Next Friday, NBC will broadcast the Opening Ceremony of the 2020 (just like Euro, they’re not rebranding the years) Summer Olympics from Tokyo. This is normally one of NBC’s tentpole events, and (to be fair) they’re still promoting the event and seemingly putting the production effort in that you would expect.
But from the standpoint of viewers and fans, how much excitement really is there for this edition of the Summer Olympics?
(You can discuss this on the BSL Board here.)
Personally, I’ve been burned out from sports for months now. Following the live sports shutdown last spring and early summer, we’ve had a year straight of live sports, with baseball, hockey, and basketball seasons overlapping like never before, not to mention college basketball, college football, and the NFL having their seasons take place on their normal spots on the calendar. Normally, with the Olympics taking place in the summer, its only competition is MLB.
This year, the Olympics will be just days removed from the end of the NBA Finals and weeks away from the end of both UEFA Euro and the NHL Stanley Cup Final. Plus, as usual, we’re still in the midst of baseball season, and the start of NFL training camp is fast approaching. So sure, let’s throw in a two-week international sports competition! What could possibly go wrong?
I also feel like there are a lack of marketable stars on Team USA this year for the casual sports fan, especially when compared to prior years. Sure, Simone Biles and Katie Ledecky are competing, as are the world-conquering USWNT soccer team, but that’s really about it. Michael Phelps retired after the 2016 Olympics in Rio. The USMNT (again) did not qualify for the men’s soccer tournament. USA Basketball has a pair of typically strong rosters, but lacks the Dream Team-esque starpower one might expect. The same is true for USA Baseball, with a roster full of minor league prospects, non-prospects, and over the hill former major leaguers.
Oh, and then there’s the elephant in the room – the ongoing pandemic. There will inevitably be positive tests, forcing athletes out of the competition. Spectators for events will be limited, if not outright prohibited, dampening the atmosphere for those watching at home. The pandemic will also force restrictions on broadcasters, as we’ve seen over the last year, and viewers are ultimately the ones who suffer with a worse overall experience. NBC has produced and broadcast many events from their international studios in Connecticut over the years, but it feels like they’ll be doing that more this year.
This is wholly out of NBC’s control, but the Olympics taking place in Tokyo absolutely will doom live viewing. Tokyo is 13 hours ahead of New York, meaning that events taking place in the evening will air on the east coast in the morning, and vice versa. The afternoon events will air in the middle of the night, and how many people are really going to set their alarms in order to watch an event live? That’s partly why Rio de Janeiro, host of the 2014 World Cup and 2016 Olympics, was such an ideal host city for American viewers. It’s only an hour ahead of the east coast, so scheduling and watching was simple.
Somewhat ominously, we might be having a similar conversation to this in six months time. Because of the postponement of the Olympics last year, we’re now a year closer to the 2022 Winter Olympics, which will begin in Beijing on February 4th. The time difference will still be an issue, the pandemic may still be a very real problem, and a potential US boycott still remains a (slim) possibility, which would deep six any positive attention for the event on NBC.
But hey, at least we have a wide open summer next year to enjoy the World Cup, right? Oh…yeah. Thanks, FIFA.
Sports Media Analyst
Joe Lucia has been covering sports media since 2011, and is a fan of the Ravens, Braves, and Manchester City. He was born and raised in Harrisburg, PA, but now makes his home in southern California with his wife.