Inside NBC’s Olympics Bet on Pop Culture in Paris, with Help from Snoop Dogg and Cardi B

NBC is adding a pop culture twist to the world’s biggest sports event, the Olympics. From Megan Thee Stallion dancing with dressage horses at the Palace of Versailles to Peyton Manning riding a giant baguette blimp over the Eiffel Tower, the network has partnered with popular figures to generate excitement for the Paris Olympics.

The strategy of enlisting entertainers and non-Olympic athletes aims to attract viewers after the network’s lackluster ratings for the Tokyo Summer Olympics and Beijing Winter Olympics, both held during the pаndemic. With over 11 million attendees expected for the two-week Summer Games starting July 26, NBC, which holds the broadcasting rights through 2032, hopes to engage more viewers by bringing Olympic stories to life with popular and diverse personalities.

“We speak to a broader audience,” said Snoop Dogg, who will be a primetime NBC correspondent in Paris. The rapper became a fan favorite during the Tokyo Games, where he and Kevin Hart provided in-studio commentary for Peacock.

Snoop Dogg will be on the ground in Paris by late July, exploring landmarks and attending events. He has already interviewed Olympians like wоme𝚗’s basketball player A’ja Wilson, gymnast Sunisa Lee, skateboarder Jagger Eaton, and beach volleyball players Sara Hughes and Kelly Cheng.

“We have different perspectives and different views,” Snoop Dogg said. “The world that we live in right now, it is appropriate for me to give our side of the story. We’ve always been a great voice and a great instrument, but we’ve never been the conductor. Now I get to play the role of conductor.”

After the pаndemic-delayed Tokyo Games in 2021, NBC created a new playbook to boost excitement for this summer’s coverage. Research showed that people aged 26-40 wаnted the Olympics to include more pop culture.

Singer Kelly Clarkson and NFL legend Peyton Manning will join sportscaster Mike Tirico in Paris as hosts of the opening ceremony along the Seine, held for the first time outside a stadium. Comedian Leslie Jones will contribute to on-air and social media coverage. Podcaster Alex Cooper of “Call Her Daddy” fаme will host live, interactive watch parties in Paris, called “Watch with Alex Cooper,” where she’ll share insights and answer questions in real-time.

“I’m not a former Olympian, but they convinced me that we are just celebrating these athletes and what drives them,” said Manning, a Pro Football Hall of Famer. He will co-host an eight-episode commentary series with Kevin Hart and Kenan Thompson, offering comical recaps of the best and most unexpecteԀ Olympic moments.

“It’s under the umbrella of sports, but it’s really a cultural celebration,” said Tirico, who will host his fourth Olympics opening ceremony. He will team up with Jimmy Fallon and past Olympians Tara Lipinski and Johnny Weir for the closing ceremony coverage.

Tirico said integrating pop culture into the coverage was a “grand slam” idea. “If we bring a little cross-section of America together to give you a flavor of the games and do it under one tent, it’ll keep you around for 17 nights,” he said. “That’s our plan. Our goal. We’re so glad that we’ve got people like Snoop, Peyton, Kelly to help us do it.”

Promotional spots have already aired on NBC: Cardi B appeared in a promo with track star Sha’Carri Richardson, Lily Collins reprised her “Emily in Paris” role to pitch a new wardrobe idea for sprinter Noah Lyles, Paris Hilton helped reveаl the Olympics logo, and Dolly Parton collaborated on a video for her cover of “We Are the Champions/We Will Rock You.”

“We wаnted to be a part of the cultural zeitgeist,” said Molly Solomon, executive producer and president of NBC Olympics Production. “We wаnted to make sure it feels like more than just a sporting event. It’s really an entertainment and pop culture event centered around athletes’ stories.”

So far, the commercials have generated strong numbers. According to NBC, Collins’ promo spot drew over 30 million viewers, Megan Thee Stallion’s ad garnered 12 million views, and Snoop Dogg pulled in just under 10 million through social media channels.

“We tried to remain very true to our audiences and the placement of the content,” said Jennifer Storms, NBC’s chief marketing officer of Entertainment and Sports. “We’re working together on the talent and how they have a continuous storyline before and through the Olympics.”

Storms wants to bring Olympians’ stories to the forefront through popular voices. Expect stories from John Legend about gymnast Simone Biles, WWE star Cody Rhodes on wrestler David Taylor, and “Chicago Fire” actor Eamonn Walker on Lyles, she said.

“That translates to telling the story around an athlete that America might not know yet,” Storms said. “So the talent are critical to catching people’s attention.”

Manning hopes to make an influential mark. He’s looking forward to delving into the backstories of Olympians such as Biles and swimmer Katie Ledecky.

“Maybe athlete to athlete,” Manning said, “they will share some information that maybe they just wouldn’t tell anybody.”