The superb ratings for the Beijing Olympics continued on Sunday.
NBC drew a 17.9/31 final rating with 31.7 million viewers for prime time coverage of swimming and women’s gymnastics on Sunday night, up 16% and 23% from a 15.4/26 and 25.8 million for the first Sunday of the 2004 Athens games. The 17.9 rating also marks a 23% increase from a 14.6/24 for the first Sunday of the 2000 Sydney Olympics.
Ratings peaked with a 21.0/32 and 38 million viewers during the 9:30 PM half-hour.
Through three nights, NBC is averaging a 17.0/30 rating for its prime time coverage of the 2008 Beijing Olympics, up 21% from a 14.1/26 through the first three nights of the ’04 Athens Olympics.
Ratings and viewership for the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
18.6/33, 34.2 mil: Opening Ceremony (Fri., 8/8, 7:30 PM NBC); up 27% and 35% from ’04.
13.9/27, 24.1 mil: Day one (Sat., 8/9, 8 PM NBC); up 18% and 22% from ’04.
17.9/31, 31.7 mil: Day two (Sun., 8/10, 7 PM NBC); up 16% and 23% from ’04.
