• The opening day of the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing saw the best ratings for NBC's coverage since the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. The network reported that the opening ceremony on February 4th averaged 16 million viewers, a significant increase from the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, which had 17.3 million viewers.

• The strong ratings for the opening day can be attributed to a few factors, including the return of live sports events after the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted the sports landscape in 2020 and 2021. Additionally, the time zone difference between the U.S. and China meant that the opening ceremony aired in primetime on the East Coast, which typically leads to higher viewership.

• Despite the positive ratings for the opening day, it remains to be seen whether NBC can sustain this momentum throughout the entire Winter Olympics. The network has faced challenges in recent years, including declining viewership for the Summer and Winter Games, as well as criticism over its coverage and decision-making.