The Olympic Games earned huge numbers Tuesday night but still hit a low in the metered markets.
Primetime coverage of the Rio Summer Olympics earned a 22.0 overnight rating on NBC Tuesday night, down 8% from London in 2012 (24.0) and down 4% from Beijing in 2008 (23.0). Compared to the same night of the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics, overnights increased 52% from a 14.5.
Figures do not include primetime coverage on NBCSN and Bravo, which posted a combined overnight of 1.7.
All five nights of the Rio Olympics have declined from 2012, but those shortfall has narrowed over the past few days. The Opening Ceremony and first night of competition dropped by 28% and 24%, respectively, but that thinned to 14% on Sunday and single-digits on Monday and Tuesday.
Even with the decline, Tuesday’s 22.0 overnight is the second-highest for any non-NFL television program this year, trailing only the Academy Awards on ABC (23.6). It exceeds every NBA game since Game 6 of the 1998 NBA Finals (22.9), every Major League Baseball game since Game 7 of the 2001 World Series (27.0) and every college football game since the 2006 Rose Bowl (22.7).
Salt Lake City led all markets with an Olympic-high 30.6 rating, down 2% from 2012 (31.3). Denver ranked second with a 28.7, down a tick from 2012 (28.8). Indianapolis was third at a 25.6 (-12%), followed by Minneapolis at 25.2 (-11%). San Diego also had a 25.2, rounding out the top five.
(Mon. numbers from NBC Sports)
