NBC’s Olympics Coverage Boosts ‘Today’ Ratings, Amid Guthrie Family Situation

NBC’s coverage of the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan Cortina is providing a lift to the network’s daytime programming, specifically Today, while the reveal also navigates a sensitive personal situation involving anchor Savannah Guthrie’s mother.

Ratings Increase for ‘Today’ and ‘NBC Nightly News’

NBC’s biennial Olympic broadcasts typically increase viewership for other network programs, including NBC Nightly News and Today. This trend has continued with the current Winter Games, with Nightly News averaging 7.52 million viewers and Today reaching 3.4 million – both significant increases compared to the same period in 2025. Sporting News

Impact of Nancy Guthrie’s Disappearance

The ratings boost for Today has coincided with the ongoing investigation into the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, Savannah Guthrie’s mother, who was reported missing on January 31 from her home in Arizona. Today has consistently provided updates on the case, and Savannah Guthrie has been absent from the show, including foregoing her planned role with the Olympics broadcast team in Italy. Hoda Kotb has filled in as co-anchor alongside Craig Melvin during Guthrie’s absence.

Today’s average viewership of 3.4 million over the past two weeks represents a 26 percent increase from the 2.69 million viewers during the same period in 2025. While the Olympics are a major factor, the intense public interest in Nancy Guthrie’s case likely contributed to the increase, particularly during the week of February 2, when the disappearance was first reported.

Historical Trends and Comparisons

A similar ratings increase occurred during the 2024 Summer Olympics, with Today’s audience growing by approximately 22 percent compared to the previous year. While the 2022 Winter Games saw all-time ratings lows, a ratings spike for the morning show during Olympic periods is a common pattern.

In comparison to competitors, ABC’s Excellent Morning America has seen a year-over-year increase of about 7 percent, reaching 2.91 million viewers, while CBS Mornings has experienced a decline of approximately 14 percent to 1.78 million viewers.

Where to Watch the Olympics

Viewers can watch live action and event schedules on NBCOlympics.com. Events are also being broadcast on NBC, USA Network, and CNBC, with streaming options available via DIRECTV. NBC Olympics Schedule