NBC is running away from the other networks faster than Usain Bolt.
Ratings for the 2008 Beijing Olympics continue to be down from last week, but remain very impressive. NBC averaged a 15.7/25 overnight and 25.4 million viewers in prime time (8-11 PM) Tuesday night, down 18% and 20% from a 19.2/30 with 32.0 million in prime time last Tuesday.
Prime time viewership peaked from 10-10:30 PM, as 28.9 million viewers tuned in.
The drop in ratings during the second week of the Olympics is far from a new phenomenon, though it may be more slightly pronounced this year due to how well the Games did during the first week. The Sports Business Daily notes that “the Summer Olympics have averaged a 12.5 percent drop in viewership during their second week” since 1992, including 12% drops for the 2004 Athens Games and 2000 Sydney Games.
