Remember, NBC Sports chairman Mark Lazarus said NBC’s primetime ratings might be lower than 2008 Beijing, which had some live coverage thanks to the time difference.

Well, that wasn’t the case on night 1.

From NBC:

• Last night, the first night of competition, NBC drew an 18.0 overnight rating and 33 share (8:30-11:30 p.m. ET/PT), the best overnight rating for the first night of competition for a non-U.S. Summer Olympics ever.
• 18.0 Overnight Rating and 33 Share is 8% Higher than Beijing, 22% Higher than Athens, the Last European Olympics.
• Last night, which featured Michael Phelps and Ryan Lochte facing off head-to-head in the 400 IM (shown on delay in primetime and live on NBCOlympics.com), is 8% higher than the first night of competition for the opening Saturday night of the 2008 Beijing Olympics (16.6/30), when Michael Phelps won the first of his eight gold medals. The first Saturday night in Beijing was live to the Eastern and Central time zones in the U.S.
• Last night’s overnight is 22% higher than the first night of competition at the 2004 Athens Games (14.8/25), the last European Olympics.
• The 18.0/33 overnight is the second-highest for the first day of competition of ANY non-U.S. Olympics (Winter or Summer), only eclipsed by the first night of the tabloid-fueled Lillehammer Games (21.0/34) which featured the Opening Ceremony.

OVERNIGHTS FOR FIRST NIGHT OF COMPETITON (NON-U.S. SUMMER GAMES):

OVERNIGHTS FOR FIRST NIGHT OF COMPETITON (U.S. SUMMER GAMES):

TOP 20 METERED MARKETS FOR FIRST NIGHT OF COMPETITION:

1. Salt Lake City 23.9/46

2. San Diego 22.8/43

3. Kansas City 22.4/42

4. Columbus 21.5/39

5. Ft. Myers 21.3/40

6. Milwaukee 20.6/38

7. Denver 20.5/44

8. Indianapolis 20.4/39

9. Sacramento 20.2/41

10. Nashville 19.6/34

11. Oklahoma City 19.2/32

12. St. Louis 18.9/35

13. Richmond 18.7/33

14. Portland 18.5/41

T15. San Francisco 18.4/40

T15. Boston 18.4/36

T17. Norfolk 18.3/30

T17. Albuquerque 18.3/34

T17. Jacksonville 18.3/31

20. Phoenix 18.1/32