Wednesday’s Games top even Atlanta

NBC's Olympic coverage continued to draw strong ratings Wednesday night with more big gains over Beijing.

 

The network averaged 29.1 million total viewers in primetime, according to Nielsen, becoming the most-watched second Wednesday for any Summer Games since 1976.

 

It was ahead of even the second Wednesday of the Atlanta Games, one of only a handful of times any Summer Olympics has outdrawn Atlanta, the standard-bearer for the past two decades.

 

That was up 17 percent over the same night in Beijing, which averaged 24.8 million viewers, and up 20 percent over Athens in 2004, which drew 24.3 million.

 

NBC averaged a 16.8 household rating and 28 share on the night, up 11 percent over Beijing's 15.2/26.

 

It was also the first time that the network's coverage has ended at 11 p.m., after running well past primetime the previous 12 nights.

 

That was to ensure that the sneak preview of new comedy "Go On," which started at 11:06 p.m., did not get pushed back too late, or it risked losing viewers.

 

London has now finished ahead of Beijing on 12 of 13 nights so far. 

 

NBC remains on pace for the most-watched non-U.S.-hosted Summer Games since 1976, with an average 32.6 million total viewers, 3.6 million more than Beijing.

 

Wednesday's marquee events included the gold medal game in women's beach volleyball, won by Kerri Walsh and Misty May-Treanor, and American Allyson Felix's victory in the women's 200-meter dash.

 

NBC's weekday coverage also continued to draw strong ratings Wednesday.

 

NBC thus far is averaging 7.3 million total viewers for eight telecasts, up 33 percent over Beijing's 5.5 million.

 

Each telecast from London has topped the comparable day from Beijing.