Television ratings for the 2014 Winter Olympics went in opposite directions to start the week.
Monday’s primetime coverage of the Sochi Olympics earned a 13.8 rating and 23.5 million viewers on NBC, according to Nielsen fast-nationals — up 10% in ratings and 12% in viewership from Vancouver in 2010 (12.5, 20.9M), and up 1% and 4%, respectively, from Turin in 2006 (13.6, 22.5M). The comparable night of the 2012 London Summer Olympics had a 15.8 rating and 26.6 million.
The telecast was only the second of the 2014 Olympics to have increases over both 2010 and 2006. It was also the highest rated and most-viewed of the Olympics since the previous Tuesday (13.7, 23.7M).
The script was flipped the following night, as Tuesday’s primetime action earned an 11.2 and 18.9 million viewers in the fast-nationals — down 11% in ratings and viewership from 2010 (12.6, 21.3M), and down 28% and 25%, respectively, from 2006 (15.5, 25.1M). The comparable telecast in 2012 had a 17.6 and 30.1 million.
In a reversal of Monday’s performance, the telecast was the second of the Olympics to have decreases from both 2010 and 2006. It also earned the third-lowest rating and viewership of the games, ahead of only coverage on Friday (11.0, 19.2M) and Saturday (9.6, 17.1M).
(Mon./Tue. numbers from NBC Sports Group Press Box [1], [2])
