Photo Credit: Access Hollywood YouTube
Da da da da da—the D-O-double-G is pulling in the big bucks at the Olympics according to recent scuttlebutt. But just how much is Snoop Dogg making as an Olympic promoter? Here’s the latest.
On Sunday, venture capitalist Henry L. McNamara who is attending the Olympics in Paris tweeted a small tidbit overheard from an NBC executive. “Sat next to an NBC exec at dinner, he said Snoop gets paid $500k a day plus expenses to be here promoting the Olympics. From Gin and Juice to a few million to be a celebrity at the Olympics—what a world.”
While these numbers have not been confirmed, it wouldn’t be surprising given what NBC paid to be the exclusive Olympics broadcaster in the United States. NBC agreed to a $4.38 billion contract in 2011 with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to broadcast through the 2020 games—marking the most expensive television rights deal in Olympic history. NBC then topped that offer in 2014 with a $7.75 billion contract extension to air the Olympic games through 2032.
With Snoop on board this year, NBC has already set a record for advertising review and viewership. Through five days beginning with the opening ceremony, NBC averaged 34 million people a day watching the Olympic coverage, a gain of 19 million compared to the Tokyo Olympics. NBC reports more than $1.25 billion in advertising revenue (a record for Olympics broadcasting) and says it still has plenty of time to sell.
NBC says the focus on celebrities at the event has helped boost those numbers—with Snoop Dogg included. “[NBC] is standing by its decision to make the Olympics more celebrity-focused, saying it creates a social media buzz that helps its telecasts. Cameras frequently catch movie and sports stars alike rooting on Olympic athletes from the stands,” reports the Associated Press.
“We’ve been pleasantly surprised by [Snoop Dogg’s] popularity, but you never underestimate Snoop Dogg,” adds Molly Solomon, Executive Producer of the Olympics. “He’s this wonderful mix of swagger and positivity.”
Snoop Dogg reunited with his ex-convict bestie Martha Stewart during the equestrian team dressage event—sparking lots of interest online. The duo sat in the front row dressed in full equestrian attire, donning matching riding helmets, show coats, jodhpurs, and high boots. Speaking with Today, Martha Stewart says Snoop asked her to attend the equestrian event with him.
“Snoop called me and he knows I love horses,” she says. “He’s a little fearful of horses.” During the broadcast, both Snoop and Martha fed carrots to the horses, with Snoop adding, “This is the first time I’ve ever been this close to a horse.”
