Lionel Richie -- Olympic Performances Aren't a Big Deal ... Super Bowl is Where It's At

Lionel Richie says his performance at the 1984 Olympics was awesome ... but these days Sochi is no match for the Super Bowl

Richie was strutting out of LAX Friday night when he told us his '84 closing ceremony number was huge at the time ... but now the Super Bowl has more eyes than the world games.

His logic is pretty compelling. Check it out.