NBC's historic Olympic coverage: By the numbers

Forget all the griping on Twitter — Americans tuned into the traditional network to watch, and watch, and watch this summer's London Games

Star swimmer Michael Phelps
(Image credit: AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

It's no secret that Americans took to tweeting en masse to bitch about NBC's failure to cover the London Olympics to the Twittersphere's liking, but that didn't stop far more Americans from watching NBC's efforts — tape delays, glaring jingoism, and Bob Costas' rumored facelift aside. According to Nielsen, a record-smashing 219.4 million Americans tuned in to watch Gabby and Michael and Usain compete, making the London Games the most-viewed event in U.S. television history. Here's a look at some numbers underpinning NBC's success:

219.4 million

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