Fewer Viewers Tuned In For The Rio Olympics Compared To Four Years Ago

The number of people who watched the first night of the Summer Olympics in Rio was down an estimated 32 percent compared to those who tuned in for the Summer Olympics in London four years ago.

According to the Hollywood Reporter, an average of 19.5 million viewers watched between 8 and 11 p.m Saturday night while 28.7 million viewers watched the first night of the games in London.

The report credits the significant difference in the ratings because swimmers Ryan Lochte and Michael Phelps went head to head on Saturday night in 2012. (RELATED: More Viewers Tuned In For The First Night Of The DNC Than The RNC)

However, the ratings far exceed the network’s usual Saturday night numbers. NBC hasn’t seen ratings this high since the last Summer Games in 2012.

On Sunday night, Phelps won his 19th gold medal after he placed first in the 4×100 relay while Katie Ledecky won gold in the 400 meter freestyle and broke the world record. (RELATED: Over 24 million People Watched Bill Clinton Speak At The DNC)