- Mark Dolliver

While a poll indicates a majority of Americans are looking forward to the Winter Olympic Games, which start this week, relatively few are intent on watching a lot of the coverage on TV.

In Rasmussen Reports polling conducted the weekend before last, just 20 percent said they're very likely "to watch a large portion of the Winter Olympics coverage on television," with another 32 percent saying they're "somewhat likely" to do so. Twenty-eight percent said they're "not very likely" and 19 percent "not at all likely" to watch a lot of the Games' telecast.

Another part of the same survey found the Winter Olympics less popular among Americans than the Summer Olympics. Asked to say which of the two they "follow more closely," 32 percent picked the Summer Games, vs. 22 percent choosing the Winter Games. Forty-one percent said "neither," with the rest unsure.

TV coverage often makes a big deal about national medal counts. Is this something Americans care much about? The poll yielded a mixed verdict. Twenty-nine percent of respondents said it's "very important" for the U.S. "to win the most medals at the Olympic Games." Another 35 percent said this is "somewhat important." Twenty-eight percent said it's "not very important" and 11 percent "not at all important."

See also:

"NBC to Lose $250 Mil. on Winter Games"

"Social Rings for Winter Olympics"

"NBCU Boosts TAMi for Winter Games"