For the second straight night, television ratings for the Winter Olympics were possibly the lowest ever in primetime.
Primetime coverage of the 2014 Sochi Olympics earned a 7.8 rating and 13.3 million viewers on NBC, according to Nielsen fast-nationals — down a third in ratings and 35% in viewership from Vancouver in 2010 (11.7, 20.6M), and down 20% in both measures from Turin in 2006 (9.7, 16.5M). The comparable night of the most recent Olympics, London in 2012, had a 12.6 and 21.8 million.
Saturday’s 7.8 rating is the lowest for any primetime Olympics telecast in at least 20 years (complete night-by-night ratings prior to 1996 were not available). The previous low was an 8.8 for Friday’s coverage.
Three of the four lowest rated primetime Olympics telecasts in the past two decades — and likely ever — have taken place this year.
In addition to the likely record low, Saturday’s telecast marked the fourth time in five nights that ratings and viewership for the Sochi Olympics has trailed the comparable night in Turin. By comparison, Sochi trailed Turin only once in the previous eleven nights.
Lowest Rated Primetime Olympics Telecasts, Past 20 Years
Night-by-night viewership prior to 1996 was not available
(Sat. numbers from NBC Sports Group Press Box)
