NBC’s Winter Olympics ratings hit a low point Wednesday night.
Wednesday’s primetime Winter Olympics coverage had a 9.9 rating and 17.0 million viewers on NBC, down 18% in ratings and viewership from 2014 (12.1, 20.8M) and down 41% and 42% respectively from 2010 (16.7, 29.4M). Figures include primetime encores on the West Coast.
NBC’s primetime coverage is now divided between broadcast, cable and streaming. Including concurrent viewership on NBCSN (1.9M) and NBC Sports digital platforms (237K), the primetime window had an 11.2 (-7%) and 19.2 million (-8%).
The combined audience was the lowest for the first Wednesday of any Olympics since 2006 (Turin: 17.9M). Versus the same night of the 2016 Summer Olympics, which also featured primetime cable and streaming coverage, ratings fell 32% (from 16.5) and viewership 33% (from 28.6M).
Not counting the pre-Opening Ceremony window last Thursday, Wednesday was the lowest rated and least-watched night of the Games. That is not unusual. In four of the last five Winter Olympics, the opening Wednesday was the least-watched night of the first week.
It should be noted that the Olympics was overshadowed by breaking news on Wednesday and some viewers likely opted for the cable news channels.
Across NBC and NBCSN, viewership peaked at 21.1 million from 9:30-9:45 PM ET.
In adults 18-49, NBC scored a 4.0 rating (-29%). Even including NBCSN’s 0.5 in the demo, ratings still declined by double-digits. NBC also had a 2.5 in adults 18-34.
Across all NBC platforms, the Winter Olympics is now averaging a 12.8 rating and 23.0 million viewers in primetime — down 7% in ratings and 6% in viewership from 2014 (13.7, 24.5M). On NBC alone, this year’s average of 20.9 million falls below Turin (21.0M) as the lowest for any Olympics since at least 1992.
For the second time in the Olympics, Denver led all markets with a 20.7 rating across. Minneapolis-St. Paul was second at an 18.4, with Salt Lake City falling to an Olympic-low third (18.3). Seattle (17.3), Sacramento and Milwaukee (16.6), Kansas City (16.5), Buffalo and West Palm Beach (16.4) and Washington D.C. (16.0) rounded out the top ten. The comparable local ratings in 2014 were not available.
Local ratings include NBCSN and, on the West Coast, NBC’s primetime encores.
[Weds. numbers from NBC Sports PR 2.15, ShowBuzz Daily 2.15]
