The opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics attracted 28.6 million American viewers

PARIS >> The opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics drew 28.6 million viewers in the U.S., according to preliminary data from Comcast’s NBCUniversal on Saturday. The company said it was the most-watched start to the Summer Games since London in 2012.

During Friday’s celebration, delegations of athletes floated down the Seine River, past Parisian landmarks, and singer Celine Dion made her first public appearance in years.

It is a major broadcast event for NBCUniversal, which paid $7.65 billion to renew the rights to broadcast the Games in the US through 2032. NBCUniversal’s deal for media rights to the Olympics is the largest in the world.

The viewing figures, including NBC and streaming service Peacock, are a boon for the broadcaster compared to just 17 million viewers for the 2021 Tokyo Olympics.

The 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games ceremony attracted 26.5 million viewers, while 40.7 million watched the opening match of the 2012 London Olympic Games.

The Paris Olympics follow three consecutive Olympic Games — Summer and Winter — in Asia: the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, the Summer Games in Tokyo, which were postponed until 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the 2022 Winter Games in Beijing.

“It is a ceremony like no other and an Olympic Games like no other,” said Yiannis Exarchos, CEO of Olympic Broadcasting Services.

“The hosts have put forward a vision that is unprecedented. An incredible vision. We are trying to present the Games in the best possible way.”

The Tokyo 2020 and Beijing 2022 Olympic Games presented a challenging time frame for the American public, ravaged by the pandemic and held without spectators in stadiums.

In the run-up to the Paris Olympics, NBCUniversal went public with its plans to draw viewers back to the event.

During the broadcast, singer Beyoncé introduced the U.S. team in a video that aired just before the U.S. athletes hit the river. Beyoncé is one of many celebrities who will be featured in NBCUniversal coverage during the Olympics.

AI technology will also be used in reporting, including imitating the voice of sports commentator Al Michaels.