Salt Lake City Still Leads NBC Rio Coverage; Milwaukee, K.C. Fall Off From '12 Figures

Salt Lake City is averaging a 22.0 local rating through 12 nights of NBC's primetime Olympic coverage, well ahead of second-place Denver's 20.5 rating as the Rio Games head into the final few days. The 22.0 rating is down from Salt Lake City's 26.6 rating during the same period of the '12 London Games. If the rating holds, Salt Lake City will have been the highest-rated Olympic market in the U.S. for seven of the last eight Games (Minneapolis-St. Paul led in '14). Salt Lake City has led on all but two nights of NBC's coverage this year. It ranked No. 5 for the Opening Ceremony, which was topped by West Palm Beach. It also was topped on the second Saturday of the Rio Games, finishing at No. 7 as Norfolk took the top spot. Meanwhile, Denver is on pace to finish in the No. 2 spot for the Rio Games, averaging a 20.5 local rating through 12 nights. Denver was ranked No. 4 during the same point in '12. Salt Lake City and Denver are the only markets that are averaging over a 20.0 local rating. At least 20 markets at the same point in '12 averaged over a 20.0 local rating. After ranking No. 2 during the London Games after 12 nights, Milwaukee has dropped out of the top 10. K.C. has also dropped out of the top 10 after ranking No. 3.