Paris Olympics opening draws record viewers

The Paris Olympics opening ceremony drew 28.6 million US viewers, based on preliminary data from Comcast’s NBCUniversal, marking the highest summer Games opener viewership since 2012 in London.

Friday’s event showcased athletes floating along the Seine, passing iconic Paris landmarks, and featured Celine Dion’s first public performance in years.

NBCUniversal, which spent $7.65 billion to extend its US Olympic broadcasting rights through 2032, deemed this broadcast crucial. This deal is the world’s largest Olympic media rights agreement.

The 28.6 million viewers, across NBC and its streaming service Peacock, significantly surpassed the 17 million who watched the Tokyo Olympics in 2021. The Tokyo and Beijing 2022 Games struggled with inconvenient time zones for American audiences and pandemic-related issues.

Ahead of the Paris Olympics, NBCUniversal implemented strategies to draw viewers back. Beyoncé introduced Team USA in a pre-recorded video before the American athletes appeared on the river, part of a broader plan involving numerous celebrities in the coverage.

NBCUniversal will also integrate AI technology into its broadcasts, including recreating sports commentator Al Michaels’ voice.

Attribution: Reuters