NBCUniversal had been banking on the success of the Paris Olympics and Snoop Dogg for the past few years.
The rapper, known for hits like “Gin and Juice,” made his first appearance at the 2021 Olympics when he hosted a highlight show with comedian Kevin Hart on Peacock. While viewership for that year’s Tokyo Games was lackluster and few live events were streamed on Peacock, his show captured the audience and several clips went viral.
Snoop Dogg is interviewed at the beach volleyball event on day five of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games at the Eiffel Tower Stadium in Paris on July 31, 2024.
Carl Recine | Getty Images Sport | Getty Images
“Snoop revolutionized the Olympic world in Tokyo,” Solomon said in an interview with CNBC. The following year, NBC executives met with Snoop Dogg to discuss his future role in broadcasting the Olympics, he said.
“He really wanted to go to the Olympic city and tell the story of the athletes,” Solomon said.
Solomon and “Primetime in Paris” host Mike Tirico discussed Snoop Dogg's work leading up to the Games during a press conference in July, highlighting his early arrival before the opening ceremony and his relationships with the athletes.
For his part, Snoop Dogg made his prep work look a little simpler.
“My preparation for the big moment is to be myself,” he said during the press conference, adding that he was “going into the practice facility with different teams… I'm one of those people that likes to get involved.”
Prior to the Games, Snoop Dogg was also present at the Olympic trials earlier this summer and has since appeared at various venues. While Tirico, singer Kelly Clarkson and former National Football League star Peyton Manning emceed the opening ceremony, Snoop Dogg interviewed the American athletes while wearing the same Ralph Lauren jacket as them.
“Snoop Dogg is one of those people who can totally transcend and be versatile,” said Kendall Wright, a student at Northwestern University.
He is dressed in American gear, including an NBC jacket emblazoned with his name and T-shirts bearing the faces of star athletes like Coco Gauff and Kelly Cheng.
Snoop Dogg cheers on the U.S. women's gymnastics team at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Wally Skalij | Los Angeles Times | Getty Images
“It's a sporting event, but it's not the traditional audience,” John Fortunato, a professor of communications and media management at Fordham University's Gabelli School of Business, said of the Olympics. “You see it at the various events and it has so much personality that it can relate to the audience as a fan. That's really where its appeal lies.”
Snoop Dogg is staying with NBC. Fans will be able to see more of him on NBC and Peacock this fall when he sits down as a coach on “The Voice.”
“I understand why Snoop Dogg and Alex Cooper have joined the Olympics, especially for the millennial and Gen X audience,” said Jenna Mindes, a human resources professional in Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey.
She is a big fan of gymnastics and competed in the Olympic trials in Minneapolis this summer. However, she has not been a fan of the inclusion of celebrities in the Olympics.
“I think with gymnastics and maybe other less mainstream sports, the big fans are sort of gatekeepers who take their sports very seriously… and having celebrities enter the conversation almost seems to dilute the sport,” she said.
“There's been a lot more pop culture, a lot more celebrity and a lot more Snoop than there was before,” NBC Sports president Rick Cordella said, adding that this has helped popularize the Paris Olympics.
Snoop Dogg poses for photos with American sportscasters Bob Costas (L) and Al Michaels during beach volleyball on day five of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games at the Eiffel Tower Stadium in Paris on July 31, 2024.
Carl Recine | Getty Images Sport | Getty Images
Meanwhile, Peacock's “Gold Zone” show, which shows multiple live sports at once and is hosted by “NFL Red Zone”'s Scott Hanson in a similar format, has become a huge hit, as has the game-watching show hosted by “Call Her Daddy” podcast host Alex Cooper.
“We've really taken a different path in how we approach this,” Cordella said of Peacock's Olympic strategy, which has been a big part of the viewing figures.
The success of the Paris Olympics follows the worst-rated 2021 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, as well as the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, which had lower viewership.
The Tokyo Olympics faced numerous issues. They were delayed a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic; there were no family members or fans present at events; few, if any, events were available on the Peacock streaming service; and there was a large time difference for American viewers.
According to NBC Sports, since July 26, viewership for the Paris Olympics has been on the rise. The opening ceremony, which took place on the River Seine, had 28.6 million viewers, compared to 17.9 million in Tokyo and 26.5 million for the 2016 Rio Games, making it the most-watched opening ceremony since the 2012 London Games.
During a recent interview with NBC Nightly News' Lester Holt, Snoop Dogg said he never expected to play this role “in his wildest dreams,” especially after watching the Olympics as a child.
“I'm the biggest kid in the crowd,” he told Holt of his support for American athletes at the games.
Disclosure: NBCUniversal, the parent company of CNBC, owns NBC Sports and NBC Olympics. NBC Olympics holds the U.S. broadcast rights to all Summer and Winter Games through 2032.
