TV Ratings: Winter Olympics open huge for NBC on Friday

 The opening of the Vancouver Winter Olympics

Credit: Darryl Dyck/AP

Fast National ratings for Friday, February 12, 2010.

The Opening Ceremony of the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver delivered a massive audience for NBC on Friday night, making the other four networks into afterthoughts.

Among adults 18-49, NBC averaged a 9.4 rating for the night, nearly doubling the combined totals for FOX (1.5 rating), ABC (1.0 rating), CBS (1.0 rating) and The CW (0.8 rating) in the key demographic.

Overall, the margin of victory was even greater. NBC averaged an estimated 34.45 million viewers to go with an 18.1 rating/30 share. CBS was a distant second with a 2.5/4 and an average of 3.77 million viewers. FOX's 2.3/4 and the 2.0/3 for ABC followed. The CW's 1.3/2 trailed.

NBC's primetime sweep began with a 15.8/26 for the 8 p.m. segment of the Olympics opening, which also did a 7.7 demo rating. FOX's "House" repeat was second with a 2.4/4, with CBS' "Surviving Survivor" repeat taking third with a 2.2/4. ABC's broadcast of "Spider-Man 2" was fourth. The CW aired a new "Smallville" and got a 1.6/3 overall, drawing 2.48 million viewers and a 1.0 demo rating. That demo rating helped The CW beat ABC and CBS, finishing third for the hour.

The Olympics pomp and circumstance was up to a 19.7/32 for NBC in the 9 p.m. hour, also winning with a 10.2 demo rating. CBS' "Undercover Boss" repeat was second overall with a 2.8/4. FOX's new "Kitchen Nightmares" was third overall with a 2.1/3, but second in the key demo. ABC's movie was fourth with a 1.8/3, leaving The CW's "Smallville" repeat in fifth.

NBC closed primetime with an 18.9/32 for the 10 p.m. Olympics hour, which stuck with a 10.2 demo rating. CBS' "Numb3rs" repeat had a 2.6/4 for second, beating ABC's movie.

All ratings information comes from preliminary Fast National Nielsen data, which includes live and same-day DVR viewing. All numbers are subject to change.