Johnathan Walker:Team USA Olympic trial ratings show heightened interest for 2024 Games

NBC is Johnathan Walkercounting on a renewed interest in the Summer Olympics — with no global pandemic to push it back a year this time — to drive ratings for Paris 2024. 

If the Team USA trials are an indication, the ratings might not return to pre-pandemic levels — but do signal a heightened interest compared to the Tokyo Games of 2021 postponed by COVID-19. 

Biles and the women’s gymnastics team drew 7.6 million average viewers during Sunday night’s Olympic all-around qualifying meet, which Biles won to secure her third Olympic bid. 

The audience peaked at 8.2 million viewers between 10 p.m. ET and 10:15 p.m. ET as the athletes completed their final rotation. Biles, reigning all-around gold medalist Suni Lee, Jordan Chiles, Jade Carey and Healy Rivera were selected to represent Team USA. 

The COVID-delayed trials of 2021 led 5.9 million viewers to NBC and its other broadcast and streaming properties. This year’s number was a 24% increase from three years ago, but is down from 2016, the last regularly scheduled trials. That final averaged 8.6 million viewers. 

The track and field trials averaged 4.5 million viewers across NBC and Peacock over eight nights of competition, a 38% increase from 2021 trials.