A big night for U.S. Olympians led to big numbers for NBC, but the network still cannot close the gap with London four years ago.
Primetime coverage of the Rio Summer Olympics earned a 17.8 final rating and 31.2 million viewers on NBC Thursday night, down 16% in ratings and 15% in viewership from London in 2012 (21.1, 36.8M) and down a tick but up 5%, respectively, from Beijing in 2008 (17.9, 29.7M). Versus the comparable night of the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics, ratings increased a third and viewership 36% from a 13.4 and 22.9 million.
The telecast ranks second for the Olympics in ratings and viewership, trailing only Tuesday’s primetime window (18.9, 33.4M). It ranks third in both measures among non-NFL television programs this year, behind Tuesday’s window and the Academy Awards in February (19.4, 34.4M).
Figures do not include live streaming coverage on NBCOlympics.com or cable viewership on NBCSN (1.4M). With those numbers included, Thursday’s primetime action combined for an 18.9 rating and 33.0 million viewers on the NBC family of networks — still no match for London but well ahead of Beijing.
Of note, every single night of the Olympics has posted a decline in viewership compared to London, even if one includes cable and streaming viewership.
For the first time in these Olympics, NBC’s ratings included the entire primetime window from 8 PM ET through Midnight. Coverage consisted of taped women’s gymnastics and live swimming, highlighted by gold medals for Americans Simone Biles, Simone Manuel and Michael Phelps.
Among adults 18-49, NBC scored a 9.1 rating — down 24% from London (11.9), down 13% from Beijing (10.4), and the lowest for the first Thursday of a Summer Olympics since at least 1992. The previous low over that span was a 9.3 for Sydney in 2000.
(Thu. numbers from NBC Sports Group Press Box, with additional info from ShowBuzz Daily)
