NBC Olympic Coverage to Feature Lindsey Vonn, Shaun White, but it Still Stinks
A wildly popular set of athletes from the United States, including superstar skiing champion Lindsey Vonn, speed skater Shani Davis, snowboard master Shaun White and short track star Apolo Ohno, among others, are set to compete in both medal and qualifying rounds, so keep your eyes peeled for headlines. (Or avert them, if you'd rather wait for tape delayed coverage this evening to see what happens.)
NBC Olympic coverage on local network stations is set to kick rather late in the day at 3 PM local. The two-hour broadcast will focus entirely on two cross-country events that are scheduled to be decided this morning in Vancouver: The women's and men's individual sprints. The United States' Kikkan Randall, the reigning world silver medalist, will go for gold in the women's event.
After a break in the action, NBC Olympic coverage is slated to return at 8 PM with a slew of tape-delayed snippets of 2010 Winter Olympic competition (at least, that's the case if you live on the west coast; if you're back east, you may actually get to see some of the events unfold live).
Lindsey Vonn, who has been nursing an injured shin in recent days, finally takes to the slopes to compete in the women's downhill event with gold medal thoughts in mind. Shaun White will also take a turn at going for gold as the men's halfpipe competition hosts its medal round at 7:15 PM Pacific. Not to be left out is Shani Davis, one of the gold medal favorites in the speed skating 1000 meter distance. Davis is the current world record holder in the event, but faces stiff competition from others in the field.
The USA Network offers mid-day Curling, and MSNBC and CNBC boast men's and women's hockey, and yet more curling. Hockey can be exciting and curling is interesting in a giant chess game sort of way, but why do we want to see live curling instead of live Lindsey Vonn or live Shawn White? I'm confused.
All in all, the NBC Olympic coverage is decidedly lacking, presenting almost every event on tape delay, and forcing viewers to stay up very late to see events decided in some cases hours upon hours earlier. It's a numbers game, though. NBC may win during the Olympics, but may find themselves losing big time in the end as frustration over tape delays and limited coverage grow.
Sources
Television Schedule for February 17, NBC Olympics
Published by Sherry Wight - Featured Contributor in Arts & Entertainment
Sherry is a happily married stay-at-home mom to a book-loving second grader, a cancer-fighting superhero preschooler, an energetic three-year old and an early-walking baby boy. When she's not vacuuming, kis... View profile
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11 Comments
Post a Commentagree whole heartedly, also Sherry if I read by don't comment as much over you excellent coverage, it's because my reading is way behind, and you are amazingly prolific!
Personally I don't two figs for the superstars, I wanna see some curling. But I only get network channels so why I am stuck with these inflated ego idiots? NBC news have cover the USA curling team but are NOT airing any of their matches outside of daytime (hello we all have to work sometime...). I mean who doesn't want to see some guys and gals chucking rocks down an icy path? ;)
NBC's decision to show curling and non-USA hockey instead of Vonn and White live just shows why network TV is done. Jeez, they handled Conan/Leno better than this. I have known for hours that Lindsey Vonn won gold, and I still have hours to wait to see it happen. Note to Jeff Zucker: the internet isn't a fad. Idiot. Loser. Douchebag.
I think it is silly that they are having this on so late at night we don't get to bed till 2:00 am if we watch
I haven't been able to watch much of the Olympics for the reason you stated: I can't stay up that late! I'm missing them but it's good to read your articles to keep updated :)
Curling? NBC is showing curling while the DH is live? Geez, NBC 'brainiacs'-- get a clue: on the West Coast we have more interest in our LOCAL athletes (Julia Mancuso, Stacey Cook, Tim Jitloff, Erroll Kerr, Hannah Teeter, Nate Holland, Marco Sullivan, Elena Hight, and Kelly Clark) than curling. Who can even name a curling 'all star'? Anybody? I didn't think so. And with that the West Coast got curling while history was made with Lindsey and Julia and a good showing by Stacey Cook. Thanks NBC......
I'm so glad you people exist. I've been telling this people for last 20 years.
Growing up in Europe, I could watch every single person going down the hill and it was fun. I can't watch even a minute of this pathetic coverage.
Bob Costas must really love hearing himself. (always sitting down on high chair) I hope NBC doesn't lose 250 million dollars but 250 billion and get the hell out of business. I wrote to all their sponsors, that I will not purchase their product. It's harsh, but it's also the only thing we can do.
NBC has exclusive rights to Olympics, otherwise I wouldn't even care.
And Jay Leno sucks as well !!!!!!!
I have not missed an Olympics since Squaw Valley in 1960.. I must agree with all other comments, let's watch the games.. do the in depth stories in the morning.. your coverage is so frustrating.. The mens downhill event, probably the premier single event of the games, they showed 5 or 6 skiers completing their runs.. come on.. I like biathalon.. but 3 straight hours, and 10 minutes of the downhill.. enough said
I understand the need to have commericials-but c'mon-3 minutes of event and 20 minutes of commericials. BORING.
I agree with the idea that NBC's coverage is really lacking.
If the NCAA tournament can be profitably streamed online certainly the Olympics can be as well.
I just watched the women's downhill on an alternate stream because I don't want to watch an event after I know who has won.
NBC should be offering that and monetizing it.