It says a lot about the strength of the Olympic Games that the least-viewed primetime telecast thus far still drew a larger audience than any other non-NFL sporting event over the past two years.
Tape delayed primetime coverage of the 2012 London Olympics earned a 16.2 final rating and 28.5 million viewers on NBC Friday night, up 5% in ratings and 9% in viewership from Beijing in 2008 (15.4, 26.071M), and up 13% and 20%, respectively, from Athens in 2004 (14.4, 23.749M).
The comparable night of the most recent Olympics — the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver — earned a 13.4 and 23.304 million viewers.
Friday’s primetime window ranks as the least-viewed of the 2012 Summer Olympics. The previous low was 28.715 million for primetime coverage last Saturday.
With that said, the telecast ranks as the highest rated for the first Friday of the Olympics since Atlanta in 1996 (17.9), even topping the first Friday of the most recent U.S.-based Olympics — the 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Olympics (15.8).
In addition, the telecast drew more viewers than any non-NFL sporting event since the Alabama/Texas BCS National Championship Game more than two years ago (30.776M).
Through eight nights, the 2012 London Olympics has averaged a 19.2 rating and 34.5 million viewers on NBC, up 10% in ratings and 15% in viewership from 2008 (17.4, 30.1M), and up 20% and 30%, respectively, from 2004 (16.0, 26.6M).
This marks the highest average rating for any Olympics through eight nights since Atlanta in 1996 (22.7), even topping Salt Lake City in 2002 (18.6). Excluding U.S.-based Olympics, this marks the highest average for any Olympics since Lillehammer in 1994 and the highest for the Summer Olympics since Montreal in 1976.
(Friday’s numbers and eight-night average from NBC Universal Media Village)
