This is no ordinary Olympic season. Postponed because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 Tokyo Olympics were rescheduled for July 2021 and are now scheduled to kick off with the Opening Ceremony on July 23.
As the day has drawn closer, a pandemic surge in Japan has forced organizers to hold the events without spectators (remember the NBA bubble season?). But the show must go on, so we can still tune in to that opening ceremony (and you know we will — there's even a live morning broadcast on NBC starting at 6:55 a.m. on July 23). Here's how to watch because these extravaganzas have always been a showcase for a host nation to celebrate international unity and — quite frankly — show off a bit.
These days, the blockbuster spectacles are equal parts Super Bowl halftime show, Broadway musical and Cirque du Soleil, complete with thousands of performers, award-winning creative directors, and budgets that could fund a small army. So while we wait to see what comes of the Tokyo Opening Ceremonies, we've got a winner's stand of the very best Opening Ceremonies, ranked from number 10 to number 1. Which show takes home the gold? Read on!
