On a star-studded night of the Olympic Games, overnight ratings were the lowest since at least 2000.
Primetime coverage of the Rio Summer Olympics earned a 20.4 overnight rating on NBC Thursday night, down 12% from London in 2012 (23.1) and down 3% from Beijing in 2008 (21.0). With overnights also down 11% from Athens in 2004 (23.0), the 20.4 is the lowest for the first Thursday of a Summer Olympics since at least 2000.
Thursday’s figures do not include concurrent primetime coverage on NBCSN, which pulled a 1.0 overnight.
Though down from previous years, the 20.4 overnight is the second-best of the Rio Olympics, behind only a 22.0 on Tuesday. As was the case Tuesday, coverage featured both Michael Phelps and Simone Biles winning gold medals. For the year, it ranks third among all non-NFL programs in the metered markets — behind Tuesday’s window and the Academy Awards in February (23.6).
Salt Lake City led all markets Thursday with a 25.8 rating, down 17% from 2012 (31.2). Indianapolis (24.7), Columbus (24.6), Austin, TX (23.7) and Norfolk, VA (23.2) rounded out the top five.
(Thu. numbers from NBC Sports)
