FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, August 18th, 2016
NBC’S PRIMETIME RIO OLYMPICS IS MOST DOMINANT IN ADULT 18-49 DEMOGRAPHIC OF ANY OLYMPICS ON RECORD
NBC Olympics Hits 2.25 Billion Live Streaming Minutes for Rio 2016 – More Than 750 Million Minutes Ahead of All Prior Games Combined
Golf’s Return to the Olympics Ties as Highest-Rated Opening Round of Women’s Golf in 2016
Wednesday’s Total Audience Delivery Registers 22.1 Million Primetime Viewers
RIO DE JANEIRO – August 18, 2016 – NBC Olympics’ exclusive and unprecedented multi-platform coverage of the 2016 Rio Olympics continues to dominate the competition.
DEMOGRAPHICS
NBC’s primetime Rio Olympic ratings are the most dominant in Olympic television history in the Adult 18-49 demographic, according to national data provided by The Nielsen Company.
NBC’s 13-night 7.7 primetime rating in the demographic more than quadruples (353% above) the other broadcast networks combined (1.7 on ABC, CBS and FOX) – the largest advantage in the first 13 days of any Olympics (on record).
DIGITAL
NBC Olympics’ digital presentation of Rio 2016 continues to set consumption milestones. Through Wednesday night, viewers streamed 2.25 BILLION live minutes – more than 750 million minutes ahead of the combined total of ALL prior Olympics.
WOMEN’S GOLF
Wednesday marked the first women’s golf competition in the Olympics since 1900 and by Saturday’s final round, Golf Channel’s presentation will account for more live hours of coverage than any other women’s golf event in history.
Golf Channel’s Wednesday afternoon coverage of the opening round was up 578% among average viewers and up 467% for U.S. household rating vs. the same Wednesday in 2012 opposite the London Games.
Additionally, Golf Channel’s coverage tied as the highest-rated round one of any women’s golf event in 2016 (Noon-3:54 pm ET; 0.17 US HH rating, 217,000 average viewers), matching the rating for coverage of the ANA Inspiration Major Championship, which aired in primetime (3/31/16, 7:12-9:12 pm ET). South Korean Inbee Park is leading the competition at -10, followed by USA’s Stacy Lewis at -9 after today’s second round.
TOTAL AUDIENCE DELIVERY
Wednesday’s primetime Rio Olympics coverage posted a Total Audience Delivery average of 22.1 million viewers with a 13.3 household rating.
Last night’s NBC-only Rio Olympics coverage (8-11:03 p.m. ET/PT) averaged 20.7 million viewers and posted a 12.3/22 household rating. Also in primetime on Wednesday, NBCSN’s live Olympics competition coverage averaged 1.17 million viewers.
Additional NBC Olympics metrics:
- After 13 days, the NBC-only average primetime viewership (26.7 million viewers) and household rating (15.0) have respective 256% and 194% advantages over ABC, CBS and FOX combined – the second-largest Games advantage on record (behind only the London Olympics).
- Telemundo’s live coverage from 11 a.m.-3 p.m., featuring the Brazil-Honduras men’s soccer semifinal, averaged 382,000 viewers and 191,000 viewers in the Adult 18-49 demographic – up 16% and 14% respectively from the comparable day in London.
- NBC UNIVERSO’s live Rio 2016 coverage from 3-8 p.m. ET averaged 106,000 viewers and 60,000 viewers in the Adult 18-49 demographic – up 715% and 650% respectively vs. the comparable day last August.
NBC Olympics coverage on other channels and digital streaming has lifted primetime viewership each night (chart below).
| Date | Total Audience Delivery | NBC-only viewership | TAD Lift |
| Sat. 8/6 | 23.5 million | 20.6 million | 14% |
| Sun. 8/7 | 31.8 million | 29.8 million | 7% |
| Mon. 8/8 | 31.5 million | 28.9 million | 9% |
| Tues. 8/9 | 36.1 million | 33.4 million | 8% |
| Wed. 8/10 | 28.6 million | 26.4 million | 8% |
| Thur. 8/11 | 33.0 million | 31.2 million | 6% |
| Fri. 8/12 | 26.0 million | 24.0 million | 8% |
| Sat. 8/13 | 26.8 million | 25.5 million | 5% |
| Sun. 8/14 | 28.1 million | 26.7 million | 5% |
| Mon. 8/15 | 25.5 million | 24.2 million | 5% |
| Tues. 8/16 | 25.6 million | 24.1 million | 6% |
| Wed. 8/17 | 22.1 million | 20.7 million | 7% |
| Average | 28.6 million | 26.8 million | 7% |
NBC Olympics’ Total Audience Delivery measures broader Rio Olympics consumption by calculating average minute viewing across broadcast, cable, and digital. The 2016 Rio Olympics is the first in U.S. media history with live primetime Olympic coverage on channels other than the primary broadcast network. It is also the first time that the broadcast network coverage, including primetime, has been streamed simultaneously on digital platforms.
Through the 12 nights of competition, Total Audience Delivery for Rio 2016 and the 2012 London Olympics:
OLYMPICS TOTAL AUDIENCE DELIVERY
| Day | Rio 2016 | London 2012* | Rio 2016 | London 2012* |
| 1st Sat. | 23.5 million | 28.7 million | 13.0 rating | 15.8 rating |
| 1st Sun. | 31.8 million | 36.0 million | 17.3 rating | 19.8 rating |
| 1st Mon. | 31.5 million | 31.6 million | 18.1 rating | 18.0 rating |
| 1st Tues | 36.1 million | 38.7 million | 20.5 rating | 21.8 rating |
| 1st Wed | 28.6 million | 30.8 million | 16.5 rating | 17.9 rating |
| 1st Thurs | 33.0 million | 36.8 million | 18.9 rating | 21.1 rating |
| 1st Friday | 26.0 million | 28.5 million | 15.0 rating | 16.2 rating |
| Mid. Sat. | 26.8 million | 28.0 million | 15.0 rating | 15.9 rating |
| Mid. Sun. | 28.1 million | 31.3 million | 15.8 rating | 17.5 rating |
| 2nd Mon. | 25.5 million | 26.6 million | 14.9 rating | 15.8 rating |
| 2nd Tues. | 25.6 million | 30.1 million | 14.3 rating | 17.6 rating |
| 2nd Wed. | 22.1 million | 29.1 million | 13.3 rating | 16.8 rating |
*NOTE: The 2012 London Olympics had no simultaneous live streaming and no competing primetime Olympic cable coverage.
TOP 10 METERED MARKETS FOR NBC WEDNESDAY PRIMETIME:
| 1. Salt Lake City | 18.4/36 |
| 2. Denver | 17.8/35 |
| 3. West Palm Beach | 16.7/27 |
| 4. Columbus | 16.1/28 |
| 5. Austin | 15.9/29 |
| 6. Indianapolis | 15.6/27 |
| 7. Norfolk | 15.4/24 |
| 8. San Diego | 15.3/30 |
| T9. Minneapolis | 15.2/29 |
| T9. St. Louis | 15.2/26 |
About NBC Olympics
A division of NBC Sports Group, NBC Olympics is responsible for producing, programming and promoting NBCUniversal’s Olympic Games coverage. It is renowned for its unsurpassed Olympic heritage, award-winning production, and ability to aggregate the largest audiences in U.S. television history. The London 2012 Olympic Games were watched by 217 million Americans across the networks of NBCUniversal, making it the most-watched event in U.S. television history.
–Rio 2016–
