As was the case in the overnights, final ratings for the Olympics Friday night were likely the lowest ever in primetime.
Friday’s primetime coverage of the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics drew an 8.8 rating and 14.9 million viewers on NBC, according to Nielsen fast-nationals — down 37% in ratings and 39% in viewership from Vancouver in 2010 (13.9, 24.5M), and down 9% and 7%, respectively, from Turin in 2006 (9.7, 15.9M). The comparable night of the most recent Olympics (London in 2012) had a 13.2 and 22.5 million viewers.
Although night-by-night ratings prior to 1996 are not available, Friday’s 8.8 rating likely marks a record-low for primetime coverage of the Olympics. The lowest rating on record prior to Friday night was an 8.9 for the Turin Closing Ceremony.
While ratings for the Sochi Olympics have regularly trailed Vancouver, which benefited from closer proximity to the U.S. and live coverage in the East and Central time zones, the numbers have recently begun to fall behind Turin as well. Three of the last four primetime windows have declined from Turin in 2006, compared to just one such telecast in the first eleven nights.
Locally, Denver was the top market for Friday’s telecast with a 16.5. Salt Lake City (15.7) and Minneapolis (13.4) ranked second and third, with Indianapolis (13.0) and Milwaukee (12.8) rounding out the top five.
(Fri. numbers from NBC Sports Group Press Box, NBC Sports)
