NBC Sets New Standard for Olympic Day 1 Overnight Rating From Non-US Site

ShareTweet

There were complaints on Twitter about the holding of glamor events like the men’s 400 Individual Medley in swimming for primetime, but people still watched. And yes, that event was online at NBCOlympics.com and on its mobile apps, but there were complaints of video lagging.

I was able to see it online without problems, but I’ll get into that another time.

NBC saw an overnight rating of 18.0 with a 33 share. That’s 8% higher than the first night of competition in Beijing which had a 16.6/30.

Again, Pacific time zone markets topped the local ratings. Salt Lake City was first as it was most nights during the Vancouver Games and San Diego was second.

We’ll have further information later today on the ratings, but here’s what we have from NBC.

• Last night, the first night of competition, NBC drew an 18.0 overnight rating and 33 share (8:30-11:30 p.m. ET/PT), the best overnight rating for the first night of competition for a non-U.S. Summer Olympics ever.
• 18.0 Overnight Rating and 33 Share is 8% Higher than Beijing, 22% Higher than Athens, the Last European Olympics.
• Last night, which featured Michael Phelps and Ryan Lochte facing off head-to-head in the 400 IM (shown on delay in primetime and live on NBCOlympics.com), is 8% higher than the first night of competition for the opening Saturday night of the 2008 Beijing Olympics (16.6/30), when Michael Phelps won the first of his eight gold medals. The first Saturday night in Beijing was live to the Eastern and Central time zones in the U.S.
• Last night’s overnight is 22% higher than the first night of competition at the 2004 Athens Games (14.8/25), the last European Olympics.
• The 18.0/33 overnight is the second-highest for the first day of competition of ANY non-U.S. Olympics (Winter or Summer), only eclipsed by the first night of the tabloid-fueled Lillehammer Games (21.0/34) which featured the Opening Ceremony.

OVERNIGHTS FOR FIRST NIGHT OF COMPETITON (NON-U.S. SUMMER GAMES):

1. London – 2012 — 18.0/33 NBC
2. Seoul – 1988 — 17.1/32 NBC
3. Beijing – 2008 — 16.6/30 NBC
4. Barcelona – 1992 — 16.5/32 NBC
5. Sydney – 2000 — 15.6/28 NBC
6. Athens – 2004 — 14.8/25 NBC

OVERNIGHTS FOR FIRST NIGHT OF COMPETITON (U.S. SUMMER GAMES):

1. Los Angeles – 1984 — 29.5/55 ABC
2. Atlanta – 1996 — 19.9/39 NBC

TOP 20 METERED MARKETS FOR FIRST NIGHT OF COMPETITION:

1. Salt Lake City — 23.9/46
2. San Diego — 22.8/43
3. Kansas City — 22.4/42
4. Columbus — 21.5/39
5. Ft. Myers — 21.3/40
6. Milwaukee — 20.6/38
7. Denver — 20.5/44
8. Indianapolis — 20.4/39
9. Sacramento — 20.2/41
10. Nashville — 19.6/34
11. Oklahoma City — 19.2/32
12. St. Louis — 18.9/35
13. Richmond — 18.7/33
14. Portland — 18.5/41
T15. San Francisco — 18.4/40
T15. Boston — 18.4/36
T17. Norfolk — 18.3/30
T17. Albuquerque — 18.3/34
T17. Jacksonville — 18.3/31
20. Phoenix — 18.1/32

More stuff later today.

ShareTweet