The 2012 London Olympics, which NBC Sports chairman Mark Lazarus once said would be “unlikely” to top Beijing, surpassed all ratings expectations.
Tape delayed primetime coverage of the 2012 Summer Olympics averaged a 17.5 rating and 31.1 million viewers on NBC (seventeen telecasts), up 8% in ratings and 12% in viewership from Beijing in 2008 (16.2, 27.7M), and up 17% and 26%, respectively, from Athens in 2004 (15.0, 24.6M).
The most recent Olympics — the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver — averaged a 13.8 and 24.4 million for primetime coverage.
This marks the highest rated and most-viewed Olympics in primetime since Salt Lake City in 2002 (19.2, 32.0M), and the top Summer Olympics since Atlanta in 1996 (21.6, 33.1M).
Excluding U.S.-based Olympics, the London Games ranks as the highest rated and most-viewed since Lillehammer in 1994 (27.8, 43.2M), and the top Summer Olympics since Montreal in 1976.
Of the past twelve Olympics (dates back twenty years), the London Olympics ranks as the fifth-highest rated and the fourth-most viewed in primetime. Excluding U.S.-based Olympics, this year’s event ranks as the third-highest rated and the second-most viewed over that same span.
Night-by-night ratings for the Olympics available at the bottom of this post.
Average Ratings/Viewership For Primetime Coverage of the Olympics
Past two decades
| Year | Type | Site | Net | Rating | Viewers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | Summer | London | NBC |
17.5
|
31.1M
|
| 2010 | Winter | Vancouver | NBC |
13.8
|
24.4M
|
| 2008 | Summer | Beijing | NBC |
16.2
|
27.7M
|
| 2006 | Winter | Turin | NBC |
12.2
|
20.2M
|
| 2004 | Summer | Athens | NBC |
15.0
|
24.6M
|
| 2002 | Winter | Salt Lake City | NBC |
19.2
|
32.0M
|
| 2000 | Summer | Sydney | NBC |
13.8
|
21.5M
|
| 1998 | Winter | Nagano | CBS |
16.3
|
25.1M
|
| 1996 | Summer | Atlanta | NBC |
21.6
|
33.1M
|
| 1994 | Winter | Lillehammer | CBS |
27.8
|
43.2M
|
| 1992 | Summer | Barcelona | NBC |
17.1
|
25.9M
|
| 1992 | Winter | Albertville | CBS |
18.7
|
29.0M
|
Ratings/Viewership For Primetime Coverage of the 2012 London Olympics
Also includes adults 18-49 ratings
| Date | Time | Telecast | Rating | vs. ’08 | Viewers (000) | vs. ’08 | A18-49 | vs. ’08 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Start | End | ||||||||
| Fri., 7/27/12 | 8:00 PM | 12:02 AM | Opening Ceremony |
21.0
|
+12%
|
40,651M
|
+17%
|
12.2
|
+18%
|
| Sat., 7/28/12 | 8:30 PM | 11:28 PM | Primetime coverage |
15.8
|
+14%
|
28,715M
|
+19%
|
8.8
|
+10%
|
| Sun., 7/29/12 | 7:00 PM | 11:14 PM | Primetime coverage |
19.8
|
+9%
|
36,047M
|
+12%
|
11.6
|
+4%
|
| Mon., 7/30/12 | 8:00 PM | 11:23 PM | Primetime coverage |
18.0
|
+2%
|
31,582M
|
+5%
|
10.6
|
even
|
| Tue., 7/31/12 | 8:00 PM | 11:43 PM | Primetime coverage |
21.8
|
+10%
|
38,719M
|
+14%
|
12.8
|
+3%
|
| Wed., 8/1/12 | 8:00 PM | 11:26 PM | Primetime coverage |
17.9
|
+7%
|
30,804M
|
+11%
|
9.9
|
+5%
|
| Thu., 8/2/12 | 8:00 PM | 12:00 AM | Primetime coverage |
21.1
|
+18%
|
36,799M
|
+24%
|
11.9
|
+14%
|
| Fri., 8/3/12 | 8:30 PM | 11:09 PM | Primetime coverage |
16.2
|
+5%
|
28,508M
|
+9%
|
8.7
|
+2%
|
| Sat., 8/4/12 | 8:30 PM | 11:15 PM | Primetime coverage |
15.9
|
-11%
|
27,964M
|
-11%
|
8.6
|
-19%
|
| Sun., 8/5/12 | 7:30 PM | 11:29 PM | Primetime coverage |
17.5
|
+9%
|
31,262M
|
+15%
|
10.2
|
+11%
|
| Mon., 8/6/12 | 8:00 PM | 11:05 PM | Primetime coverage |
15.8
|
even
|
26,572M
|
+1%
|
8.3
|
-7%
|
| Tue., 8/7/12 | 8:00 PM | 11:22 PM | Primetime coverage |
17.6
|
+8%
|
30,146M
|
+13%
|
9.6
|
+5%
|
| Wed., 8/8/12 | 8:00 PM | 11:00 PM | Primetime coverage |
16.8
|
+11%
|
29,093M
|
+18%
|
9.4
|
+12%
|
| Thu., 8/9/12 | 8:00 PM | 11:11 PM | Primetime coverage |
13.6
|
-1%
|
22,857M
|
+2%
|
7.0
|
-4%
|
| Fri., 8/10/12 | 9:00 PM | 11:14 PM | Primetime coverage |
13.2
|
+23%
|
22,494M
|
+26%
|
6.6
|
+20%
|
| Sat., 8/11/12 | 9:00 PM | 11:25 PM | Primetime coverage |
12.6
|
+22%
|
21,792M
|
+30%
|
6.2
|
+22%
|
| Sun., 8/12/12 | 8:30 PM | 10:58 PM | Closing Ceremony |
17.0
|
+10%
|
31,011M
|
+11%
|
9.2
|
+12%
|
(17-night average from NBC Universal Media Village; additional information on past Olympics from Hollywood Reporter, Reuters, Sports Marketing 2011)
