NBC has hit one billion minutes on its streaming service of the 2022 Winter Olympic Games in Beijing but its figures on traditional television are significantly lower ©NBC

United States network NBC have reported that viewers have streamed one billion minutes of Olympic content in the first three days of Beijing 2022, though audience figures for traditional broadcasts remain disappointing.

In 2014, NBC paid a record $7.65 billion (£5.65 billion/€6.68 billion) for the rights to broadcast the Games in the United States between 2021 and 2032.

"It is the fastest time they have reached that milestone," International Olympic Committee Presidential spokesperson Mark Adams claimed when announcing the figures at today's daily press briefing here. 

The US team have yet to win their first gold medal of the Games.

The IOC have claimed that a billion minutes from Beijing 2022 have been streamed on the NBC on-line platform ©NBC
The IOC have claimed that a billion minutes from Beijing 2022 have been streamed on the NBC on-line platform ©NBC

NBC claimed a total audience of 13.6 million for the first Saturday of the Games.

This is a 48.3 percent drop from Pyeongchang 2018 when ratings on the same day were 24.2 million. on the same day.

It followed the Opening Ceremony on Friday (February 4), when NBC recorded viewing figures of 16 million - 43 percent down on the 28.3 million who watched the coverage of the event at Pyeongchang 2018. 

Some viewers in the US have complained about the volume of commercial breaks on the channel.

NBC Universal is presenting a record 2,800 hours of programming from the Games.

The Peacock streaming service launched before last year's re-arranged Olympic Games in Tokyo  has enabled viewers to watch nightly primetime and full replays of every competition and also offers "exclusive daily studio programming".

Sweden's Kanal 5, part of the Discovery network, had twice as many viewers for the Opening Ceremony of Beijing 2022 as they did Tokyo 2020 ©Eurosport
Sweden's Kanal 5, part of the Discovery network, had twice as many viewers for the Opening Ceremony of Beijing 2022 as they did Tokyo 2020 ©Eurosport

Adams also reported that in Germany the men’s normal hill ski jump attracted "the highest share of viewing of the day across all programming," for broadcaster ZDF.

The competition had included three German competitors but was transmitted at 1pm in Germany.

Ratings for the Opening Ceremony have also been revealed from Sweden.

Kanal 5, part of the Discovery network, transmitted the Opening Ceremony to an audience double that which they attracted for the Opening at the Tokyo Games last year.

Adams did not release specific figures. 

Both Ceremonies were transmitted live at the same time of day.

"That is an interesting 'like for like' comparison," Adams said.