The Scoop: Paris braces for grand, precarious Olympics opening night

Paris will welcome the world on Friday with the formal opening of the 2024 Summer Olympics.

As planned, this year’s ceremony is truly one-of-a-kind: A flotilla of vessels will carry 10,000 athletes down the Seine River past iconic Parisian landmarks, such as the Eiffel Tower and the Musée d’Orsay, as well hundreds of thousands of sports fans.

Programming includes more than 3,000 performers, including musicians and dancers on bridges, as well as an array of other cultural displays, according to the BBC.

The lighting of the Olympic cauldron – and the unveiling of the mystery torchbearer – is sure to be a highlight of the show.

Why it matters: The opening ceremonies have become one of the largest real-time brand awareness campaigns in the world. French television presenter Daphné Bürki described the event as “the biggest show of the 21st century four times over,” per the BBC.

With an estimated 1.5 billion viewers tuning in from around the world, the four-hour show represents an incredible brand-building opportunity for Paris.

The City of Light is already among the largest tourist destinations in the world. However, Friday night’s event and the overall Summer Games represent a once-in-a-lifetime chance to leave an indelible mark on a massive global audience. Paris is first Olympic host city to hold the opening ceremony outside of a stadium setting.

Paris’ decision to host the Olympics s is an important branding opportunity within the nation of France as well. The New York Times report suggests hosting the event is a way for Paris to “jump-start urban rebirth” in some parts of the city through investments in infrastructure to accommodate the two-week event.

On early Friday, Paris was a victim of “prepared and coordinated” acts of “sabotage,” including arson, that crippled the country’s high-speed rail network early Friday.

Paris officials had a pair of contingency plans in place for the opening ceremony – Plans B and C, as they call them – in the case there were additional security reasons, per the Wall Street Journal. However, it appears the city feels comfortable hosting the unique parade of nations throughout the heart of the city as planned

The show starts at 7:30 p.m. Paris time, or 1:30 p.m. ET.

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Casey Weldon is a reporter for PR Daily. Follow him on LinkedIn.