The recently concluded Paris Olympics took everyone by storm, and the masses are hoping for the same from the 2024 Paralympics. Over 4,400 athletes have made their way to the French capital for the ultimate battle of the best. With the 16th edition of the Paralympic Games commencing on August 28th, many looked forward to seeing their favorites wearing the crown of a Paralympic champion. However, things have moved off course before the Games even begin.

Many fans could tune in to catch a glimpse of the Games on NBC during the Olympics. Thinking it would be the same, one fan was perplexed to find that this wasn’t the case at all. A Reddit user called PhoenixCathcart posted on r/Olympics, “What do you MEAN the paralympics won’t be fully shown on NBC???“ They shared a screenshot of the program, showing that the screening would be selective.

They continued, “I think it’s sh*t that nbc won’t show the full paralympics, tbh I was looking forward to 2 more weeks of straight up competition and primetime in paris 💀.” NBC will be the official broadcast home for the Paralympics like they were for the Olympics. PhoenixCathcart points that out: “They said it would be shown on USA and Peacock, but I thought NBC would be included in “Peacock” but damn was I wrong.” NBC’s schedule does include a certain number of events. But Peacock will be broadcasting every single event live from Paris.

However, this isn’t out of the ordinary. They had followed an identical plan for the recently concluded Olympic Games as well. The American broadcasting rights to the Summer Olympics have been with NBC since the 1988 Games. They agreed to broadcast the 2020 Tokyo Games in 2011 and will continue to air the Olympics till the 2032 Games. Peacock introduced a show called the ‘Gold Zone’ during the Paris Olympics. This helped make the viewing experience more fun for the audience.

For the entirety of the Paralympics, ‘Gold Zone’ will make a triumphant return. Paralympics anchor Carolyn Manno will host the immersive program. ‘Discovery Multiview’ will also return to your screens. We know what you’re thinking. Where can we watch the Paralympics? We got you. Peacock will harbor about 1,500 hours of live coverage for 22 sports throughout the 12-day event. You can even find the events you want to watch on YouTube. But you can also catch approximately 140 hours of the event across the USA Network, NBC, and CNBC.

Fans are afraid they will miss out on prime Paralympics content

After PhoenixCathcart’s query on Reddit, many fans rushed to add their two cents to the conversation. One fan pointed out, “NBC didn’t show the “full” Olympics either. They showed highlight reels of the events Americans win a lot of medals in. Most of it was only on Peacock. I assume that will remain the case.” While many weren’t too happy with the coverage, they moved over to YouTube for an uninterrupted experience.

Another fan agreed, “You do understand that NBC didn’t broadcast the entire Olympics, right? I was about the same block scheduling that you have in your pics.” Masses were able to enjoy a few events uninterrupted, and as pointed out, the schedule didn’t look any different during the Olympics than it does for the Paralympics. A fan stated, “You’ll be able to watch on their YouTube channel for free, as well.” The Paralympics YouTube channel will showcase glimpses of the Opening Ceremony, events, and athlete interviews. What more could you ask for? 

Paris 2024 Paralympics – Opening Ceremony – Paris, France – August 28, 2024 The Paralympic mascot the Phryge performs in front of the Obelisque de Louxor (Luxor Obelisk) at the Place de la Concorde during the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games Opening Ceremony. Julien De Rosa/Pool via REUTERSOne fan exclaimed, “NBC has an obligation to its shareholders to show programming that will draw the highest ad revenue possible. Perhaps, what should have been done is for the Paralympics to have been auctioned off separately from the Olympics, perhaps to PBS, which has a more public service role.” While PBC tends to have a more public-centric approach than NBC, maybe that’s why this fan suggested it.

Another fan chimed in, “There’s no money in airing the Paralympics, in their eyes. Part of why there’s no money in it is because they don’t invest in it, so no one has any interest.” They further elaborated on the vicious cycle of how this problem will continue to persist for the Paralympics for this very reason. We have 11 more days of action-packed events lined up. Peacock and YouTube would be your best bet to find all the events in one place. But what are your views on the situation? Let us know in the comments! 

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