Counting Olympic viewership poses a challenge for NBC Universal when people are watching on many different outlets

Variety

"In decades past, fans of swimming competitions and gymnastic feats would tune in to a single network showing the Summer Olympics, and giant audiences would follow," says Variety's Brian Steinberg. "In recent years, however, as U.S. rightsholder Comcast has sought to monetize a $4.4 billion pact that grants it exclusive rights to show the Games in the U.S., Olympic telecasts have made their way to CNBC, USA and NBCSN. And in 2021, with audiences accustomed to watching whatever they want with a few clicks on a remote, there is no single, defined way to watch the sports extravaganza. With that expanded access comes a noticeable decline in traditional measures of watching the Games." ALSO: An Italian TV announcer accidentally shared his computer password on live TV.