The “Snoop Dogg Effect” has struck again. NBC is reporting its highest Olympic viewership numbers in over a decade, credited in large part to the rapper’s return as a special correspondent for the Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Games.
Building on his breakout success from Paris 2024, Snoop Dogg has successfully expanded the reach of winter sports to non-traditional audiences. According to NBC, average viewership during the opening days reached 26.5 million spectators, the highest figure for this stage of the event since Sochi 2014.
The momentum was further amplified by the Super Bowl LX lead-in. The Olympic segment aired immediately after the big game drew 42 million viewers, representing a staggering 73% increase compared to the Beijing 2022 equivalent.
Beyond his colorful commentary, Snoop’s involvement took a professional turn in December 2025 when he was named an honorary coach for the U.S. Skeleton team. This role has integrated him deeper into the athletic narrative, contributing to what NBC describes as “record-breaking ad sales” for a winter edition.
Financially, the stakes are high for NBC’s parent company, Comcast. The network invested $1.03 billion in broadcasting rights for Milan-Cortina. For comparison, the Beijing 2022 games generated $963 million in revenue, while the rights for the 2030 French Alps Games have already been set at $1.08 billion.