NBC/NBCSN to Air 52 Hours of Paralympics Coverage
- By Cindy Horbrook
- Mar 07, 2014
Wondering when and where to find the 2014 Winter Paralympics on American television? NBC Olympics is offering what it calls an “unprecedented” 52 hours of coverage of the Sochi 2014 Paralympic Winter Games across NBC and NBCSN. The 52 hours includes 27 hours of live coverage, which will begin with the Opening Ceremony on Friday, March 7 at 11 a.m. ET on NBCSN.
Those hoping to watch the action as it unfolds will need a cable or satellite subscription as 48 of the 52 hours will be shown on NBCSN. And if you do have cable, you may want to set your DVR because you likely won’t be awake or will be away from home. Many of the live events happen in the overnight hours. Similarly, much of the studio coverage takes place midday during the time many folks are at work or late night after bedtime.
The main NBC network will carry four hours of coverage, and the only actual event that will air is the sled (sledge) hockey gold medal game on Saturday, March 15 at 1 p.m. ET.
Though coverage may be limited and at inconvenient times of day, it is progress compared to the 5.5 total hours (and no live coverage) that the 2012 Summer Paralympics in London received.
All five Paralympic winter sports—alpine skiing (which includes snowboarding), cross-country skiing, biathlon, wheelchair curling and sled hockey—will be covered. An estimated 77 athletes from Team USA will compete. The games will feature a total of nearly 700 athletes from 45 countries. There are 72 medal events (34 men, 34 women and four mixed). TeamUSA.org will live stream all events from the Paralympic Winter Games.
Here is the full TV coverage schedule:
Date
|
Coverage
|
Network
|
Time (ET)
|
Fri., March 7
|
Opening Ceremony – Live
|
NBCSN
|
11 a.m.
|
Sat., March 8
|
Alpine Skiing (Downhill) – Live
|
NBCSN
|
1 a.m.
|
|
Opening Ceremony
|
NBC
|
1 p.m.
|
|
Paralympics Day 1 Studio Coverage
|
NBCSN
|
5:30 p.m.
|
Sun., March 9
|
Cross-Country Skiing – Live
|
NBCSN
|
1 a.m.
|
|
Paralympics Day 2 Studio Coverage
|
NBCSN
|
11 p.m.
|
Mon., March 10
|
Alpine Skiing (Super G) – Live
|
NBCSN
|
2 a.m.
|
|
Paralympics Day 3 Studio Coverage
|
NBCSN
|
Noon
|
Tue., March 11
|
Biathlon – Live
|
NBCSN
|
2 a.m.
|
|
Sled Hockey – Team USA vs. Russia
|
NBCSN
|
3 p.m.
|
Wed., March 12
|
Wheelchair Curling – Team USA vs. China – Live
|
NBCSN
|
1:30 a.m.
|
|
Paralympics Day 5 Studio Coverage
|
NBCSN
|
3 p.m.
|
Thu., March 13
|
Sled Hockey Semifinal – Live
|
NBCSN
|
5 a.m.
|
|
Sled Hockey Semifinal – Live
|
NBCSN
|
Noon
|
Fri., March 14
|
Snowboarding
|
NBCSN
|
3 a.m.
|
|
Paralympics Day 7 Studio Coverage
|
NBCSN
|
11:30 p.m.
|
Sat., March 15
|
Cross-Country Skiing – Live
|
NBCSN
|
3:30 a.m.
|
|
Sled Hockey Final
|
NBC
|
1 p.m.
|
|
Wheelchair Curling Final
|
NBCSN
|
6:30 p.m.
|
Sun., March 16
|
Alpine Skiing (Giant Slalom) – Live
|
NBCSN
|
4:30 a.m.
|
|
Closing Ceremony
|
NBCSN
|
3:30 p.m.
|
Sat., March 22
|
2014 Sochi Paralympic Games Review Show
|
NBC
|
1 p.m.
|
About the Author
Cindy Horbrook is the associate editor for HME Business, Mobility Management, and Respiratory & Sleep Management magazines.