RIO DE JANEIRO — Long accustomed to coming late in the program, the U.S. team was introduced a little before the midway point in the parade of athletes.
Because the ceremony is done in the language of the host country – and USA is Estados Unidos da America in Portuguese – the Americans got their march earlier in the program.
The Washington Post reported that NBC asked Olympic officials to change the order so the U.S. team would enter at a friendlier time for ratings, something NBC refuted.
The network aired the ceremony with a one-hour tape delay on the East Coast.