The Paris Olympics opening ceremony was watched by 28.6 million viewers in the United States, the highest level since 2012. NBCUniversal, which paid $7.65 billion for U.S. rights through 2032, benefited from improved ratings compared to recent Olympics. Celebrity introductions such as Beyoncé and innovative AI technology enhanced the viewing experience. Read more The Paris Olympics opening ceremony was watched by 28.6 million viewers in the United States on Friday night, according to preliminary data released by Comcast-owned NBCUniversal. That’s the highest viewership for a Summer Olympics kickoff since the 2012 London Olympics and a big increase from the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, which drew just 17 million viewers.
The ceremony saw athletes float down the Seine past Paris landmarks and featured singer Celine Dion performing in public for the first time in years. NBCUniversal paid $7.65 billion to extend its U.S. Olympic rights through 2032, the largest deal in the world.
NBCUniversal’s viewership figures are a combination of both NBC Television and its streaming service Peacock. The increase in viewership is notable given that the Tokyo Olympics were plagued by inconvenient time zones and pandemic-related challenges for U.S. viewers.
In the run up to the Paris Olympics, NBCUniversal aggressively promoted its plans to attract viewers, most notably by singer Beyoncé, who introduced Team USA in a video that aired just before the American athletes appeared on the river. Many more celebrities are expected to join NBCUniversal’s coverage during the Olympics.
According to a Reuters report, NBCUniversal will also be incorporating AI technology into its broadcasts, including recreating the voice of famous sports commentator Al Michaels. The use of this technology is intended to improve the viewing experience for viewers.
NBCUniversal’s efforts are beginning to pay off, as preliminary ratings data shows a clear resurgence in interest in the Olympics.
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