NBC posted another decline for its primetime Olympics coverage, but cable and streaming viewership made up for most of the deficit.
Primetime coverage of the Rio Summer Olympics earned a 16.4 final rating and 28.9 million viewers on NBC Monday night, down 9% in ratings and viewership from London in 2012 (18.0, 31.6M) and down 7% and 4%, respectively, from Beijing in 2008 (17.6, 30.2M).
Versus the comparable night of the most recent Olympics, the 2014 Sochi Winter Games, ratings increased 28% and viewership 29% from a 12.8 and 22.4 million.
Including the live streaming audience on NBCOlympics.com and cable viewership on NBCSN (1.6M) and Bravo (720K), the NBC family of networks combined for an 18.1 rating and 31.5 million viewers Monday night — up a tick in ratings and down a fraction of a percent in viewership from London. In 2012, NBC’s primetime window faced no competition from live streaming or cable.
Keep in mind NBC’s figures are from the 8-11:05 PM ET time period, which featured taped diving and live swimming. The time window excludes the final hour of coverage, which included live beach volleyball and taped men’s gymnastics. NBCSN’s figures are for the 7 PM-12 AM window, and the figures for Bravo are for 7-10 PM.
Monday’s telecast had an 8.6 rating among adults 18-49, down 19% from 2012 and 2008 (10.6 both years) and the lowest for the first Monday of the Summer Olympics in the demo since Sydney in 2000 (8.2).
Through four nights, NBC’s primetime Olympics coverage has averaged a 14.8 rating and 27.3 million viewers — down 22% in ratings and viewership from 2012 (18.9, 34.8M) and down 14% and 11%, respectively, from 2008 (17.2, 30.5M). Keep in mind the average audience at this point in 2012 was the largest ever for the Summer Olympics, even including years in which the U.S. was the host.
(Mon. numbers from NBC Sports Group Press Box)
