There’s no press release yet, but I’m sure it’s coming. NBC has completed a 17 day sweep of the Olympics, winning every night of the Games by wide margins. Zap2It says the Closing Ceremonies on Sunday which also included a butchered gold medal men’s volleyball game between the US and Brazil garnered a 13.6 rating/23 share.
That’s significantly higher than the 10.2/19 from Saturday night which was the lowest rated night of the Olympics.
To understand why these Games were so successful, take a look at Bill Carter’s article in the New York Times which describes how NBC Sports & Olympics Emperor Dick Ebersol managed to move swimming and gymnastics to primetime and then had China move the Games from mid-September to August.
When the NBC press release is out, I’ll put it up.
UPDATE 8:30 p.m. – The press release has been delivered to my inbox. Here is what NBC is saying:
BEIJING GAMES SHOW SIGNIFICANT INCREASES IN RATING AND AVERAGE VIEWERS15.2 Rating for Closing Ceremony Best for Non-U.S. Summer Olympics Since 1976
Beijing Games Most Viewed Event in U.S. Television History; *Total Viewers Available Tuesday, Aug. 26
(Due to Nielsen delays, a final total viewer result for the Beijing Games is not currently available, though the 16-day total through Saturday, Aug. 23 of 211 million has established these Olympics as the most-viewed event in U.S. television history, eclipsing the 209 million of the 1996 Atlanta Summer Games. A final total viewer result will be available tomorrow, Tuesday, Aug. 26.)
“This audience record is something I thought I’d never see again, but what really satisfied me is the way in which these Olympics truly captivated and seemed to inspire our country,” said Dick Ebersol, Chairman, NBC Universal Sports & Olympics and Executive Producer of NBC Universal’s Beijing Olympics coverage.
“For me, the greatest measure of success at an Olympics is the number of messages I receive from parents of young kids who have fallen in love with the Olympics. That child means more to me than anything because I think a love affair with the Olympics is the greatest in all of sports.”
“It’s a privilege to have this job because it’s one of the few ways in which you can still reach families and children in a meaningful way. If you produce it the right way, the entire family will watch together.”
MOST VIEWED EVENTS IN U.S. TV HISTORY:
1. 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics, 211* million (16 days)
2. 1996 Atlanta Summer Olympics, 209 million (17 days)
3. 1994 Lillehammer Winter Olympics, 204 million (16 days)
4. 2004 Athens Summer Olympics, 203 million (17 days)
5. 1988 Seoul Summer Olympics, 194 million (17 days)
*Total viewers not available until Tuesday, Aug. 26VIEWERS AND RATING BOTH UP SIGNIFICANTLY FROM ATHENS:
The Beijing Olympics 17-day average primetime viewership is 27.7 million, 13 percent ahead of Athens in 2004 (24.6 million) and is the best primetime average viewership for a complete Olympics outside the U.S since Montreal in 1976.NBC’s average of a 16.2 rating, 28 share in households is an eight percent increase over Athens in 2004 (15.0/26) and the best rating for a Summer Olympics outside the U.S. since Barcelona in 1992 (17.1/33).
CLOSING CEREMONY BEST NON U.S. RATING SINCE 1976:
Sunday’s Closing Ceremony garnered 27.2 million average viewers, a 39 percent gain from the Closing Ceremony night in Athens (19.6 million). The night earned a 15.2 rating/24 share, a 28 percent increase from Athens (11.9/20). In both categories, the Closing Ceremony from Beijing was the best delivery for a Summer Olympics Closing Ceremony outside the U.S. since Montreal in 1976.OLYMPICS IN PRIMETIME DOMINATE COMPETITION:
In primetime, NBC’s Beijing Games has won all 100-rated half-hours against its entire network competition.NBCOLYMPICS.COM ON MSN POSTS RECORD NUMBERS: For the complete Beijing Games, NBCOlympics.com has more than doubled the combined totals for the Athens and Torino Games in page views and unique users, while increasing videos streamed by more than seven times.
VIDEO STREAMS: 75.5 million for Beijing, 10.8 million for Athens and Turin Games combined (+601%)
UNIQUE USERS: 51.9 million for Beijing, 25.2 million for Athens and Turin Games combined (+106%)
PAGE VIEWS: 1.24 billion for Beijing, 561.1 million for Athens and Turin Games combined (+122%)
HOURS OF VIDEO STREAMED: 9.9 million hours of video consumed through for Beijing Games is the equivalent of 1,126 years of video.TOP 10 METERED MARKETS FOR BEIJING GAMES:
T1. Denver 23.1/40
T1. Salt Lake City 23.1/45
3. Minneapolis 22.1/41
T4. Indianapolis 21.3/37
T4. San Diego 21.3/39
T6. Baltimore 21.1/35
T6. Oklahoma City 21.1/33
8. Nashville 21.0/33
9. Columbus, Ohio 20.4/35
10. Portland, Ore. 20.2/41
There you have it. Since the final ratings for the Games are not out yet, I expect one final press release and that should close the books on the Olympics here at Fang
‘s Bites.
