177 MILLION PEOPLE HAVE WATCHED THE OLYMPICS ON THE NETWORKS OF NBC UNIVERSAL THROUGH 13 DAYS

24.9 Million Average Audience; More Than 4 Million More and 20% Higher Than 2006 Winter Games Through 13 Nights

67 Million People Watched the Olympics Wednesday on the Networks of NBC Universal, 9 Million More Than the Comparable Day at the 2006 Winter Games.

VANCOUVER – February 25, 2010 – 177 million Americans have watched the Vancouver Olympics on the networks of NBC Universal through 13 days of the Games; four million more than watched the first 13 days of the 2006 Winter Games (173 million), according to data available today from The Nielsen Company.

NBCU’s Wednesday broadcasts were seen by 67 million total viewers on a night that faced a two-hour American Idol.  The 67 million is nine million more than the comparable day from the 2006 Games (58 million).

13-DAY AVERAGE IS 4 MILLION MORE THAN 2006: The 24.9 million average viewers through 13 nights of the Vancouver Games is more than four million more and 20 percent higher than the average viewership of the 2006 Winter Games through 13 nights (20.7 million).

THE OLYMPICS IS A HUGE CULTURAL EVENT
·       46% of Olympic viewers changed their typical routine to watch the Olympics.
·       34% delayed doing laundry or other household chores – including paying bills – in order to watch the Olympics.
·       59% said they didn’t watch some of their “regular shows” in order to watch the Olympics
·       35% of viewers cried or became teary-eyed while watching (25% among men)
·       66% of viewers cheered aloud while watching the Olympics
·       63% stayed up longer than usual to watch, resulting in 42% being “more tired than normal.”
·       42% of viewers said the Olympic sport they would most like to try is bobsled
(Source: Research Results)

WEDNESDAY NIGHT UP 24 PERCENT FROM COMPARABLE NIGHT IN 2006: On a night that faced a two-hour episode of the juggernaut, American Idol on Fox, Wednesday night’s coverage drew 19.8 million viewers nearly four million more than the comparable night at the 2006 Winter Games (16.0 million, up 24%).

OLYMPICS VS. IDOL – CUT DEFICIT BY 13 MILLION VS. 4 YEARS AGO:
·       Last night, going head-to-head from 8-10 p.m., American Idol only out-drew the Olympics by 3.8 million viewers (19.0 million for Olympics vs. 22.8 million for American Idol) 13 million less than on the comparable night during the last Winter Olympics in 2006 when Idol had an advantage of 16.9 million viewers, more than doubling the viewership of the Olympics (31.7 – 14.8 million viewers from 8-10 p.m.).

OLYMPICS VS. COMPETITION:
·       To date in Vancouver, only the cultural phenomenon American Idol has delivered more audience than the Olympics. At this point at the 2006 Winter Games, five programs had delivered more viewers than the Olympics: American Idol, Desperate Housewives, Grey’s Anatomy, House and Lost.

224-1:
·       For nearly six years since May 2004, American Idol is now 224-1 against all competition.  The one show that beat Idol head-to-head over that span was last Wednesday’s Olympics on NBC.

37 MILLION MORE WATCH OLYMPICS THAN LAST SEASON’S IDOL:
·       The Olympics in 13 days (thru Wednesday) reached 177 million viewers 37 million more than the entire last season of American Idol delivered (140 million over 39 telecasts).

The 14.1/23 average household rating-to-date is 14 percent higher than 2006 (12.4/20).  The national household rating of 11.9/19 for Wednesday night is up nearly two full ratings points and 19 percent higher than the comparable night at the 2006 Winter Games (10.0/15).

NBC OLYMPICS MOBILE: 67 MILLION PAGE VIEWS: NBC’s Olympics Mobile platforms (Mobile Web Site and iTunes App), through 13 days have amassed 67 million page views nearly doubling the total number of page views for the entire 17-day Beijing Games (34.7 million).

·       There have been 1.6 million mobile video streams in 13 days, more than five times the total number for the entire 17-day Beijing Games (301k).
·       By the time the Opening Ceremony broadcast started at 7:30 p.m. on Feb 12, NBC’s Olympics Mobile had already generated more page views than the entire 2006 Winter Games (1.07 million).

*NBCOlympics.com data will be available later today
NOTE: All data for NBC Olympics Mobile is provided by Omniture.

METERED MARKET RATINGS BY TIME ZONE (12-Day Average):
Mountain Time Zone              19.1/31
Central Time Zone               15.7/24
Pacific Time Zone               15.5/28
Eastern Time Zone               15.0/24

TOP 25 METERED MARKETS (13-Day Average):
1. SALT LAKE CITY, 22.1/37
2. DENVER, 21.9/36
3. MILWAUKEE, 21.6/33
4. SEATTLE, 19.9/37
5. MINNEAPOLIS, 19.8/34
6. ST. LOUIS, 18.8/29
7. COLUMBUS, 18.4/29
T8. SAN DIEGO, 18.1/30
T8. WEST PALM BEACH, 18.1/26
10. PORTLAND, 18.0/33
11. KANSAS CITY, 17.8/27
T12. NASHVILLE, 17.3/25
T12. OKLAHOMA CITY, 17.3/26
14. CLEVELAND, 17.1/27
15. TULSA, 17.0/25
16. FT.MYERS, 16.9/27
T17. PHOENIX, 16.7/27
T17. AUSTIN, 16.7/27
T19. BOSTON, 16.6/29
T19. PROVIDENCE, 16.6/28
21. CINCINNATI, 16.4/25
22. INDIANAPOLIS, 16.2/26
T23. CHICAGO, 16.0/25
T23. WASHINGTON D.C., 16.0/26
T23. DETROIT, 16.0/26
T23. SACRAMENTO, 16.0/28
T23. RICHMOND, 16.0/24

TOP 25 METERED MARKETS FOR WEDNESDAY, FEB. 24:
1. SALT LAKE CITY, 20.3/32
2. MILWAUKEE, 18.7/27
3. DENVER, 17.9/29
4. SEATTLE, 17.6/31
5. MINNEAPOLIS, 17.1/28
6. PORTLAND, 17.0/29
7. KANSAS CITY, 16.7/25
8. FT. MYERS, 16.1/24
9. OKLAHOMA CITY, 15.8/23
10. TULSA, 15.6/21
11. NASHVILLE, 15.4/22
12. AUSTIN, 15.3/24
13. COLUMBUS, 15.1/22
14. WEST PALM BEACH, 15.0/21
15. CINCINNATI, 14.9/23
16. RICHMOND, 14.5/22
17. PROVIDENCE, 14.4/22
18. ST. LOUIS, 14.1/22
T19. ORLANDO, 13.8/21
T19. DAYTON, 13.8/20
21. DETROIT, 13.6/21
22. INDIANAPOLIS, 13.5/21
T23. PHOENIX, 13.4/21
T23. CLEVELAND, 13.4/21
T25. CHICAGO, 13.3/21
T25. WASHINGTON D.C., 13.3/22
T25. LOUISVILLE, 13.3/20

NBC Universal, broadcasting its record 12th Olympics the most Olympics broadcast by any network, will present more than 835 hours of Vancouver Olympic Winter Games coverage – representing the most total hours ever for a Winter Olympics, more than the last two Winter Olympics combined, and the most live hours ever for a Winter Games. The Vancouver Games are the first Winter Olympics to be presented entirely in high definition.

HOST NATION CANADA WINS GOLD & SILVER IN WOMEN’S BOBSLED, US WOMEN EARN BRONZE; CANADA DEFEATS RUSSIA IN MEN’S HOCKEY FOR FIRST TIME SINCE 1960

“This is a decision that could lead to an incredible amount of emotion.” – NBC’s Ted Robinson on short track relay

“Canada defeats Russia in the Olympics for the first time since 1960.” – NBC’s Bill Patrick

VANCOUVER – Feb. 24, 2010 - Host nation Canada won gold and silver in the women’s bobsled on the 13TH day of the 2010 Vancouver Olympic Winter Games. US women Erin Pac and Elana Meyers earned bronze.

In short track ladies’ 3,000-meter relay, Allison Baver, Alyson Dudek, Lana Gehring and Katherine Reutter of the USA earned bronze when South Korea, who originally finished first, was disqualified, providing China the gold and Canada the silver.

Apolo Ohno, already the most-decorated US Winter Olympian ever with seven career medals, including two at these Games, advanced in men’s short track 500 meters. The competition resumes on Friday night.

Lydia Lassila of Australia won gold in women’s freestyle aerials, defeating China’s Li Nina and Guo Xinxin, who earned silver and bronze, respectively. The United States continues to lead the medal count with 28, including seven gold. Germany is second with 24, also with seven gold.

On CNBC, Canada’s men’s hockey team defeated Russia, 7-3, for the first time in the Olympics since 1960 and advanced to the semifinal of the tournament. The host nation will play the winner of Sweden-Slovakia. On MSNBC, Sweden defeated Great Britain, 7-6, in 11 ends in men’s curling.

SHORT TRACK:
Play-by-Play: Ted Robinson
Analyst: Andy Gabel
Reporter: Andrea Joyce

Robinson on China and South Korea jockeying for first place during the relay: “Two longtime rivals. They’re going to race for gold here.”

Robinson before the judge’s decision to disqualify South Korea: “This is a decision that could lead to an incredible amount of emotion.”

Robinson after the decision: “I believe by the reaction, the Chinese team is going to win.”

Costas on the outcome of the race: “Celebration, yes, for the Chinese. I guarantee you outrage in South Korea.”

Robinson on the 500m: “It is the most electric race in short track.”

Andy Gabel on 17 year old US skater Simon Cho: “I think he’s too young to know to be nervous.”

Apolo Ohno on the 500m: “Everybody can skate the 500 fast because obviously it’s half the distance of the 1000. The speeds are all out, max effort. It’s 40 seconds of pure torque and horsepower.”

Apolo Ohno on his yawning before his races: “I’m not tired-I get plenty of sleep. It’s more of a mental, psychological routine that I do, It relaxes me. If you watch the Discovery Channel or the nature channel, lions do it and I like that. And I want to be a lion.”

Gabel on Ohno’s race: “A veteran race by Apolo Anton Ohno. So patient. So relaxed.”

Ohno on his race tonight: “It went well, really well. The ice is actually really fast. So I feel good. I’m just enjoying racing, so it’s good.”

On if being in such good shape helps at this distance: “I think it helps in all the distances. This 500 is such a crazy race. So many skaters are able to skate four and a half laps so it’s going to be a struggle making every single round. But that’s what it’s all about.”

BOBSLED:
Play-by-Play: Bob Papa
Analyst: John Morgan
Reporter: Lewis Johnson

Morgan on Canada’s No. 1 sled: “Three times down. Three times a track record.”

Morgan: “Germany is the most powerful sliding sports nation on the planet.”

“There’s no Mason-Dixon line in Germany. They have four tracks, they love their sliding sports and the results have proven it.”

Morgan on Germany’s Cathleen Martini after her crash in the final round:  “I’ve never seen Martini crash. I’ve never seen her close to crashing.”

“I had said the track has been tamed. I think I spoke too soon.”

Papa on Canada’s No. 1 sled: “Humphries for gold.”

US driver Erin Pac after the race: “I’m just so happy we made it down on all four runs. Elana did an awesome job, she picked up the slack for me today and I’m just so happy.”

US’s Elana Meyers after the race: “We just tried to relax and have some fun. Erin’s a great pilot and we just had to stay calm and do what we know how to do. And we did it.”

ALPINE SKIING:
Play-by-Play: Tim Ryan
Analysts: Christin Cooper
Reporter: Steve Porino

Cooper on the weather conditions: “It’s going to be quite a challenge today.”

Cooper on Austria’s Elisabeth Gorgl, first after her first run: “She’s just skiing with so much confidence and so much mastery on this hill.”

Ryan on Lindsey Vonn crashing: “Looked like she caught an edge and she rockets into the fencing.”

Ryan on Julia Mancuso starting her race as Vonn was still on the course after her crash: “Meanwhile, here comes Julia Mancuso. — She’s on the course and doesn’t know about Vonn below her. — What a bizarre situation.”

Cooper on Mancuso being stopped in the middle of her race: “What rotten luck in an Olympic Games.”

Cooper on Mancuso’s re-start: “There’s just no way you can be as ready as were when you stood in that start gate the first time.”

Ryan: “Julia Mancuso, a victim of just some bizarre circumstances here today.”

Lindsey Vonn after her crash: “My body’s ok, I’m just frustrated. I was fighting. I really was attacking. I’m just disappointed in myself.”

Mancuso on her stopped run: “It’s always confusing because you don’t normally get yellow flagged in a GS race. I was trying to figure out if that was real or not because I didn’t want to stop and have them say, ‘Why’d you stop?’ So I finally figured out as I went by that something happened and I needed to stop. I went down and saw that Lindsey crashed and I was still just confused and overwhelmed by everything. I asked her if she was ok and then I found out the information that the snowmobile would take me back up to the top. – It was a lot of emotional and stress put into that run.”

Mancuso on her re-start run: “I had to do what I can. I went into the second run trying to stay positive. I got really, really tired halfway down. The snow definitely changed and it was not really an advantage to be starting later. But I made the most of it.”

FREESTYLE SKIING:
Play-by-Play: Todd Harris
Analyst: Jonny Moseley
Reporter: Tina Dixon

Moseley on 16-year old US skier Ashley Caldwell: “I’ve been so impressed with her poise. She has skiing ability, great technique in twisting and flipping. I think we’ll see a big future out of her.”

Moseley on the Chinese skiers: “They’re just really, really good in this sport right now. There’s no other way to put it.”

Harris on China’s Li Nina after her jump put her into first place: “And that’s why she’s wearing the number one bib.”

Harris on the quality of the competition: “I don’t know what they had for lunch today but this is unbelievable.”

Harris on Australia’s Lydia Lassila: “She’s one of the few non-Chinese jumpers capable to do a triple jump.”

Harris on Lassila winning gold: “It’s Lydia Lassila of Australia, the flying kangaroo, who takes gold at Cypress Mountain.”

CROSS COUNTRY:
Play-by-Play: Al Trautwig
Analyst: Chad Salmela

Salmela on Norway’s Petter Northug making up a large distance: “The fact that we’re even talking about Petter Northug right now is unbelievable. He had 37 seconds to challenge for a medal and he’s in the picture. This is an amazing young skier.”

Trautwig on Northug: “This is absolutely classic hunter and hunted stuff.”

Salmela: “And nobody hunts like Petter Northug on a pair of cross country skis.”

Trautwig on Northug’s silver: “That is one of the greatest silver medals you could ever see in just six miles of cross country skiing.”

CNBC, Men’s Ice Hockey Quarterfinal:
Canada 7 vs. Russia 3
Bill Patrick (Host), Mike Milbury (Studio Analyst), Jeremy Roenick (Studio Analyst), Mike Emrick (Play-By-Play), Eddie Olczyk (Analyst), Joe Micheletti
(Reporter)

Roenick on USA after win by Canada: “This is probably the worst scenario that the Americans could have expected. Canada coming out and just steamrolling Russia. Now Canada is rolling along, and they are feeling really good about themselves. They lost to the U.S on Sunday. This is a revenge game. If I was the U.S., I would be getting a little nervous right now.”

Patrick: “Canada defeats Russia in the Olympics for the first time since 1960.”

Olczyk:  “A good old-fashioned schooling.”

Olczyk on the arena: “This place is absolutely going bonkers.”

Emrick on Canada and Russia: “Let’s just say they battle pretty hard.”

Olczyk on Canada’s Rick Nash’s speed: “Look at Rick Nash. It’s like he was shot out of cannon right through the neutral zone. Nobody had a chance on a reaction.”

Roenick: “Canada has only won one gold in the last 50 years and being on their home turf, I think they expect No. 2 to come this year.”

Patrick: “We have sat here and watched 37 hockey games over the last week and a half. None has had the feel that Canada and Russia has.”

Milbury on Russia’s Alexander Ovechkin: “This was a superstar that wasn’t ready for this situation.”

Milbury on Canada’s Roberto Luongo: “He’s a terrific goaltender. Really gobbles up pucks around the front of the net.”

Roenick on Ovechkin as a celebrity in the sports world: “He’s like the Brad Pitt of sports.”

Patrick on NHL teammates Crosby and Malkin: “Arguably the two best players on the Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins are playing in this game. And while they are teammates most of the year, for a few weeks they are friendly rivals: Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin.”

MSNBC, MEN’S CURLING TIEBREAKER:
Sweden 7 vs. Great Britain 6, 11 ends
Fred Roggin (Host), Andrew Catalon (Play-By-Play), Don Duguid (Analyst), Colleen Jones (Analyst), Elfi Schlegel (Reporter)

Catalon: “And Sweden is going to the semis. Sweden beats Great Britain, 7-6. They are moving on to face Team Canada.”

Catalon: “Everything else we have seen over the last week and a half has come down to the last end. It’s been a week-and-a-half filled with drama on the curling ice.”

Catalon on Sweden: “Last spring, the Swedish Olympic Committee debated on not sending a team to Vancouver. They didn’t think they had anyone good enough to compete. Up stepped a team of 24-year olds. They have risen to the occasion.”

Jones on comparing Great Britain and Sweden: “It’s such a contrast between these two teams. One with so much experience in Great Britain and then the Swedish team is so young and so new to this whole arena of international play, and here they are on the biggest stage showing no signs of nerves, making all the right shots.”

Roggin on the match: “Britain’s David Murdoch finds himself in an unexpected position this afternoon. Eight days ago he opened the Olympic tournament as the man who stood between Canada and a gold medal in men’s curling. Now, he needs a victory in the tie breaker round against Sweden to survive and advance to the semi-finals.”

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