40.7M watch NBC's coverage of Olympics ceremony

NEW YORK, July 28 (UPI) -- NBC says its coverage of the Opening ceremony of the London Olympics Friday was seen by 40.7 million viewers.

The U.S. television network said it is the most-watched edition of the Summer Games opening ceremony on record, topping the 1996 Atlanta Games, which was seen by 39.8 million, the 2008 Beijing Olympics, which was seen by 34.9 million, and the 2004 Athens Olympics, which was seen by 25.4 million.

"This audience number for the London opening ceremony is a great early sign that our strategy of driving people to watch NBC in prime time is working. We look forward to the next 16 nights of compelling Olympic competition," NBC Sports Group Chairman Mark Lazarus said in a statement Saturday.