NBC Summer Olympics Coverage Dominates Sunday Night

NBC (8.28 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.5, #1) was the network to beat for the third consecutive night with its coverage of the "U.S. Olympic Team Trials: Track & Field Finals" (5.62 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.4, #T3), "U.S. Olympic Team Trials: Swimming Finals" (7.74 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.1, #2) and "U.S. Olympic Team Trials: Gymnastics Women's Final" (9.87 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 3.2, #1).

Here are the other highlights of the 16 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks last night:

ABC (4.50 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.2, #2) then claimed a distant second place with a repeat of "America's Funniest Home Videos" (5.11 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T9) followed by new episodes of "Secret Millionaire" (4.98 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T9) and "Extreme Makeover: Weight Loss Edition" (3.95 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T7).

Next up was FOX (2.53 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.1, #3) and its all-repeat lineup of "American Dad" (1.68 million viewers, #16; adults 18-49: 0.7, #T13), "The Cleveland Show" (1.84 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 0.8, #12), "The Simpsons" (3.08 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.4, #T3), "Bob's Burgers" (2.45 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T7), "Family Guy" (3.11 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.4, #T3) and another "American Dad" (3.02 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 1.4, #T3).

And finally, a new "60 Minutes" (8.25 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T9) and repeats of "Hawaii Five-0" (4.55 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 0.7, #T13), "The Good Wife" (3.88 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 0.5, #16) and "The Mentalist" (4.27 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 0.7, #T13) on CBS (5.24 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 0.8, #4) closed out the evening.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+16.67% - U.S. Olympic Team Trials: Track & Field Finals
+10.00% - 60 Minutes
-20.00% - Extreme Makeover: Weight Loss Edition (vs. 6/10/12)
-26.67% - Secret Millionaire (vs. 6/10/12)
Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+178.26% - U.S. Olympic Team Trials: Gymnastics Women's Final (vs. America's Got Talent (Repeat)/The Marriage Ref)
+162.50% - U.S. Olympic Team Trials: Swimming Finals (vs. America's Got Talent (Repeat))
+100.00% - U.S. Olympic Team Trials: Track & Field Finals (vs. Dateline NBC)
84.62% - Extreme Makeover: Weight Loss Edition (vs. Castle (Repeat)/Body of Proof (Repeat))
37.50% - 60 Minutes
37.50% - Secret Millionaire (vs. Extreme Makeover: Home Edition (Repeat))

Here are the highlights of the 17 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (7/3/11):

FOX (2.13 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.0, #1) edged out the adults 18-49 crown on Sunday with its all-repeat lineup of "American Dad" (1.48 million viewers, #17; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T14), "Bob's Burgers" (1.61 million viewers, #16; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T14), "The Simpsons" (2.39 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T3), "The Cleveland Show" (2.13 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 1.0, #5) and a one-hour "Family Guy" (2.57 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T1).

CBS (4.72 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 0.7, #T3) then was the most-watched network with its mix of "60 Minutes" (6.05 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T7), "Blue Bloods" (4.86 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 0.5, #17), "Undercover Boss" (3.69 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T7) and "CSI: Miami" (4.27 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T7).

Next up was NBC (3.72 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.9, #2) with encores of "Dateline NBC" (3.35 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.7, #T12), "America's Got Talent" (3.53 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T7), another "America's Got Talent" (4.35 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T3) and a new "The Marriage Ref" (3.67 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T1).

And finally, ABC (3.92 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 0.7, #T3) closed out the evening with repeats of "America's Funniest Home Videos" (4.20 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.9, #6), "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" (3.55 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T7), "Castle" (3.83 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T14) and another "Body of Proof" (4.12 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 0.7, #T12).

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49): The Marriage Ref (-25.00%).

Source: Nielsen Media Research

Photo courtesy of NBC