The 2012 London Summer Olympics got off to a spectacular start in the ratings for NBC.
The Opening Ceremony of the 2012 Olympics earned a 21.0 final rating and 40.7 million viewers on NBC Friday night, up 12% in ratings and 17% in viewership from Beijing in 2008 (18.8, 34.891M), and up 44% and 60%, respectively, from Athens in 2004 (14.6, 25.384M).
The most recent Olympics — the 2010 Vancouver Winter Games — earned a 17.3 and 32.641 million viewers for the Opening Ceremony.
Friday’s telecast ranks as the highest rated and most-viewed Opening Ceremony of any Olympic Games (summer or winter, regardless of location) since Salt Lake City in 2002 (25.5, 45.562M).
For the Summer Olympics alone, the Opening Ceremony ranks as the highest rated since Atlanta in 1996 (23.6), and the most-viewed on record.
Excluding the NFL — which has drawn five larger television audiences this year alone — the Opening Ceremony ranks as the highest rated sporting event of any kind since 2006 Texas/USC Rose Bowl (21.7), and the most-viewed since Night 13 of the aforementioned 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Olympics (43.311M).
Keep in mind the rating and viewership for Friday’s telecast does not include the first half-hour of coverage (7:30-8 PM ET).
Viewership For the Opening Ceremony of the Olympics
Dating back to 2000
(Friday’s numbers from NBC Universal Media Village)
