The opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics captivated 28.6 million viewers in the United States, as reported by preliminary data from Comcast’s NBCUniversal on Saturday. This marks the most-watched start to a Summer Games since the London Olympics in 2012.
The ceremony, held on Friday, featured athlete delegations floating down the river Seine past iconic Parisian landmarks, alongside a notable performance by singer Celine Dion, her first in years.
For NBCUniversal, this event is pivotal, given their substantial investment of $7.65 billion to extend broadcasting rights for the Olympics in the U.S. through 2032, constituting the largest media-rights deal globally.
The viewership figure, which encompasses both NBC and the streaming service Peacock, represents a significant increase compared to the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, which garnered 17 million viewers. The Rio de Janeiro 2016 Games saw 26.5 million viewers, while the London 2012 Olympics opener drew 40.7 million.
Yiannis Exarchos, CEO of Olympic Broadcasting Services, described the Paris ceremony as distinct and praised the host’s unprecedented vision in showcasing the Games. He emphasized the efforts to present the Games in the best possible light.
The Tokyo 2020 and Beijing 2022 Olympics faced challenges due to time zone differences for American viewers and pandemic-related restrictions on spectators in stadiums. In contrast, NBCUniversal aimed to reinvigorate interest in the Olympics ahead of Paris 2024.
Throughout the broadcast, celebrities like Beyonce contributed to NBCUniversal’s coverage, enhancing the event’s appeal to audiences.
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