Overnight ratings dropped again for the Summer Olympics, though by a slim margin.
Primetime coverage of the Rio Summer Olympics earned a 14.8 overnight rating on NBC Thursday night, down just 3% from London in 2012 (15.3) and down 10% from Beijing in 2008 (16.4). Compared to the same night of the most recent Olympics, the Sochi Winter Games in 2014, overnights increased 3% from a 14.4.
Figures do not include concurrent primetime coverage on NBCSN, which pulled a 0.8 overnight.
While the 14.8 overnight is the third-lowest of the Rio Olympics, ahead of the previous night (14.4) and the opening Saturday (13.6), the three percent decline is the narrowest of the Games thus far.*
Salt Lake City was Thursday’s top market with a 17.3 rating, marking the 12th time in 14 nights it has topped the charts. Denver ranked second with a 16.3, followed by West Palm Beach, FL (16.1), Columbus, OH (15.8) and Austin, TX (15.4).
* Not including last Friday or Saturday night, for which comparisons to 2012 were not immediately available.
(Thu. numbers from NBC Sports)
