Video Consumption Across Multiple Screens by Advertiser-Coveted Demo Sets Records

Nearly 5 Times as Many Millennials Watched Primetime Olympics on NBC than Watched Primetime during TV Season

NBC Olympics’ Rio Coverage on Facebook, Snapchat, and Google/YouTube Engaged with an Audience Predominantly Under Age 35

NBC Olympics Ranked #1 Sports Brand & #1 Consumer Brand for Social Engagement During the Games

RIO DE JANEIRO – August 23, 2016 – Whether it was watching Usain Bolt in primetime, streaming Simone Biles on the NBC Sports app, interacting with Michael Phelps on Facebook Live, or watching the highlight of Neymar’s game-winning goal in the men’s soccer final on NBC Olympics’ Snapchat Discover channel, one thing is clear: Millennials love the Olympics.

Video consumption of Rio 2016 by the advertiser-coveted demographic across NBC Olympics’ TV screens, digital platforms, and social media set records, according to research conducted by NBC, Facebook, Snapchat, Google/YouTube, Shareablee, and The Nielsen Company.

The audience for NBC’s primetime Olympics presentation had a far larger proportion of millennial viewers than the 2015-16 primetime TV season.  Nearly five times (382% higher) as many Adults 18-34 watched the Rio Olympics in primetime (5.3 rating) than watched on the four broadcast networks (1.1 average rating). That compares favorably to the Olympics advantage over the TV season among Adults 35-49 (+336% Olympics advantage over primetime season) and Adults 50+ (+223%). NBC’s 5.3 rating for P18-34 during the Games was equal to the next 22 networks combined (based on data currently available, through Aug. 18).

“There is no event that aggregates audiences on such a massive scale for so long and across as many platforms as the Olympics, and that includes young people,” said Mark Lazarus, Chairman, NBC Sports Group. “Our research shows and the audience consumption proves that Millennials were highly interested, enthusiastic and engaged in the Rio Olympics.”

In addition to the nearly 200 million viewers on NBC’s 11 English and Spanish language linear channels carrying coverage of the Rio Games, nearly 50 million viewers streamed 3.4 billion minutes of NBC’s Rio coverage on web, mobile, and connected devices, with more than half of those viewers under the age of 35. And more than two-thirds of the viewers of NBC Olympics’ highlights on Facebook, Snapchat and Google/Youtube were under the age of 35, leading to millions of referrals to NBC’s video coverage across all screens.

“‘Television’ is no longer just a piece of hardware propped up on a table or hanging on a wall. Rather, ‘television’ is now a video stream — and in the case of the Olympics, a world-class NBC-produced video stream — delivered to any screen capable of rendering it,” said Gary Zenkel, President, NBC Olympics. “America’s Millennial audience is watching television across multiple screens, supplemented and fueled by their social engagement, which in the case of Rio 2016, reached new heights across multiple platforms.”

Research conducted for NBC Research during the Games by Shareablee said that Millennials who watched Olympic highlights on social media that day were significantly more likely to watch both NBC’s primetime coverage on television and stream NBC’s digital content that evening.

NBC Olympics’ own social media platforms capitalized on the unique access to venues, athletes, and commentators afforded to the exclusive U.S. media rights holder by producing unique content that generated enough traffic to rank #1 among sports brands and among all brands for digital engagement during the Games.

***

Following are Millennial and social media highlights for NBC Olympics and some of its social media partnerships.

NBC OLYMPICS DIGITAL

• More than half of those streaming NBC Olympics’ digital video content were under age 35.
• There were 100M uniques and 222M visits, up +29% and +44%, respectively, over the London 2012.
• NBC Olympics Digital video totaled 3.4 Billion streaming minutes for the Games
• A total of 2.71 billion live minutes of coverage streamed – more than 12.5 times the live minutes streamed for the 2015 Super Bowl, and more than 1.2 billion minutes more than the live stream totals for every previous Olympics combined.

FACEBOOK

• More than 160 Million users reached with Olympic content; nearly 70 million aged 18-34
• P18-34 have engaged with Olympic content at an extremely high rate, with nearly 50% liking, sharing, or commenting on posts.
• More than 600 Million video views of NBC Olympics Facebook video.
• NBC has nearly 160 Facebook Lives with 39 hours of Live programming and 3.5 million+ Live Viewers
• Over 2000+ posts were made on the NBC Olympics Facebook page with nearly 900 of those being video

INSTAGRAM

• 131 Million people had 916 Million interactions pertaining to the Rio Olympics

SNAPCHAT

• Nearly 33 Million Snapchatters consumed NBC-partnered coverage in the US, the majority of which were under age 35
• More than 1.9 Billion Snaps across NBC-partnered Live and Discover in the US, totaling over 190 Million minutes of content consumed

GOOGLE/YOUTUBE

• Early estimates found that more than 1 Billion minutes of Olympics content was watched on YouTube.
• Nearly 70% of video views were by users were under age 35.
• More than 70% of viewers watched from a mobile device.

• NBC Sports saw a 7x increase in YouTube subscribers during the Games.

ROLE OF SOCIAL MEDIA STUDY CONDUCTED BY RESEARCH RESULTS FOR NBC

• 90% of Millennials who watch Olympic highlights on social media say they are adding to my enjoyment of the games.
• 77% say they are more engaged with these Summer Games than previous Olympics because there a lot of videos on social media to keep them interested.
• 72% say that compared to prior Olympics I am going on social media more often to stay connected to the Games.

STUDY BY SHAREABLEE FOR NBC (8/5-8/12)

• Millennials who watched Olympic highlight clips on social media are more likely than those who did not watch on social media to watch primetime coverage on television or stream coverage in primetime
• Millennials who watched Olympic highlights on social media that day
  were significantly more likely to watch NBC’s primetime coverage on television that evening
  (84% Oly SM video viewers watched Prime vs. 74% non-SM video viewers)
• 56% of Millennials who watched Olympic videos on social media that day streamed NBC Olympics’ coverage in primetime that evening vs. 19% who did not watch Olympic videos on social media that day
• About 4 in 10 (37%) Millennials who watch Olympic highlights on social media say that it makes them more likely to watch NBC’s primetime coverage that evening (50% heavy Oly SM video viewers)
• A similar number (39%) say they would have watched anyway (49% lighter Oly SM video viewers) while 15% of Olympic highlight video viewers say they are less likely to watch prime coverage on those days

NBC OLYMPICS’ SOCIAL ACCOUNTS

• NBC Olympics ranked #1 out of 312 sports franchises and #1 out of the 800 Consumer Brands in terms of overall digital engagement from August 3-21 (Digital Engagement Ranking provided by ListenFirst).
  • Top 5 Sports Franchises include:

1. NBC Olympics
2. FC Barcelona
3. Manchester United FC
4. The Olympics
5. Real Madrid

• Top 5 Consumer Brands

1. NBC Olympics
2. Nike
3. The Olympics
4. Lego
5. Samsung Mobile

–NBC OLYMPICS–

NBC Sports Group Chairman Mark Lazarus: “Our Presentation of the Rio Games is the Most Impressive Undertaking I’ve Seen in the Media World.”

Total Audience Delivery Averages 27.5 Million Viewers for Rio Olympics Competition – Ranking as 2nd-Highest Primetime Audience for Any Non-U.S. Summer Games

NBC’s Primetime Rio Olympics is Most Dominant in Adult 18-34 and 18-49 Demographics of Any Olympics on Record

NBCSN Ranks As #1 Sports Cable Network for 14 Days of Expanded Primetime Coverage

NBC Olympics’ Digital Coverage Sets Event Records with 3.3 Billion Total Streaming Minutes, 2.71 Billion Live Streaming Minutes & 100 Million Unique Users

Viewership Increases across the Board for NBC Affiliates, NBC News & NBC Entertainment

RIO DE JANEIRO – August 22, 2016 – NBC Olympics’ exclusive and unprecedented coverage of the 2016 Rio Olympics was the most ambitious media event in history, providing more ways to consume more hours of content across more platforms than any Olympics ever…and Rio 2016 dominated the competition.

NBC Sports Group Chairman Mark Lazarus: “As the headline says, Rio was the most successful event in media history.  This is my third Olympics in this role, and each one of them has been a learning experience. Rio is no different. Our planning, production and  presentation of the Rio Games, across broadcast on NBC, our many cable outlets, our streaming on NBCOlympics.com and the NBC Sports app and our massive social media outreach is the most impressive undertaking I’ve seen in the media world.  As a company, across Comcast and NBCUniversal, Rio has been another proud achievement among a list of many.  This is the most ambitious task in the media business, and our team of thousands scattered among Rio (2,000-plus), Stamford (more than 1,000), Orlando and Hialeah all deserve a Gold Medal.”

• The networks and digital platforms of NBCUniversal presented an unprecedented 6,755 hours of programming for the Games of the XXXI Olympiad. NBCU presented 2,084 hours of Olympic linear programming across 11 networks: broadcast networks NBC and TELEMUNDO (Spanish language); cable channels Bravo, CNBC, Golf Channel, MSNBC, NBC Sports Network (NBCSN), NBC UNIVERSO (Spanish language), and USA Network; plus two specialty channels, one each for basketball and soccer. Powered by Playmaker Media, NBCOlympics.com and the NBC Sports app live streamed 4,500 total hours — including all Olympic competition for the third consecutive Olympics — for authenticated pay TV subscribers via TV Everywhere to desktops, mobile devices, and tablets, plus connected TVs for the first time. NBC Olympics also provided 4K Ultra HD content to NBCU distribution partners, as well as Virtual Reality (VR) programming, both Olympic firsts.

NBC Sports Group Chairman Mark Lazarus: “The number of excellent on-air people who work for us regularly and on Olympic coverage is unequaled. Between our award-winning talent and all of the other announcers, reporters, and commentators who join us just for the Games, they did a tremendous job with insight, interviews and information.  Coupled with our exceptional production team, we presented the American audience with pictures and stories that they will long remember.  The athletic performances were again amazing – Simone Biles, Aly Raisman, Usain Bolt, Michael Phelps, Katie Ledecky, Simone Manuel, the Brazilian Men’s Soccer Team, Team USA as a whole with its medal dominance, Mo Farah, Inbee Park, Justin Rose, Kohei Uchimura…and the list goes on.”

On the middle Sunday of Rio 2016, the collection of stars was captivating, and featured:

• Usain Bolt’s historic victory in the 100 meters, marking an unprecedented third consecutive gold medal in the event

• Bob Costas’ visit with Bolt in Jamaica
• Simone Biles winning her third gold medal in Rio (in the vault)
• Michael Phelps’ in-studio interview with Costas
• Cris Collinsworth’s candid discussion with 100-meter silver medalist Justin Gatlin
• Kerri Walsh Jennings and April Ross winning a thrilling quarterfinal in beach volleyball
• A feature on 400-meter gold medalist Wayde van Niekerk
• Allyson Felix-led Team USA qualifying for the women’s 400m final

NBC Sports Group Chairman Mark Lazarus: “The audience for these Games was enormous, encompassing almost 200 million Americans overall on television alone, not to mention those engaged on our other platforms.  NBC’s primetime broadcasts were again the dominant form of consumption for Americans, accounting for about 95% of all of the primetime audience.  But by putting events—for the first time ever in primetime–on NBCSN, Bravo, and at times USA Network, as well as streaming primetime in pattern, we learned a lot about consumption habits and attracted new audiences.  We’ll use all of the data from all of our platforms to develop our plans for PyeongChang in 2018 and Tokyo in 2020.”

• 78% of U.S. TV homes tuned into NBC Olympics’ Rio Games coverage – which had a TV-only audience of 198 million viewers, according to national data provided by The Nielsen Company.

• NBC Olympics’ coverage of the 15 nights of primetime competition (Sat. Aug. 6 – Sat. Aug. 20) registered a Total Audience Delivery average of 27.5 million viewers – ranking Rio 2016 as the second-highest average audience on record for the competition for any non-domestic Summer Games.

Summer Games	Total Audience Delivery	Network
2012 London Olympics	30.3 million viewers	NBC
2016 Rio Olympics	27.5 million viewers	NBC
2008 Beijing Olympics	27.2  million viewers	NBC
1992 Barcelona Olympics	26.4 million viewers	NBC
1988 Seoul Olympics	25.8 million viewers	NBC
2004 Athens Olympics	24.9 million viewers	NBC
2000 Sydney Olympics	21.5 million viewers	NBC

• NBC Olympics’ Total Audience Delivery provided a 7% lift over the NBC-only audience on competition nights (chart below). NBC Olympics’ Total Audience Delivery measured 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. The NBC-only 17 primetime nights of Rio 2016 averaged 25.4 million viewers with a 14.4/26 household rating.

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%
Thurs. 8/18	22.9 million	21.7 million	6%
Fri. 8/19	21.1 million	20.0 million	6%
Sat. 8/20	16.3 million	15.4 million	6%
Average	27.5 million	25.8 million	7%

• In the 15 days from the Opening Ceremony through Fri, Aug. 19, the NBC-only average primetime viewership (26.2 million viewers) and household rating (14.8) have respective 249% and 196% advantages over ABC, CBS and FOX combined – the second-largest Games advantage on record (behind only the London Olympics) (full 17-night comparison data will be available on Tuesday).
• NBCSN, the home of Team USA, was the 1 sports cable network in primetime over the 14 days it presented live extended primetime Rio 2016 coverage (7 p.m.-midnight ET). From Saturday, Aug. 6 – Friday, Aug. 19, the network averaged 1.32 million viewers for its extended primetime coverage, also accounting for the best 14-day primetime stretch in the network’s history.
• Golf Channel, which set a record for most live coverage ever for a women’s golf event (34.5 hours), posted significant increases for average viewership compared to the same time periods opposite the 2012 London Games: Men’s Competition: +881%, 579,000 average viewership, Aug 11-14; Women’s Competition: +188%, 274,000 average viewership, Aug 17-20. NBC and Golf Channel both provided coverage of the dramatic closing holes of the men’s competition on Sunday, Aug. 14 (1:12-2:49 p.m.). Aside from the final round of the Masters, this ranks as the highest-rated 90-minute window of final round golf coverage in 2016 with a combined 5.6 household rating and 8.8 million average viewers.

• Telemundo and NBC UNIVERSO’s coverage of the Rio Olympics reached 16.6 million viewers and eight million adults 18-49.

NBC Sports Group Chairman Mark Lazarus: “We dominated social media conversation across many platforms as well, reaching millennials in huge numbers—we’ll have more on those numbers soon.  Our challenge ahead is to continue to engage them and connect them to the Olympics, while also continuing to connect them to our advertising partners.  All of our advertisers leave Rio satisfied, thanks to excellent planning and efforts of our sales team. The Olympics are the only event of its kind, dominating primetime for 17 straight nights, 118 Summer Olympic nights in a row.  Here in Rio, in the 18-49 demo, we beat the COMBINED total of the other 3 broadcast networks by more than four times—the largest gap of its kind in viewing measurement history.   Some nights it was five times the competition, just extraordinary dominance.”

• NBC’s primetime Rio Olympics broadcast has been primetime television’s most-watched show of the night by far every night – marking 118 consecutive nights that an NBC Summer Olympics presentation has topped primetime. NBC’s primetime Summer Games has won 134 of 135 nights in People Meter history.
• Among Adults 18-49, NBC’s 15-night (Opening Ceremony through Fri., Aug. 19) primetime rating in the demographic (7.5) more than quadruples (341% above) the other broadcast networks combined (1.7 on ABC, CBS and FOX) – the largest advantage in the first 15 days of any Olympics on record (full 17-night comparison data will be available on Tuesday).

• Reaching the millennial audience, NBC’s 15-night (Opening Ceremony through Fri., Aug. 19) primetime rating in the Adults 18-34 demographic (5.5) is five times greater than (400% above) the other broadcast networks combined (1.1 on ABC, CBS and FOX) – the largest advantage in the first 15 days of any Olympics on record (full 17-night comparison data will be available on Tuesday).

• NEARLY 5 TIMES as many people in the 18-34 demo watched the Rio Olympics on NBC in primetime than watch primetime TV regularly. Rio Olympics primetime viewership in the Adult 18-34 demo (5.3 rating for all 17 primetime NBC nights) was nearly five times greater (382% higher) than the average of the four broadcast networks (1.1 for NBC, ABC, CBS and FOX) for the 2015-16 TV season.

• More than 50% of viewers live streaming Olympic events on NBCOlympics.com and the NBC Sports app were under 35 years old

NBC Sports Group Chairman Mark Lazarus: “The Olympics are a benefit not only to NBC Sports Group, but to many other facets of Comcast and NBCUniversal.  Comcast’s rollout of the X1 platform with these Olympics was a huge success, and has given its customers new ways of experiencing the Games.  On NBC, Nightly News with Lester Holt, TODAY and Access Hollywood—all of which were on location here in Rio—enjoyed huge boosts in viewership and gains across all key demos.  Superstore on Friday night was the most-watched Friday night comedy on any network in more than a decade, while The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon and The Voice enjoyed lead-ins from the Opening and Closing Ceremonies, respectively. We were able to promote many new and returning shows on NBC and our cable networks.  We promoted Jason Bourne and the upcoming Sing among other movies, as well as our Universal Theme Parks.  Our local affiliate stations, and our owned-and-operated stations, saw their late local news and early fringe numbers jump in a big way. The Games benefit every part of our company.”

• TODAY was the #1 ranked morning show for both weeks of the Rio Olympics and in the Adult 18-34 demo beat the combined total of its competitors. Viewership in the Adult 18-34 demographic increased 71% from the week prior to the Games.

• NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt was the #1 evening news program for both weeks of the Rio Games, with viewership in the Adult 18-34 demo up 86% from the week before the Games.

• Access Hollywood viewership during Rio 2016 nearly tripled 18-49 viewership vs. the prior month.

• Late local newscasts (Mon-Fri) on NBC affiliates in the 56 metered markets posted a collective 69% increase in household rating over July, and matched the combined delivery of ABC and CBS late local newscasts during the Olympics (August 8 – August 19).

• Viewership for The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, which followed the Opening Ceremony, jumped 72% from its summer average in the 18-49 demographic, while a special episode of The Voice after the Closing Ceremony was up 238% in the demo from NBC’s summer entertainment average in that time slot.

• The special Friday, Aug. 19 primetime Superstore averaged 9.7 million viewers – ranking as the most-watched Friday comedy telecast on any network since 2004.

NBC Sports Group Chairman Mark Lazarus: “Our streaming on the NBC Sports app and on NBCOlympics.com, powered by our Playmaker Media platform, was the largest streamed event in history, surpassing the previous highs for any event.  Our end result will be well over 3 BILLION minutes streamed, shattering anything previously in the category.  We monetized our streaming at a very high level, and will continue to develop more ways to monetize this ever-growing method of consumption.  Probably our biggest surprise in the consumption metrics was that more than 1/3 of those who streamed coverage did so from connected TV devices—meaning those people were in front of their TV’s watching the Olympics, but in a different way. The final numbers are not in yet, but we already know that the Rio Olympics will be the most profitable Olympics ever for our company.”

NBC Olympics’ live streaming for Rio 2016 established a new standard for event coverage.

• Across NBCOlympics.com and the NBC Sports app, there was a record 3.3 Billion total streaming minutes (Live + Full Event Replays + Highlights).

• Viewers live streamed 2.71 Billion minutes of Olympic coverage – a new record for event coverage. The 2.71 Billion live minutes nearly doubles the COMBINED live streamed minutes of ALL prior Games (1.48 Billion).

• NBC Olympics digital coverage amassed 100 Million unique users – 29% more than 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	13.1 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 Fri	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	15.2 rating	17.6 rating
2nd Wed	22.1 million	29.1 million	13.3 rating	16.8 rating
2nd Thurs	22.9 million	22.9 million	13.6 rating	13.6 rating
2nd Fri	21.1 million	22.5 million	12.3 rating	13.2 rating
Final Sat	16.3 million	21.8 million	9.6 rating	12.6 rating

*NOTE: The 2012 London Olympics had no simultaneous live streaming and no competing primetime Olympic cable coverage.

TOP 20 METERED MARKETS FOR FULL RIO OLYMPICS ON NBC PRIMETIME:

1. Salt Lake City	20.4/39
2. Denver	19.1/38
3. Indianapolis	18.1/31
4. Austin	18.0/33
5. Columbus	17.8/31
6. West Palm Beach	17.5/29
T7. San Diego	17.2/34
T7. Richmond	17.2/28
T9. Minneapolis	17.0/33
T9. St. Louis	17.0/29
T9. Fort Myers	17.0/28
T9. Norfolk	17.0/27
13. Washington D.C.	16.9/32
14. Kansas City	16.4/28
15. Nashville	16.3/25
16. Sacramento	16.2/31
17. Houston	16.1/28
18. Cincinnati	16.0/28
T19. Albuquerque	15.9/28
T19. Buffalo	15.9/27

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.

–Rio 2016–

RIO DE JANEIRO – August 21, 2016 – With primetime competition completed Saturday night, NBC Olympics’ Total Audience Delivery for the 15 nights of the 2016 Rio Olympics averaged 27.5 million viewers – ranking as the second-highest average audience on record for the primetime competition coverage for any non-domestic Summer Games.

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.

Following are the average primetime audiences on record for the 15 nights of competition for non-U.S. Summer Games:

Summer Games	Total Audience Delivery	Network
2012 London Olympics	30.3 million viewers	NBC
2016 Rio Olympics	27.5 million viewers	NBC
2008 Beijing Olympics	27.2  million viewers	NBC
1992 Barcelona Olympics	26.4 million viewers	NBC
1988 Seoul Olympics	25.8 million viewers	NBC
2004 Athens Olympics	24.9 million viewers	NBC
2000 Sydney Olympics	21.5 million viewers	NBC

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–

Five-Time Gold Medalist Allyson Felix Expected to Lead U.S. in Women’s 4x400m Relay Tonight at 8 p.m. ET/PT on NBC

 2012 Olympic Gold Medalist David Boudia in Men’s Platform Diving Tonight in Primetime

STAMFORD, Conn. – August 20, 2016 – Coming up tonight on NBC Olympics’ coverage of the Games of the XXXI Olympiad from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil:

• Primetime coverage, which begins at 8 p.m. (ET/PT) on NBC, is highlighted by penultimate day of track and field competition as Allyson Felix, who is now the most-decorated female athlete in track and field history following her fifth gold medal as a member of the U.S. women’s 4x100m relay team, leads the U.S. in the women’s 4x400m relay. The Americans are in search of their sixth consecutive gold medal in the event.
• Track and field coverage also includes the heavily favored U.S. in the men’s 4x400m relay, featuring LaShawn Merritt, the 400m bronze medalist in Rio and 2008 gold medalist in the event; five-time Olympian Bernard Lagat in the men’s 5000m final; and Vashti Cunningham, daughter of former NFL quarterback Randall Cunningham, in the women’s high jump final.
• Primetime coverage continues with the men’s platform diving semifinal and gold medal final, featuring 2012 gold medalist David Boudia of Team USA.

Following are highlights from today’s coverage of the 2016 Rio Olympic Games on NBC and the networks of NBCUniversal:

BASKETBALL – NBC

Analyst Ann Meyers after the gold medal-winning U.S. women’s basketball team hit 10 unanswered shots against Spain: “That’s exactly what they do. Teams can kind of hang around, they’ll look kind of sharp and get in the lane and make some big shots, but the United States just dominates. Especially on the defensive end, they get things going and get on the boards.”

Meyers on Team USA: “One game they had 40 assists, and they’re averaging just under 30 assists in the Olympics. They are very unselfish. All the players on this team are scorers on their WNBA teams, so they’re not shy to shoot, but one of the things that makes them so special is that they are looking for each other and they really don’t care who is going to score.”

Meyers on Team USA: “The bench for the U.S. goes 12 deep, other teams don’t have that… there’s been so many substitutions that they haven’t clicked at time, everybody is so fresh. They come out there and know they’re going to play three or four minutes and they play hard when they get out there.”

Play-by-play commentator Marc Zumoff: “An example of the U.S. depth – you have the reigning WNBA MVP (Elena Delle Donne) coming off the bench in the third quarter.”

Meyers on the dominance of Team USA: “It only gets better and better for the players coming up through the United States….Looking at Australia, Spain, and France, the top three teams in the world, I don’t really know what other teams are going to challenge for a long, long time…I know that there’s a lot of talent throughout the world and they have great leagues, but to be able to compete against the United States with all the WNBA players will be a long time coming.”

***

INDOOR VOLLEYBALL – NBC

Play-by-play announcer Paul Sunderland on the bronze medal-winning U.S. women’s volleyball team: “This is a very deep American team, talent backing up every position, but the one irreplaceable component is No. 16, Foluke Akinradewo.”

Analyst Kevin Barnett: “Two consecutive Olympic Games it’s been disappointment for the Americans on their faces, taking home silver, losing their last match. Now, elation, vindication, they will stand atop the podium with a bronze medal and smiles….no tougher situation than to lose what was your dream of an Olympic gold and come back and rally for a bronze.”

Sunderland: “A tremendous effort, a tremendous battle.”

***

TRIATHLON – NBC

Play-by-play commentator Al Trautwig on women’s triathlon gold medal winner Gwen Jorgensen of the U.S.: “She did just enough in the swim to be part of the lead pack. She started out the cycling portion in the back of the pack, and then, accelerated to the middle, and then the front. Every time (Nicola) Spirig looked like she had something on her mind, Jorgensen responded. She put herself in this position. This was impressive. Tactically, from a competitive standpoint, and the gamesmanship that went on between those two.” Note: Nicola Spirig of Switzerland won silver in the race

***

GOLF – GOLF CHANNEL

Analyst Paige Mackenzie on gold medalist Inbee Park of South Korea: “Typically pressure comes from expectations. Take Simone Biles, the world’s greatest gymnast. What she had coming into this was expectations, and she delivered. What Inbee had was doubt, and she delivered. People doubted whether she should be there, whether she should give up her position to someone who was healthy. She performed the very best with the most doubt.”

Analyst Karen Stupples ­on Park: “She’s done basically everything that she wanted to do in the game of golf. All of a sudden she has a chance to win a gold medal this year, and she devoted herself to doing so. She sacrificed playing in the RICOH Women’s British Open for this opportunity so that she could be at her very best this week. To come here and to be the champion that she is and to stand on the podium with the gold medal around her neck really is a Cinderella story, given the amount of pressure she was under from back home and knowing what she’s gone through all year struggling through the injury. She sacrificed for this moment, she wanted it. She devoted herself to it, and she got the rewards for it.”

***

BOXING – USA NETWORK

Analyst B.J. Flores on gold medal winner Robeisy Ramirez of Cuba’s mentality: “Ramirez has got the experience. He’s got that temperament and the experience – so vital in fights like this.” Note: Cuba’s Robeisy Ramirez defeated Team USA’s Shakur Stevenson in a split decision (2-1) in the Men’s Boxing Bantamweight division Gold Medal Match

Flores on Team USA’s Shakur Stevenson (who won the silver medal) and his admirable effort in the Rio Olympics: “He had the entire city of Newark and an entire nation on his shoulders. That’s a lot for a young man to carry – all of his family was pulling for him. He has to realize that this is just the beginning of the next stage of his career. He has a very bright professional career ahead of him. I love the passion from him…the pure emotion.”

Play-by-play commentator Kenny Rice on the exposure Stevenson has faced:  “Coming into this tournament, you could say Shakur said ‘All eyes on me.’ Everyone has been paying attention to Stevenson since he got here.”

ABOUT NBC OLYMPICS

A division of NBC Sports Group, NBC Olympics is responsible for producing, programming and promoting NBCUniversal’s Olympic 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 2012 London Olympics were watched by 217 million Americans across the networks of NBCUniversal, making it the most-watched event in U.S. television history.

-RIO 2016-

Simone Biles, Winner of 4 Gold Medals in Rio, Serves as Flag Bearer for U.S. Delegation

Bob Costas & Al Michaels to Host Rio Gold at 7 p.m. ET/PT to Kick Off Sunday’s Primetime Olympic Coverage

Heather Cox & Lewis Johnson to Serve as Reporters at Maracana Stadium

RIO DE JANEIRO – August 20, 2016 – Mike Tirico, Mary Carillo, and Ryan Seacrest will host NBC’s coverage of the Rio Olympics Closing Ceremony from Maracana Stadium tomorrow, Sunday night, August 21 – the final night of the Games of the XXXI Olympiad from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Heather Cox and Lewis Johnson will serve as reporters.

Bob Costas and Al Michaels will anchor NBC’s studio coverage beginning at 7 p.m. ET/PT with Rio Gold, a look back at the most memorable moments and performances of Rio 2016, including Michael Phelps, Usain Bolt, and the U.S. women’s gymnastics team.

Simone Biles, who won four gold medals and one bronze in Rio, was selected by her teammates to serve as the flag bearer for the United States.

The Closing Ceremony will feature the pageantry and local flavor of host country Brazil, as well as the parade of flags and athletes from countries that participated in the Rio Games. The ceremony culminates with a party featuring samba schools from Rio’s world-famous Carnival and the extinguishment of the Olympic flame.

Tirico is completing his first-ever Olympics assignment, while 13-time Olympic commentator Carillo hosts her third Closing Ceremony (Salt Lake City, Beijing). Seacrest, NBC Olympics’ late night host in Rio, served as a host of the 2012 London Olympics Closing Ceremony, alongside Costas and Michaels.

Following is Sunday night’s schedule on NBC (all times ET/PT):

7 p.m. – 8 p.m.

Rio Gold

8 p.m. – 10:30 p.m.

Closing Ceremony

–RIO OLYMPICS–

MATT LAUER SITS DOWN WITH RYAN LOCHTE IN EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW

Interview To Air Tonight on NBC’s Prime Time Olympic Coverage with a Preview Airing on “NBC Nightly News”

More to Air Monday, August 22 on NBC News’ TODAY

NEW YORK – August 20, 2016 — Matt Lauer sat down with US swimmer Ryan Lochte for an exclusive interview to air tonight, Saturday, August 20 on NBC’s prime time Olympic coverage. A preview of the interview will air tonight on “NBC Nightly News,” and more will air Monday, August 22 on TODAY.   

###

NBC’s TODAY is the news program that informs, entertains, inspires and sets the agenda each morning for Americans. Airing live from 7 am to 11 am ET, TODAY reaches more than 5 million people every day through its broadcast, and millions more through TODAY.com, the TODAY app, and social media platforms. Matt Lauer, Savannah Guthrie, Al Roker, Natalie Morales, Willie Geist, Tamron Hall, Carson Daly, Billy Bush, Hoda Kotb, and Kathie Lee Gifford are the anchors and hosts, Noah Oppenheim is the SVP and Executive in Charge, and Don Nash is the executive producer.

 

For more information contact:

Megan Kopf Stackhouse
NBC News
e: megan.kopf@nbcuni.com

p: 212-664-6205

Eight-Time Gold Medalist Usain Bolt Expected to Run Final Olympic Race of His Career in Men’s 4x100m Relay Tonight in at 8 p.m. ET/PT on NBC

American David Boudia Aims to Advance to Men’s Platform Diving Semifinals in Primetime

STAMFORD, Conn. – August 19, 2016 – Coming up tonight on NBC Olympics’ coverage of the Games of the XXXI Olympiad from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil:

• Primetime coverage, which begins at 8 p.m. (ET/PT) on NBC, is highlighted by track and field, featuring what could be eight-time gold medalist Usain Bolt’s last career Olympic race, as he anchors Jamaica’s 4x100m relay team against Justin Gatlin and the U.S. The women’s 4x100m relay will feature seven-time Olympic medalist Allyson Felix and two-time individual Rio medalist Tori Bowie as the Americans look for their second consecutive Olympic title in an event that figures to be another U.S.-Jamaica showdown. Track and Field coverage also includes the women’s pole vault, the men’s hammer throw and the women’s 5000m.
• In addition, tonight in primetime, American David Boudia competes in men’s platform diving qualifying. Boudia aims to become the first back-to-back men’s platform diving gold medalist since American Greg Louganis repeated in 1988.

Following are highlights from today’s coverage of the 2016 Rio Olympic Games on NBC and the networks of NBCUniversal:

WATER POLO – NBC

Analyst Julie Swail on the gold medal-winning U.S. women’s water polo team: “The U.S. has such a deep roster. They can score from so many different athletes in so many different parts of the pool. It’s very hard for other teams to defend such a deep team.”

Swail on Team USA winning 12-4 against Italy: “I did not expect this game to be such a blowout. They were really genuinely worried about Italy because Italy runs such a creative defense. They do allow shots, but they’re also very good at countering, and Italy has not had any counters except for one in the first quarter. They’ve handled this Italian team very well.”

Reporter Pierre McGuire on the Americans’ strength: “Today is a display of what the Americans would call energy, efficiency, and excellence. They have dominated in every facet of this tournament, but, today, particularly in those three areas.”

***

INDOOR VOLLEYBALL – NBC

Analyst Kevin Barnett on the Italian team, which defeated Team USA in the semifinals: “U.S. coach John Speraw thinks Italy is playing the best volleyball of anyone in this tournament. He really admired the way (Simone) Giannelli has captained his squad. They’re emotionally together, and they’re hard to break.”

Play-by-play commentator Paul Sunderland on Italy’s Ivan Zaytsev: “When Ivan Zaytsev went back to serve, the United States led 22-19. He put that entire team on his very broad shoulders and carried them across the finish line, serving up six straight points. That’s one of the best runs under pressure I’ve ever seen.”

Barnett on the Italian team: “Ivan Zaytsev, king of Italy. This Italian team is forever volleyball royalty.”

***

SYNCHRONIZED SWIMMING – NBC

Analyst Heather Olsen on the dominance of the gold medal winning Russian team: “There’s a really clear difference in the Russian program and what we’ve seen so far from the other countries….these athletes are incredible. They’re just a force to be reckoned with. No signs of weakness on this team.”

Play-by-Play commentator Dave Benz: “They stay underwater for about half of the four-minute routine. By comparison, imagine going around the track and doing a couple laps and holding your breath for half the time.”

***

GOLF – GOLF CHANNEL

Analyst Brandel Chamblee on Inbee Park (11-under, Leader – Korea): “When you look at her, she doesn’t hit it very far. In baseball terms, you’d say she hits a lot of singles. But you can make it to the Hall of Fame hitting a lot of singles… It didn’t matter whether she was downwind or into the wind, she’s completely unfazed and just goes about her business with no change of rhythm.”

On-course reporter Jerry Foltz on Park: “I said it before the week started, if Inbee were to get a medal here, that would be more of a surprise to me than just about anything.”

Analyst Karen Stupples on Gerina Piller (9-under, T-2nd – United States): “She came to golf a little bit later, she didn’t start playing until she was 15. And for her to be achieving this, she doesn’t really know what her capabilities are yet as a player.”

Chamblee on Piller: “Improbable. It’s absolutely unbelievable that she hasn’t won (on the LPGA Tour). She looks absolutely flawless.”

***

BASKETBALL – NBCSN

Analyst Doug Collins on the U.S. men’s basketball team’s 82-76 victory over Spain in the semifinals: “The United States is going back into that locker room with some relief, because Spain played them tough today. They would not go away… the United States would push a little separation; Spain would come up with big shots. They fought. They were tough.”

ABOUT NBC OLYMPICS

A division of NBC Sports Group, NBC Olympics is responsible for producing, programming and promoting NBCUniversal’s Olympic 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 2012 London Olympics were watched by 217 million Americans across the networks of NBCUniversal, making it the most-watched event in U.S. television history.

-RIO 2016-

Golf Channel Notable Quotes
Women’s Olympic Golf Competition – Round 3
Friday, August 19 (6:30 am – 3:35 pm ET)
Olympic Golf Course, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

**Live final round coverage of the Women’s Olympic Golf competition gets underway at 6 a.m. ET on Saturday morning immediately following Golf Central Live From the Olympics, airing from 5-6 a.m. ET.

**In order to avoid potential inclement weather in the afternoon, groups will be going off split tees on Saturday (No. 1 and 10), with the leaders beginning their final round at 7:39 am ET. Barring any playoffs, the expectation is for golf to conclude around 1 p.m. ET, with the medal ceremony immediately following.

** NBC Olympics’ 34.5 hours of live coverage of the Women’s Golf competition marks the most-ever live hours of coverage dedicated to a single women’s golf event for Golf Channel. Play will culminate with Saturday’s final round, followed by the medal ceremony.**

Current leaderboard: Leaderboard
1. Inbee Park       (Korea)             -11
T2  Lydia Ko         (New Zealand) -9
T2  Gerina Piller    (U.S.A.)          -9

For more Olympic Golf coverage on NBCOlympics.com, visit HERE.

On the third round of the women’s golf competition at the Olympics and the afternoon gusty wind conditions
Annika Sorenstam – “As the conditions get tougher, it weeds out the players who are not playing well.”
Jerry Foltz – “It is a far different course than it was earlier in the day. It is just a bear.”
Gannon – “Make no mistake, this is a Royal Troon wind this afternoon.”
Curt Byrum – “There is nowhere to hide. You’ve got to hit quality shots or the wind is going to take hold.”
Foltz – “I think the only way to climb the leaderboard this afternoon was to sit in the clubhouse.”
Byrum – “All of these players that are well outside of third place, they can free-wheel it tomorrow. The people that are inside that, they may hold on a little tight tomorrow.”
Foltz – “You want that gold medal so badly but you are playing in the one competition that is new to you for the first time in our life with the most coveted consolation prizes in the world of sport. It is new to them but the enormity of it is not lost on them at all.”

On the players not in contention for medals heading into Saturday’s final round
Karen Stupples – “It is a great source of pride as you are standing there on the first tee, knowing that what you are doing is representing all of your country’s golfers in the Olympic Games.”
Stupples – “It will give them the hunger and the drive to work, to try harder and to practice more to become better golfers so they can return to the Olympics to represent their country.”
Stupples – “Peaking for this one week in four years is not an easy thing to do. The athletes and the trainers of the athletes have started to perfect that technique. They will start to think about how they can peak to be at their very best for the Olympics in Tokyo in 2020.”
Sorenstam – “This is special. This is different than any other tournament, any other major they have played in.”

On Korea’s Inbee Park, leader at 11-under par (1-under par 70 on Friday)
Jerry Foltz – “She is acting like the Inbee of old.”
Foltz – “It is no secret she caught everybody by surprise this week, including most of us, by the play she has put together.”
Foltz – “I said it before the week started, if Inbee were to get a medal here, that would be more of a surprise to me than just about anything.”

Inbee Park speaking with Golf Channel’s Steve Sands following her round
Inbee Park – “It was a struggle out there today. I feel like I battled really well. I putted really good on the greens, but my ball striking was not great with the wind. Very happy on the greens but I just need to work on the ball striking a little bit more so I can be more consistent.”
Park – “It will be something very special if I am able to do it tomorrow. I felt some pressure coming into this week. It feels like the final round of a major championship every day and obviously tomorrow is going to be a tougher one.”

On U.S.A’s Gerina Piller, T2 at 9-under par (3-under par 68 on Friday)
Terry Gannon – “Big move from Gerina Piller today.”
Sorenstam – “She played very solid today. Gave herself a lot of chances.”
Gannon – “She has hit some big shots the last two days but also some great par saves.”

Gerina Piller speaking with Golf Channel’s Steve Sands following her round
Gerina Piller – “I would say that is one of the best rounds I’ve played. Just kind of plunked along and kept it in play and made some huge putts. I finished with a bogey but at the end of the day, I like my position where I am at and I like where my game is.”
Piller – “I feel like my ball striking is really good right now. This is a ball striker’s course and my putting has been great for the last couple of weeks and months. Just focusing on putting a good swing on the ball and being all in on every shot and being committed and believing I can do this.”

On World No. 1 New Zealand’s Lydia Ko’s first-ever hole-in-one at No. 8 and standing T2 at 9-under par (6-under par 65 on Friday)
Foltz – “When we were at the airport flying here to Rio, she admitted she had never had a hole in one in her life. She has one now.”
Tom Abbott – “Lydia Ko, out in 29, the lowest front nine of the week the World No. 1 is only two shots back.
Gannon – “If you were going to write up a blueprint for what to do today. Go out, make an ace, post 29 on the first nine. Have the wind blow 30 miles an hour from that point forward and make all pars the rest of the way in. That is what she did.”
Gannon – “Some kind of day for Lydia Ko.”

Lydia Ko speaking with Golf Channel’s Steve Sands following her round
Lydia Ko – “It was the first hole-in-one in my whole entire life. It was going right for the pin, and with the wind direction and the pin being tucked on the left I knew it was going to be a tough one to go near. But I hit it really solid. I haven’t been very lucky with hole-in-ones. At KPMG one went in the hole and come out, and one hit the stick and came out. I didn’t really expect it to go in but when it dropped, I thought I was going to cry almost. Cry from happiness. I’m very thrilled with the hole-in-one and how I played today.”

GOLF CENTRAL LIVE FROM THE OLYMPICS

On Inbee Park
Brandel Chamblee – “When you look at her, she doesn’t hit it very far. In baseball terms you’d say she hits a lot of singles. But you can make it to the Hall of Fame hitting a lot of singles… It didn’t matter whether she was downwind or into the wind, she’s completely unfazed and just goes about her business with no change of rhythm.”
Paige Mackenzie – “Inbee Park is so difficult to beat when she’s at the top of the leaderboard. She did make mistakes [today], but then she recovered. She didn’t compound the mistakes, she was an experienced player. It’s going to be a tough road [for the other players] to climb, because I don’t think there’s going to be a lot of birdies out there if we get the weather that we’re expecting.”

On Lydia Ko
Karen Stupples – “Lydia Ko, somebody who we expected to be at the top of the leaderboard [at the beginning of the day], she wasn’t. She was all the way down at 3-under par and had some work to do. She came out firing on all cylinders and really stamped her name on that leaderboard for everyone to know that she’s still there.”
Chamblee – “Tomorrow, if the weather is going to be as bad as it is [expected], it’s going to be a lot about scrambling and it’s going to be hard to find the fairways. And right now Lydia Ko is the best scrambler in the field and she hit every single fairway today.”

On Gerina Piller
Stupples – “She came to golf a little bit later, she didn’t start playing until she was 15. And for her to be achieving this, she doesn’t really know what her capabilities are yet as a player.”
Chamblee – “Improbable, it’s absolutely unbelievable that she hasn’t won [on the LPGA Tour]. She looks absolutely flawless.”
Mackenzie – “There’s not a person on the LPGA Tour that doesn’t think that a win will come. It’s not if, it’s when for Gerina Piller.”

Martin Piller (PGA Tour player – competing in the Wyndham Championship this week) speaking by phone with NBC Olympics’ Rich Lerner about his wife Gerina
Martin Piller – “She loves in general being on a team and she loves her country. She takes it very seriously…She’s been playing great golf for a long, long time now. Anybody who follows the women’s game knows that. She’s been knocking on the door for a long time and she’s ready for it.” 

-Rio 2016-

Thursday’s Total Audience Delivery Registers 22.9 Million Primetime Viewers

Golf’s Return to the Olympics Posts Highest-Rated Weekday Round of Women’s Golf in More Than Two Years

RIO DE JANEIRO – August 19, 2016 – NBC Olympics’ exclusive and unprecedented multi-platform coverage of the 2016 Rio Olympics continues to dominate the competition.

NBC’s Thursday primetime Rio Olympics broadcast was by far the most-watched show of the night – marking the 115th consecutive night that an NBC Summer Olympics presentation has topped primetime. NBC’s primetime Summer Games has won 131 of 132 nights in People Meter history.

The last time the Summer Games on NBC show didn’t rank No. 1 in broadcast primetime was for the Closing Ceremony of the Seoul Olympics on Oct. 2, 1988. That night it was topped by 60 Minutes (which followed an NFL overrun), and the movies Cocoon and Liberace.

Thursday’s primetime Rio Olympics coverage posted a Total Audience Delivery average of 22.9 million viewers with a 13.6 household rating.

Last night’s NBC-only Rio Olympics coverage (8:30-11:02 p.m. ET/PT) averaged 21.7 million viewers and posted a 12.8/23 household rating, according to national data from The Nielsen Company. Also in primetime on Wednesday, NBCSN’s live Olympics competition coverage averaged 959,000 viewers.

Additional NBC Olympics metrics:

• Among Adults 18-49, NBC’s 14-night 7.6 primetime rating in the demographic more than quadruples (347% above) the other broadcast networks combined (1.7 on ABC, CBS and FOX) – the largest advantage in the first 14 days of any Olympics (on record).

• After 14 days, the NBC-only average primetime viewership (26.4 million viewers) and household rating (14.9) have respective 252% and 198% advantages over ABC, CBS and FOX combined – the second-largest Games advantage on record (behind only the London Olympics).

• Golf Channel’s presentation of the women’s golf competition at the Olympics will account for more live hours of coverage than any other women’s golf event in history. Golf Channel’s Thursday afternoon coverage of the second round was up 281% among average viewers and up 229% for U.S. household rating vs. the same Thursday in 2012 opposite the London Games.

• Golf Channel’s second-round coverage is the highest-rated live weekday round of any women’s golf event in more than two years across all dayparts including primetime (Noon-3:14 pm ET; 0.23 US HH rating, 316,000 average viewers), dating back to the second round of the 2014 U.S. Women’s Open at Pinehurst (6/20/14; 0.44 U.S. HH rating on ESPN2). Additionally, the Olympics round two is the most-watched Thursday of women’s golf coverage since round one of the 2014 U.S. Women’s Open on ESPN2 (6/19/14; 437,000 average viewers). Saturday’s final round, which will award the first Olympic medals for women’s golf since 1900, includes South Korea’s Inbee Park, USA’s Gerina Piller, New Zealand’s Lydia Ko, Canada’s Brooke Henderson and USA’s Stacy Lewis.

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%
Wed. 8/18	22.9 million	21.7 million	6%
Average	28.3 million	26.5 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 13 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
2nd Thurs	22.9 million	22.9 million	13.6 rating	13.6 rating

*NOTE: The 2012 London Olympics had no simultaneous live streaming and no competing primetime Olympic cable coverage.

TOP 10 METERED MARKETS FOR NBC THURSDAY PRIMETIME:

1. Salt Lake City	17.3/34
2. Denver	16.3/33
3. West Palm Beach	16.1/27
4. Columbus	15.8/27
T5. Austin	15.4/28
T5. Dayton	15.4/25
7. St. Louis	15.3/27
8. Ft. Myers	15.0/25
T9. Indianapolis	14.9/27
T9. Minneapolis	14.9/26

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–

Usain Bolt to Run in What is Expected to Be His Final Individual Olympic Race Tonight in Primetime on NBC

American Ashton Eaton Seeks Second Gold in Decathlon

STAMFORD, Conn. – August 18, 2016 – Coming up tonight on NBC Olympics’ coverage of the Games of the XXXI Olympiad from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil:

• Primetime coverage, which begins at 8 p.m. (ET/PT) on NBC, is highlighted by track and field, featuring defending two-time champion Usain Bolt and American LaShawn Merritt, who won a bronze medal last Sunday in the 400m, in the men’s 200m gold medal final. Bolt won a third consecutive gold in the men’s 100m earlier this week, maintaining his position as the fastest man in the world.
• Tonight’s program will feature a time trial granted to the U.S. women’s 4x100m relay team after a baton pass in the third leg of the race was impeded by a Brazilian runner veering into the U.S.’ lane. The team must beat China’s time of 42.7 seconds in order to secure a place in the finals. Coverage also includes the conclusion of the decathlon as American Ashton Eaton seeks to become only the third man ever to win consecutive gold medals in the event.
• Additionally, primetime coverage on NBC features platform diving finals, as Jessica Parratto competes to win the first American medal in women’s individual platform since current NBC Olympics diving analyst Laura Wilkinson in 2000; and the men’s beach volleyball final, as Italy’s Paolo Nicolai and Daniele Lupo battle Brazil’s Alison and Bruno for the gold.

Click here for a preview of tonight’s primetime action.

During NBC’s daytime coverage, host Mike Tirico gave an update on the ongoing investigation involving Ryan Lochte and three other members of the U.S. men’s swimming team, and interviewed U.S. Women’s soccer team member Megan Rapinoe.

Tirico: “An update on the ‘Ryan Lochte, was he or was he not?’ story. Lochte is back in the United States, whereas Jack Conger and Gunnar Bentz were removed from the airplane by the Brazilian authorities shortly before their flight back to the Unites States was set to take off. Earlier this morning, the United States Olympic Committee issued a statement, ‘The three U.S. Olympic swimmers (Bentz, Conger and Feigen) are cooperating with authorities and in the process of scheduling a time and place today to provide further statements to the Brazilian authorities. All are represented by counsel and being appropriately supported by the USOC and the U.S. Consulate in Rio.’ The swimmers have reportedly gone to meet with local authorities already today. So far, Brazilian police have been unable to find evidence to substantiate the swimmers’ original account. You might remember the USOC put out a statement saying that the swimmers were robbed at gunpoint early Sunday morning.”

Note: This was followed by a report from NBC News’ Gadi Schwartz.

Tirico: “A complex, confusing and ever-changing story. We’ll keep you updated as the events become official and real.”

***

Tirico, in an interview with Rapinoe: “What are the emotions that start coming back (following the loss to Sweden)?”

Rapinoe: “My heart just started going. Right from the last PK, it was just sad. We have very high expectations for this team, and we’re fiercely competitive. It was sad to look around and see all of the first-timers that were there, some people maybe this was their last, and it was just a heartbreaking locker room after that.”

Tirico: “Can we deal with the elephant in the room? Hope Solo said Sweden played like a bunch of cowards because they took a defensive tactic, something teams have been doing for centuries…what was your reaction?”

Rapinoe: “Really disappointed, to be honest. That’s not our team, that’s not the way this team has always been and that’s not what this team will be in the future. It’s frustrating, sometimes as an athlete, you’re thrust into the spotlight. I think this team has always done an amazing job, that we have this incredible platform, let’s do something good with it. Let’s inspire, let’s be bad ass, let’s be fierce, let’s be competitive, but we’re gracious and we’re humble and we play the game a certain way. Whether we win or lose, and we’ve be winning quite a bit, but when we see ourselves on the other side, we need to handle that graciously, and unfortunately that wasn’t the case.”

***

Following are highlights from today’s coverage of the 2016 Rio Olympic Games on NBC and the networks of NBCUniversal:
TRACK AND FIELD – NBC AND NBCSN

Tirico on the decision of the appeal by the U.S., as a baton pass in the third leg of the women’s 4×100 relay was impeded by a Brazilian runner veering into the U.S.’ lane: “The U.S. team has won that appeal, but they are not yet in the final. The U.S. has to do a time trial at 7 p.m. ET, they’ll be running alone on the track, and they need to beat China’s time of 42.7 seconds in order to secure a place in the finals. Hope is not lost yet for the defending Olympic champions in this event. But, the ruling on appeal is that the Brazilian team went into the lane of the U.S., so they get to run the time trial.”

Richards-Ross on Allyson Felix dropping the baton during the women’s 4x100m relay semifinal: “I think what makes the 4x100m so hard is that there are four women trying to get through that zone at any point in time, so you have to be aware of where the athletes are. The Brazilian’s arm was definitely, obviously, out in Allyson’s lane.”

Boldon on the U.S. winning their heat in the men’s 4x100m relay semifinals: “It doesn’t have to be pretty, it just has to happen within those zones and get across the line without anything major happening.”

Boldon on the Dominican Republic’s false start in the men’s 4x100m relay semifinals: “It’s one thing if you disqualify yourself in a big meet or at the Olympics. If your lead-off runner does this, he has just disqualified the entire country…(Mayobanex) de Óleo commits a false start that’s going to be tough to explain to the other three guys on this 4x100m.”

Boldon on Jamaica’s Usain Bolt replacing Kemar Bailey-Cole, if they make the men’s 4x100m relay final: “How would you like to be one of the substitutes for Jamaica, who have to know that – hey, you may be the deciding factor with Usain Bolt going for this triple-triple. No pressure, but, history is relying on you here.” Note: Jamaica qualified in the event

Richards-Ross on the finish in the women’s 400m: “There’s been a lot of discussion about this dramatic finish in the women’s 400m final. But, in track and field we know it’s the torso that counts. We are actually taught to lean for the line. In the 400m, a lot of times you have so much fatigue in your legs, you almost fall, and that’s exactly what Shanae Miller did. She’s been attacked on social media, but she should be celebrated for that brave run.”

Analyst Trey Hardee on Eaton in the 100m hurdles: “He’s one of the most talented hurdlers that have ever lived as far as the decathlon goes…After the 400m last night he said he was just trying to be smooth. I think that’s out the window at this point. I think he’s going to be aggressive, and I think he’s going to be the man to beat.”

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INDOOR VOLLEYBALL – NBC

Analyst Kevin Barnett on Serbia’s Brankica Mihajlović, as Serbia defeated the U.S. to move on to the women’s gold medal match: “I don’t care if you’re a fan of the United States or some other team besides Serbia, you have to enjoy and admire the play of Brankica Mihajlović in this tournament. A string of beautiful volleyball swings.”

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DIVING – NBC

Analyst Cynthia Potter on the women’s diving semifinals: “A lot of people like to put the Chinese in a different class. But, the Americans are very tuned into the fact that everyone is beatable on any day, depending on the conditions, and of course the mindset of the divers.”

Potter on Team USA’s Jessica Parratto: “She puts the second round dive in the water so beautifully. I can’t tell you how important it is to gain some momentum in that second round and move up the leader board from there.”

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GOLF – GOLF CHANNEL

Inbee Park (10-under, Leader – Korea) to Steve Sands following her round: “I wouldn’t say it’s easy, having a lot of pressure is really hard, especially when you are playing bad or having a tough time. But at the same time, I try to think very positive. I have a lot of people on my side and people watching me and cheering me on, taking the positives out of it.”

Analyst Paige Mackenzie on Inbee Park: “I think that her sanctuary is inside the ropes… If you’ve ever listened to her, she doesn’t give up much. She doesn’t tell you what’s going on in her personal life or outside of what happens from tee-to-green… To her, that was probably stating the obvious. ‘Don’t you know what’s going on in Korea? They’re asking me or wondering if I’m going to play in the event or give up my spot to one of my other Korean teammates.’ To me, it was incredibly revealing that she was sharing that.”

Mackenzie on Lewis: “If you look at some of the close finishes she’s had, it’s because she hasn’t putted well down the stretch (that she hasn’t won). It’s been a source of frustration for Stacy, because so many times, coming down the stretch, that’s the club that has let her down.”

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WOMEN’S BASKETBALL – NBCSN

Analyst Swin Cash on Laura Nicholls of Spain’s ability to rebound and finish, as they defeated Serbia to go on to the gold medal game: “She is out there with Windex and cleaning the glass. Her activity alone provides opportunities for Spain. The fans are loving it and so is the bench.”

ABOUT NBC OLYMPICS

A division of NBC Sports Group, NBC Olympics is responsible for producing, programming and promoting NBCUniversal’s Olympic 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 2012 London Olympics were watched by 217 million Americans across the networks of NBCUniversal, making it the most-watched event in U.S. television history.

-RIO 2016-