LAUSANNE, Switzerland (AFP) — The Paris Olympics were the most followed Games in television and social media history, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) said Thursday.

“The Olympic Games Paris 2024 were the most followed Olympic Games ever,” IOC president Thomas Bach told reporters at the end of an executive board meeting in Lausanne.

“84 percent of the potential audience — that means around 5 billion people around the globe — followed these Olympic Games.”

Bach added: “Every viewer watched, on average, nine hours of coverage, a 20 percent increase on the previous Games.”

In the home market of France, 95 percent of the potential audience watched an average of 24 hours of coverage of the Olympics.

“Engagement with the Olympic Games Paris 2024 on social media went, literally, through the roof,” Bach said.

“There were 412 billion engagements, an incredible 290 percent increase on the previous edition of the Games.”

Bach said that Paris 2024 had “demonstrated the unprecedented global appeal of the Olympic Games.”

“Audiences are following and interacting with the Olympic Games like never before.”

“The independent surveys also demonstrate that people believe that the Olympic Movement’s mission to unite the world in peaceful competition is more important than ever in a divided world; and that the Olympic values truly resonate with younger generations.

“These were the Olympic Games of a new era.”

The brand tracker, broadcast research, and consumer and athlete surveys were conducted by Nielsen, Ipsos and Publicis Sport & Entertainment.

Across all consumer studies a total of more than 55,000 people in 18 countries were surveyed, with all respondents aged between 13 and 65, according to the IOC.