The opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics drew 28.6 million viewers in the United States on Friday night, according to preliminary data released by Comcast's NBCUniversal. This is the highest viewership for a Summer Games kickoff since the London Olympics in 2012, and a significant leap from the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, which attracted just 17 million viewers.
The ceremony featured athlete delegations floating down the Seine past Paris landmarks and included singer Celine Dion’s first public performance in years. NBCUniversal paid $7.65 billion to extend its broadcasting rights for the Olympics in the U.S. through 2032. This deal is the largest of its kind globally.
NBCUniversal's viewership figure combines numbers from both NBC television and its streaming service Peacock. The increase in viewership is notable, considering the Tokyo Olympics struggled with inconvenient time zones for American audiences and pandemic-related challenges.
Leading up to the Paris Olympics, NBCUniversal actively promoted its plans to engage viewers. Notably, singer Beyoncé introduced Team USA in a video aired just before the American athletes appeared on the river. Many more celebrities are expected to participate in NBCUniversal’s coverage throughout the Olympics.
As per Reuters report, NBCUniversal also plans to incorporate AI technology into its coverage. This includes recreating the voice of renowned sports commentator Al Michaels. The use of this technology aims to enhance the viewing experience for audiences.
NBCUniversal's efforts are proving fruitful as the preliminary viewership data shows a clear rebound in interest for the Olympic Games.
