NBC’s coverage of the 2012 Olympic Games Opening Ceremony from Olympic Stadium in London registered the best overnight rating (Winter or Summer) for a non-U.S. Olympic Opening Ceremony ever. The Opening Ceremony on NBC earned a 23.0 overnight rating and a 40 share (8-Midnight. ET/PT), according to data released today by The Nielsen Company.
Compared to Opening Ceremony overnight ratings for non-U.S. Olympics, the 23.0/40 is seven percent higher than the Opening Ceremony for the 2008 Beijing Olympics (21.5/37), 10 percent higher than the tabloid-fueled Lillehammer Games (21.0/34), and 15 percent higher than the Opening Ceremony for the 2010 Vancouver Games (20.0/33).
NON-U.S. OPENING CEREMONY OVERNIGHT RATINGS:
| 1. London – 2012 | 23.0/40 NBC |
| 2. Beijing – 2008 | 21.5/37 NBC |
| 3. Lillehammer – 1994 | 21.0/34 CBS |
| 4. Vancouver – 2010 | 20.0/33 NBC |
| 5. Nagano – 1998 | 18.6/30 CBS |
| 6. Sydney – 2000 | 18.5/32 NBC |
| 7. Seoul – 1988 | 18.3/33 NBC |
| 8. Athens – 2004 | 18.0/30 NBC |
| 9. Sarajevo – 1984 | 17.2/27 ABC |
| 10. Calgary – 1988 | 17.0/40 ABC |
| 11. Barcelona – 1992 | 16.5/32 NBC |
| 12. Albertville – 1992 | 16.0/26 CBS |
| 13. Torino – 2006 | 14.7/23 NBC |
OPENING CEREMONY OVERNIGHT RATINGS FOR U.S. GAMES:
| 1. Los Angeles – 1984 | 29.5/55 ABC |
| 2. Salt Lake City – 2002 | 27.9/43 NBC |
| 3. Atlanta – 1996 | 27.2/47 NBC |
TOP 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 | 24.0/40 |
| T18. Austin | 23.9/44 |
| T18. Ft. Myers | 23.9/44 |
| 20. Portland | 23.8/48 |
Jim Bell served as executive producer of NBC’s Opening Ceremony coverage; Bucky Gunts, director; Molly Solomon and Joe Gesue producers.
(source: NBC)
