Axios Sports: Olympics ratings disaster

Plus: Kentucky's bonus year | Tuesday, August 10, 2021

Open in app View in browser     Axios Sports By Kendall Baker ·Aug 10, 2021 👋 Good morning! I love you all so much. Thanks as always for reading — this newsletter wouldn't exist with your support. ⚽️ Breaking news: Lionel Messi has officially agreed to a two-year contract with Paris Saint-Germain, his father confirmed this morning. Today's word count: 1,926 words (7 minutes). Let's sports...     1 big thing: 📺 Olympics ratings tumble 42% Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios   Primetime ratings for the Tokyo Olympics were down 42% from the 2016 Games, according to data from NBCUniversal. Why it matters: It's an undeniable proof point that the decline of traditional TV is happening faster than initially expected, Axios' Sara Fischer writes. By the numbers: The Games averaged roughly 15.5 million primetime viewers across the two weeks that NBC aired events, per Nielsen and Adobe Analytics. That's down from roughly 26.7 primetime viewers during the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio. NBC Sports chairman Pete Bevacqua says most advertisers are being compensated for viewership declines, per WSJ (subscription). Between the lines: NBCU says the declines were partially offset by digital gains, and notes that it still expects the Olympics to be profitable this year. Streaming viewership hit a record of more than 5.5 billion minutes across NBC Sports' digital and social media platforms. That figure includes more than 4.3 billion minutes content streamed across NBCOlympics.com, the NBC Sports app and Peacock, which NBCU says is up 22% from 2016. The big picture: While several temporary factors — like the time zone difference and the pandemic — impacted the low numbers, there's no question that intensifying long-term trends also played a role. Streaming adoption in the U.S. is nearing ubiquity. More than 80% of U.S. TV households have at least one internet-connected TV device, per Leichtman Research. Olympics ratings have been declining for years, and younger audiences are increasingly following sporting events via social media platforms like TikTok.     2. ⚾️ Checking in: Mike Trout at 30 Photo: Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images   Mike Trout turned 30 on Saturday, but rather than celebrating with one of his patented birthday dingers, he was sidelined for the 71st straight game with a calf injury, Axios' Jeff Tracy writes. The big picture: For the past decade, Trout's trajectory has been "the next Hank Aaron." But now that he's on the wrong side of 30 with a mounting injury history, it could be trending towards "the next Ken Griffey Jr." To be clear, there are worse things than being compared to a near-unanimous, first-ballot Hall of Famer and one of the most beloved superstars in MLB history. But Griffey's legacy is as inextricably tied to "what if?" as it is to tape-measure homers. If the last five years are indicative of Trout's new normal, one can't help but wonder if he's headed down that same path. The backdrop: Since his rookie season in 2012, Trout has been by far the best player in baseball. Among position players, his 75.5 WAR leads second-place Mookie Betts (49.7) by as much as Betts leads 55th-place Brian Dozier (23.8). From 2012 to 2016, Trout played in 95% of his team's games while winning two MVPs and finishing second three times. Since then, while his on-field production hasn't waned, injuries in 2017 (thumb), 2018 (wrist), 2019 (foot) and 2021 (calf) have limited him to just 477 of a possible 658 games. The bottom line: Hopefully this is merely a speed bump on Trout's seemingly inexorable road to baseball's Mt. Rushmore. But for perhaps the first time ever, the Angels' superstar has us wondering: What if?     3. 🎓 Kentucky 's bonus year Illustration: Shoshana Gordon/Axios   Last August, Cam Hergott was preparing for his senior season at Beechwood High School in Fort Mitchell, Kentucky. This August, he's preparing for his senior season at Beechwood once again. The state of play: In March, Kentucky passed a bill offering all students, kindergarten through 12th grade, the chance to "retake" the school year that was altered by the pandemic. It also granted high school athletes another year of eligibility. Similar bills were considered in California, Washington and Maryland. But Kentucky was the only state to pass legislation. The total number of students participating won't be known until the school year begins, but Hergott — Kentucky's Mr. Football in 2020 — has already become the face of the bill, per WashPost. The backdrop: Thousands of high school athletes all across the country likely would have taken this fifth-year option if given the opportunity. 2020 was brutal for recruits, with the pandemic canceling most in-season scouting trips and offseason camps, while limiting official visits to Zoom calls. Recruits also suddenly had to compete with college players for roster spots after the NCAA granted all student-athletes an extra year of eligibility and made transfers immediately eligible. What they're saying: Hergott has already taken advantage of his bonus year, earning a D-I scholarship to Eastern Kentucky this summer. He's also hoping for a memorable senior year experience after Beechwood went partially virtual in 2020. "I'll be able to come back, actually have a school year and enjoy it. Just walking around the hallways with your friends, going to dances and big events — it's really what you live for as a kid." — Hergott, via WashPost     A message from Axios The biggest video game news delivered to your inbox     Get the latest scoops, trends and news from the world of video games with Axios Gaming, delivered every weekday to your inbox. Why it matters: A crucial view into an industry that is an essential part of millions of people's lives. Subscribe for free     4. ⚡️ Lightning round Courtesy: Hachette Books   ⚾️ Stat du jour: Last night's Yankees-Royals game was the first in MLB history in which both teams scored in the 7th, 8th, 9th and 10th innings. How has that never happened before?! 🏈 Tonight on HBO: The 16th season of "Hard Knocks," starring the Cowboys, premieres (10pm ET). 🏀 New book: "Giannis: The Improbable Rise of an NBA MVP" by Mirin Fader hits shelves today. "I've never covered a more beloved person," Fader tells me. Buy the book. Plus... 💵 Luka gets paid: Mavericks star Luka Dončić is signing a five-year, $207 million supermax rookie extension. He's the first player eligible for the extension because he already made first-team All-NBA twice. ⚾️ Vizquel lawsuit: An autistic batboy has sued longtime MLB player Omar Vizquel, accusing him of sexual harassment while he was managing a White Sox minor league affiliate. 🏈 Saints drama: In 2019, Michael Thomas was the NFL's best WR and loving New Orleans. Two years later, it's all collapsed, with Thomas and the Saints engaged in a public feud.   Share Axios and earn rewards If you like this newsletter, your friends may, too! Refer your friends and get free Axios swag when they sign up. Be a good friend and share   5. 🥇 The money behind the medals Data: Forbes; Chart: Connor Rothschild/Axios Olympic medals mostly represent pride, and the knowledge that a lifetime of hard work has finally paid off, Jeff writes. Yes, but: For athletes from many nations, they're also about cold, hard cash. The state of play: Many National Organizing Committees give cash prizes to medal winners, with dominant teams typically paying smaller amounts per medal than those who rarely reach the podium. The U.S., for example, sends huge delegations and wins a lot of medals, so it offers a relatively low $37,500 for gold, $22,500 for silver and $15,000 for bronze. On the opposite end of the spectrum, Taiwan (called Chinese Taipei in the Olympics) arrived in Tokyo with just 24 Summer Olympic medals, so its equivalent prizes are $719,000, $252,000 and $180,000. By the numbers: Italy shelled out the most cash for medals this year, per Forbes, with 72 athletes earning $9.07 million for their gold ($212,000 each), silver ($106,000) and bronzes ($71,000). Team USA had the most medalists, with 295 athletes earning $7.84 million — second only to Italy. No athlete earned as much as Chinese Taipei's three gold medalists — weightlifter Kuo Hsing-chun and badminton partners Lee Yang and Wang Chi-lin — each of whom took home $719,000. What to watch: With the NCAA's new rules governing name, image and likeness (NIL), these Games couldn't have come at a better time for Olympians with college eligibility. Suni Lee is the most obvious winner, as she became a superstar overnight. Rather than skipping college as elite gymnasts have traditionally done, she's headed to Auburn this fall. Lee is one of 26 U.S. Olympians with remaining college eligibility who medaled in Tokyo. Some, like wrestler Gable Steveson (Minnesota), already have NIL deals in place.     6. 🏈 Alabama's Evan Neal tops "Freaks List" GIF: @ENeal73 (Twitter) There are athletes. And then there are freaks. And then there is Alabama left tackle Evan Neal — the biggest freak of all. Meet the freaks: The Athletic's Bruce Feldman has released his annual "Freaks List" (subscription), showcasing the most physically-gifted college football players. Neal, who stands 6-feet-7-inches and weighs 350 pounds, tops this year's list of 101 athletes. The Florida native has bench pressed 475 pounds, squatted 650 pounds and hit 18.5 MPH on the GPS. What they're saying: "At his size, he is the most impressive lower body power athlete we have ever seen," says Alabama director of sports science Matt Rhea. "At 350 pounds, he routinely hits box jumps at 48 inches." Go deeper: The 2021 Freaks List (The Athletic)     7. ⚾️ Strange history: Jays chase walk-off mark Bo Bichette tosses his helmet after hitting a walk-off HR at TD Ballpark on April 14. Photo: Julio Aguilar/Getty Images   Few sports moments create as much childlike jubilation as a walk-off — and tonight the Blue Jays could experience that feeling on yet another field. Where it stands: Toronto already has walk-off wins in three ballparks this season, the most since the 1898 Baltimore Orioles (different, defunct team). TD Ballpark (Dunedin, Fla.): The Jays started the season at their spring training facility, with walk-off wins on April 14 against the Yankees and May 1 against the Braves. Sahlen Field (Buffalo): On June 1, they moved to their Triple-A team's stadium. On June 2, they walked it off against the Marlins. Rogers Centre (Toronto): The Jays finally came home on July 30, and on Aug. 7 they walked off the Red Sox. Which brings us to tonight ... A Blue Jays-Angels rainout from April was rescheduled as part of a doubleheader this evening in Anaheim, so Toronto will bat last as the "home" team in Game 1. Rooting for a walk-off!     8. 📆 Aug. 10, 1907: Peking to Paris Prince Scipione Borghese arriving in Paris. Photo: Hulton Archive/Getty Images 114 years ago today, Italy's Prince Scipione Borghese won the inaugural Peking to Paris motor race. His prize? A magnum of Mumm champagne. The backdrop: As car development took off, man got a taste for adventure, and in January 1907, the French newspaper, "Le Matin," published a challenge: "What needs to be [proven] today is that as long as a man has a car, he can do anything and go anywhere. Is there anyone who will travel this summer from Peking to Paris by automobile?" A competitor is towed along a muddy street. Photo: Hulton Archive/Getty Images Details: There were no rules — just travel the 9,317 miles from Peking (now commonly referred to as Beijing) to Paris. Teams included a driver, engineer and journalist, who sent updates throughout the journey, which followed a telegraph route for that precise reason. Camels carrying fuel were dispatched to intermittent points along the route for drivers to gas up. The harrowing adventure took two months, with cars regularly traversing dangerous terrain. A competitor takes a nap during the 2019 Peking to Paris Challenge. Photo: Kirill Kukhmar/TASS via Getty Images The big picture: A similar race was held the following year from New York to Paris, and more would have followed if not for political issues. Once the Soviet Union fell, the race was back on. Since 1997, the Peking to Paris Motor Challenge has taken place six more times, including every three years since 2007. 105 classic cars participated in the most recent event, spending 36 days traversing the globe like it was 1907.     9. 🏈 "Hard Knocks" trivia Courtesy: HBO   Since 2012, just three teams that appeared on "Hard Knocks" went on to have winning seasons: the 2013 Bengals, 2015 Texans, and 2020 Rams. Question: Who was the starting QB in Week 1 for those teams? Hint: All three have since changed teams. Answer at the bottom.     10. 🏆 1 Bird thing: All Sue does is win Sue Bird receiving medals in 1992 and 2021. Photos: Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images; Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images   Sue Bird won her fifth Olympic gold medal in Tokyo, adding yet another title to her legendary hoops résumé. Championships: 1992: AAU U-11 Nationals 1995: Empire State Games 1997: New York state title 1998: New York and national titles 1999: Big East 2000: Big East, NCAA, Jones Cup 2001: Big East 2002: Big East, NCAA, World Challenge, Worlds 2004: Olympics, WNBA 2007: Russian League, EuroLeague, FIBA Americas 2008: Olympics, Russian League, EuroLeague, FIBA Diamond Ball 2009: EuroLeague, Ekaterinburg Invitational 2010: WNBA, Worlds, EuroLeague 2012: Olympics, Russian League 2013: Russian League 2014: Worlds, Russian League 2016: Olympics 2018: WNBA, Worlds 2020: WNBA 2021: Olympics What's next: Bird could win more hardware on Thursday when the Storm play the Sun in the inaugural WNBA Commissioner's Cup Championship Game.     A message from Axios The biggest video game news delivered to your inbox     Get the latest scoops, trends and news from the world of video games with Axios Gaming, delivered every weekday to your inbox. Why it matters: A crucial view into an industry that is an essential part of millions of people's lives. Subscribe for free   Talk tomorrow, Kendall "Still nursing an Olympics hangover" Baker Trivia answer: Andy Dalton (2013 Bengals), Brian Hoyer (2015 Texans), Jared Goff (2020 Rams) 🙏 Thanks for reading. Don't forget to follow us on Twitter: @thekendallbaker and @jeffreytracy. Like this email style and format? Learn more about Axios HQ. It'll help you deliver employee communications more effectively.   Axios thanks our partners for supporting our newsletters. If you're interested in advertising, learn more here. Sponsorship has no influence on editorial content. Axios, 3100 Clarendon B‌lvd, Suite 1300, Arlington VA 22201   You received this email because you signed up for newsletters from Axios. Change your preferences or unsubscribe here.   Was this email forwarded to you? Sign up now to get Axios in your inbox.   Follow Axios on social media: