The Year of the Olympics

2022 began with cold temperatures, snow, and ice which reminded us that it is winter.  With that kind of weather, there’s not much we can do outside so we tend to spend a lot more time indoors, more than likely watching TV.  I’m not sure about you, but I get tired of watching the same programs over and over, so I was excited when I realized 2022 was the year for the Winter Olympic Games.

The Winter Olympic Games were held in Beijing from February 4 through February 20.  NBC Universal covered all the events, live and on demand, through their network of channels and streaming services…NBC, USA Network, CNBC, NBCOlympics.com, and Peacock.  There were over 2,800 hours of Olympic coverage!

While watching one night, I caught part of a commercial advertising the Paralympics.  Now I knew the Paralympics were for athletes with a physical disability, but I’m ashamed to say that was the extent of my knowledge.  I started asking myself questions.  Why don’t I know more about the Paralympics?  How often do the Paralympics take place?  Where will they take place this year?  Why haven’t I watched them on television before?  I decided to do some research to learn more.

I learned the Paralympic Games is the largest international event for disabled athletes.  The games take place shortly after the Olympic Games and are held in the same host city.  They are also held every two years, alternating between the summer and winter games.  I also learned the Paralympics aren’t as widely known because there isn’t as much coverage of the games.  That’s going to change this year.  NBC, USA Network, Olympic Channel, NBCOlympics.com, Peacock, and the NBC Sports app will be covering and airing the Paralympics.  This year, for the first time, the Paralympics will be televised in primetime on NBC.  NBC will be airing seven hours of the games, three of which will be in primetime.  How exciting for these athletes!

The Paralympic Games will begin on March 4 and run through March 13.  With their physical disabilities, these athletes work hard and train hard; they deserve this primetime coverage.  Let’s show our support to them and plan to watch the 2022 Beijing Paralympic Games in primetime!  You can visit nbcolympics.com/paralympic-games for more information on the television and streaming schedule, as well as news on the games and the athletes.

For more information on the Paralympic Games, visit the International Paralympic Committee site.