• by October 4, 2000

In spite of NBC's rating underdelivery during the first week of the Sydney Olympics, the network has risen to a rating victory for the final week of the 1999-2000 TV season.

NBC averaged a network-best of 20.4 million viewers and a 7.5 rating in adults 18-49 for the week ending Sunday, Oct. 1. It beat second place ABC, which averaged 9.8 million viewers, by more than 10 million viewers per hour of primetime programming last week. Fox's counter-programming efforts paid off as the network averaged a second-best 3.5 rating in adults 18-49, narrowly topping ABC's 3.4 average for the week.

NBC's nightly Summer Olympics coverage comprised seven of the top eight positions for the week in terms of total viewers, with Monday's (Sept. 25) coverage finishing the week as the most-watched show with 24.4 million viewers and as the top-rated show in adults 18-49 (9.6/26). ABC's Sunday night (Oct.1) episode of "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?" topped NBC's closing ceremonies coverage head-to-head at 8 p.m. "Millionaire" averaged 16.8 million viewers, while NBC's Sunday night coverage finished with 16.7 million viewers.

CBS finished the week in fourth place in adults 18-49 (3.0) and third in total viewers (7.9 million).

UPN outdistanced The WB in both total viewers (3.8 million vs. 3.3 million) and in adults 18-49 (1.5 vs. 1.3). Nielsen Primetime Ratings Week of 9/25/00 - 10/1/00 1. "Olympic Games," NBC, Mon., 15.7 2. "Olympic Games," NBC, Thu., 14.0 3. "Olympic Games," NBC, Wed., 13.9 4. "Olympic Games," NBC, Tue., 12.4 5. "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire," ABC, Sun., 11.1 6. "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire," ABC, Tue., 11.0 7. "Olympic Games Closing Ceremonies," NBC, Sun., 10.8 8. "Olympic Games," NBC, Fri., 10.6 9. "Olympic Games," NBC, Sat., 10.5 10. "Monday Night Football," ABC, Mon., 10.3 11. "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire," ABC, Thu., 9.6 12. "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire," ABC, Wed., 9.3 13. "That's Life," CBS, Sun., 9.1 14. "NFL Showcase," ABC, Mon., 8.2 15. "Movie: City of Angels," CBS, Sun., 8.1 16. "60 Minutes," CBS, Sun., 8.0 17. "Dharma & Greg," ABC, Tue., 7.3 18. "Big Brother," CBS, Fri., 7.2 19. "Hopkins 24/7," ABC, Thu., 7.1 19. "The Practice," ABC, Sun., 7.1 21. "The Simpsons," FOX, Sun., 6.9 22. "Drew Carey Show," ABC, Wed., 6.6 23. "Big Brother," CBS, Wed., 6.5 23. "Dharma & Greg," ABC, Tue., 6.5 25. "20/20 Downtown," ABC, Mon., 6.1 25. "Drew Carey Show," ABC, Wed., 6.1 25. "King of the Hill," FOX, Sun., 6.1 25. "Vanished," ABC, Wed., 6.1