Following a stumble on Saturday night, ratings and viewership returned to form for the 2012 London Olympics Sunday.
Tape delayed primetime coverage of the 2012 Summer Olympics earned a 17.5 rating and 31.3 million viewers on NBC Sunday night, up 9% in ratings and 15% in viewership from Beijing in 2008 (16.0, 27.184M), and up 11% and 20%, respectively, from Athens in 2004 (15.8, 26.039M).
The comparable night of the most recent Olympics — the 2010 Winter Olympics from Vancouver — earned a 13.2 and 23.294 million.
This marks the highest rating for the second Sunday night of the Olympics since Atlanta in 1996 (23.4), even topping Salt Lake City in 2002 (17.1) — the most recent U.S.-based Olympics.
Excluding U.S.-based Olympics, the 17.5 is the highest for the second Sunday of the Games since Lillehammer in 1994 (29.3).
Overall, primetime coverage of the 2012 London Olympics averaged an 18.8 rating and 33.6 million viewers on NBC through Sunday — 9% in ratings and 12% in viewership from 2008 (17.3, 29.9M), and 19% and 28%, respectively, from 2004 (15.8, 26.2M).
The 18.8 average is the highest for primetime coverage of any Olympics since Atlanta in 1996 (22.5), topping Salt Lake City in 2002 (18.0). Excluding U.S.-based Olympics, the average is the highest since Lillehammer in 1994.
(Sunday’s numbers and ten-night average from NBC Universal Media Village)
