Though still up from 2006, the Winter Games hit a low point on NBC Tuesday night.
Primetime coverage of the 2010 Vancouver Olympics drew a 12.2/19 rating and 20.3 million viewers on NBC Tuesday night, up 8% in ratings and 10% in viewership from the comparable night of the 2006 Turin Olympics (11.3/18, 18.4 mil), but down 34% and 32%, respectively, from the comparable night of the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics (18.5/29, 29.8 mil).
Versus the comparable night of the 1998 Nagano Olympics, Tuesday’s telecast was down 33% from an 18.2/30.
The Olympics was outdrawn head-to-head by American Idol. The FOX reality show drew a 12.9/19 and 23.6 million viewers, topping NBC by 9% and 20%, respectively, from 8-10 PM.
In a press release, NBC pointed out that Olympics managed to narrow the gap with American Idol by 80% in ratings and 64% in viewers versus the comparable head-to-head matchup in ’06.
Salt Lake City was the top rated market on Tuesday night, with a 21.1/33. Following were Milwaukee (20.9/32), Denver (20.3/32), Seattle (17.9/33) and St. Louis (17.5/26).
Through five nights, the 2010 Winter Olympics is averaging a 14.5/24 rating and 26.4 million viewers on NBC, up 14% and 22%, respectively, from the 2006 Turin Olympics (12.7/20, 21.6 mil), and the most-viewed non-U.S. Winter Olympics through five nights since Lillehammer in ’94 (38.1 mil).
