NBC earned nearly identical audiences for the Olympics on Wednesday and Thursday, but with vastly different results compared to previous years.
Wednesday’s primetime coverage of the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics earned a 12.2 rating and 20.2 million viewers on NBC, according to Nielsen fast-nationals — up 3% in ratings and 2% in viewership from Vancouver in 2010 (11.9, 19.8M), and up 22% and 26%, respectively, from Turin in 2006 (10.0, 16.0M).
The following night, primetime coverage earned a nearly identical 12.2 and 20.3 million — but that was down 10% in ratings and 11% in viewership from Vancouver (13.6, 22.9M) and down 23% and 21%, respectively, from Turin (15.8, 25.7M). All three telecasts, it should be noted, featured the conclusion of the women’s figure skating tournament.
So far this week, the primetime windows have alternated between increases and declines. Ratings and viewership increased from 2010 and 2006 on Monday and Wednesday and decreased on Tuesday and Thursday.
Primetime Viewership For Week 2 of Sochi Olympics
(Wed./Thu. numbers from NBC Sports Group Press Box [1], [2])
