Michael Phelps‘ record eighth gold medal of the 2008 Beijing Olympics drew huge numbers in his hometown.
Baltimore’s NBC affiliate, WBAL, averaged a 37.2/59 rating during the fifteen minutes Phelps competed in the 4X100 Medley Relay Saturday night, meaning “nearly 60 percent of all televisions in use were tuned to the Olympics.”
For the entire night, WBAL averaged a 22.4 rating for the Olympics. By comparison, the network had been “averaging about 3 points higher” prior to Saturday.
On Sunday, ratings fell to their second-lowest point of the games, a 19.9, behind only coverage on Wednesday night. Sunday and Wednesday are the only nights so far where Phelps did not compete.
