Who doesn’t love the Olympics? Every two years, people around the world can watch their nation’s most talented athletes compete for glory and the honor of their country. Whether huddled together in living rooms, watching on a flat screen TV in a bar, or scrolling through highlights on social media, the games become a part of everyone’s lives for the roughly 17 days they commence. 84% of the potential global audience tuned in to the Olympic Games in Paris in the summer of 2024, amounting to half of the global population (5 billion people).
One of the most exciting moments of the games is the opening ceremony. This ceremony is often an elaborate display of the host nation’s culture and an opportunity for every athlete to earn the recognition they deserve for their accomplishment. Team USA’s introduction is usually highly anticipated. The energy Team USA brings to the opening ceremony is always formidable and their introduction this year at the Milano Cortina games was no different.
Unlike most other nations, Team USA’s arrival was preceded by a video collage narrated by American actor and producer Samuel L. Jackson. The video opens with Jackson sitting in a lounge chair in a dimly lit room with stars shining behind him. As the light illuminates him, he begins to introduce “your team, our team,” Team USA. Silhouettes of various athletes move across the screen, with anticipation growing greater. Jackson continues his narration with “This is the team that represents all of us… they are a team that every one of us can be proud of.” The tone and intended message are clear from the start: unity, respect, and honor.
The silhouettes of the athletes begin to come into the light, with many familiar faces, such as Chloe Kim and Ilia Malinin, as the music in the background reaches a crescendo. The darkly lit screen behind Jackson suddenly illuminates with the colors of the American flag, a marching band proceeds onto the screen, and a scepter appears in Jackson’s hand, showcasing a vibrant display of patriotism.
A collage of American athletes ensues: figure skaters dancing across ice, snowboarders carving half pipes, skiers dashing down snowy slopes, and sledders propelling themselves down luge courses. Jackson continues to highlight some of Team USA’s most notable athletes, including Mikaela Shiffrin and Lindsey Vonn. Jackson says Team USA “Will throw down to make sure they’re standing on the top of the podium.” The rest of the video is a flurry of fireworks, drums, and Americana imagery, ending with Jackson staring directly down the camera confidently yet ominously.
The reaction to this introduction, at least on social media, has been overwhelmingly positive. Comments under the video, which has been uploaded to YouTube, read “Nobody else better to represent America, the great Samuel L.,” “Best Olympic advertising ever!” and “Chills, absolute chills!” Sure, the lights, music, narration, and features from Team USA athletes made this video entertaining, but why was it so impactful, and why did they choose to emphasize themes like unity?
Videos like these aren’t simply sports reels; they are narratives that frame national identity. What does it mean to be American on an international stage? According to this video, it means being competitive and triumphant. This is intentional storytelling that presents an idealized form of American nationalism. It is uplifting and unifying, discouraging division and conflict. This is a message that the average American can support and rally behind, especially in current times of high partisanship and politicization of everyday life.
By choosing Jackson to narrate the video, the creators of this introduction strategically blended popular culture and patriotic symbolism to empower American audiences. Jackson is a respected, admired American entertainer. Alternatively, if a controversial figure had narrated this video, the positive response from American viewers may not have been as widespread. For example, consider the mixed and extreme reactions to Bad Bunny performing at the Super Bowl just a few weeks ago.
This video, although made and aired for an international sports game, wasn’t truly intended for an international audience. Rather, it was made to instill a feeling of pride and togetherness among Americans. 86% of Americans report feeling exhausted by the division in America. Similarly, 81% are concerned about “political divisions within the country.” These Winter Olympics could not have come at a better time. Americans are in dire need of an opportunity to feel proud of their nationality and feel united despite political division.
Those of us watching Team USA’s introduction at the opening ceremony weren’t watching as Democrats, Republicans, or Independents, but as Americans. Even if just temporarily, it felt nice to be united, rooting for some of our nation’s most decorated athletes, wasn’t it? Hopefully, moments like these remind us all of the power of togetherness and inspire us all to work towards a future where we can feel this way more often.