You know the complaints about NBC holding the Opening Ceremony for primetime and not putting it online? Well, those complaints are going to continue falling on deaf ears. Last night, Americans made the London Opening Ceremony the most watched Summer Olympics gala ever. The numbers are staggering.
Almost 41 million people watched. 40.7 million, to be exact. That beats Atlanta in 1996 which was live at 39.8 million viewers.
The final rating was 21.0 with a 37 share. That beats the Communist China Opening Ceremony by 12%. And the 21.0 rating is the highest Friday night rating for NBC since the 2002 Salt Lake Winter Olympics Opening Ceremony which was live and garnered a 25.2 rating. Those are stunning numbers.
So no matter my complaints or your complaints or your pets’ complaints, NBC is going to tape delay the Opening and Closing Ceremonies until you stop watching.
Here’s the press release.
NBC AIRS MOST-WATCHED SUMMER GAMES OPENING CEREMONY ON RECORD
40.7 Million Average Viewers Tops Atlanta Opening Ceremony; Nearly 6 Million More than Beijing; and 15 Million More than Athens, the Last European Olympics
21.0/37 National Rating 12% Higher than Beijing and 44% Higher than Athens; is Best for Any Non-U.S. Summer Olympics Ever
Highest-Rated Friday Night on Any Network in a DecadeLONDON – July 28, 2012 – In the more than 50 years of televised Olympics, NBC’s coverage of the Opening Ceremony of the London Olympics (8 p.m. – 12:02 a.m. ET/PT) is the MOST-WATCHED for a Summer Games on record with 40.7 million average viewers, topping the Atlanta Games (39.8 million). Last night’s viewership is nearly six million more than the 2008 Beijing Olympics (34.9 million) and 15 million more than the 2004 Athens Olympics (25.4 million), the last European Olympics.
NBC SPORTS GROUP CHAIRMAN MARK LAZARUS: “This audience number for the London Opening Ceremony is a great early sign that our strategy of driving people to watch NBC in primetime is working. We look forward to the next 16 nights of compelling Olympic competition.”
The Opening Ceremony on NBC earned a 21.0/37 national rating/share, the best for a non-U.S. Summer Olympics ever, and the second best for a non-U.S. Games (Summer or Winter) in 36 years – since Innsbruck in 1976 (23.2/37).
- Last night’s Opening Ceremony national rating of 21.0/37 is 12 percent higher than Beijing in 2008 (18.8/34) and 44 percent higher than Athens in 2004 (14.6/27).
- The 21.0 rating for last night was the highest-rated Friday night on any network since the Opening Ceremony of the Salt Lake City Games (25.2 on Feb. 8, 2002).
OPENING CEREMONY AVERAGE VIEWERS (ALL SUMMER GAMES ON RECORD):
1. London – 2012: 40.7 Million NBC
2. Atlanta – 1996: 39.8 Million NBC
3. Beijing – 2008: 34.9 Million NBC
4. Sydney – 2000: 27.3 Million NBC
5. Athens – 2004: 25.4 Million NBC
6. Seoul – 1988: 22.7 Million NBC
7. Barcelona – 1992: 21.6 Million NBCNON-U.S. OPENING CEREMONY NATIONAL RATING (SUMMER GAMES)
1. London – 2012: 21.0/37 NBC
2. Beijing – 2008: 18.8/34 NBC
3. Rome – 1960: 18.1/36 CBS
4. Sydney – 2000: 16.2/29 NBC
5. Seoul – 1988: 15.2/29 NBC
6. Athens – 2004: 14.6/27 NBC
7. Barcelona – 1992: 13.8/29 NBC
8. Montreal – 1976: 11.1/39 ABC
9. Mexico City – 1968: 8.8/34 ABC
10. Munich – 1972: 6.5/28 ABC
11. Tokyo – 1964: 5.6/14 ABCTOP 20 METERED MARKETS FOR OPENING CEREMONY:
1. San Diego — 27.8/49
T2. Washington D.C. — 26.8/48
T2. West Palm Beach — 26.8/48
4. Salt Lake City — 26.6/50
5. Denver — 26.4/51
6. Norfolk — 26.3/42
7. Sacramento — 25.4/47
T8. Kansas City — 25.0/44
T8. Richmond — 25.0/41
10. Columbus — 24.9/43
T11. Boston — 24.8/45
T11. Indianapolis — 24.8/45
13. Seattle — 24.4/48
14. Los Angeles — 24.2/44
15. Atlanta — 24.1/39
T16. Philadelphia — 24.0/40
T16. Jacksonville — 24.0/39
T18. Austin — 23.9/44
T18. Ft. Myers — 23.9/43
20. Portland — 23.8/48Jim Bell served as executive producer of NBC’s Opening Ceremony coverage; Bucky Gunts, director; Molly Solomon and Joe Gesue producers.
I’m amazed. I thought the numbers would be down with the amount of people finding the Opening Ceremony through back door sites, but NBC got high numbers. Congratulations to the Peacock.
