The opening ceremonies for the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta drew the largest U.S. television audience (39.7 million viewers) of any recent Summer Games.
In comparison, the broadcast of the most recent Summer Olympics opening ceremonies — Athens, 2004 — drew 25.3 million U.S. viewers.
| DATE / TIME | YEAR / LOCATION | NETWORK | VIEWERS (P2+) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25 July / 8pm – 12am | 1992 / Barcelona | NBC | 21,609,000 |
| 19 July / 8pm – 12:45am | 1996 / Atlanta | NBC | 39,767,000 |
| 15 Sept. / 8pm – 11:36pm | 2000 / Sydney | NBC | 27,275,000 |
| 13 Aug. / 8pm – 11:49pm | 2004 / Athens | NBC | 25,384,000 |
| Source: The Nielsen Company |
