No NBC announcers at the Olympics..

[kwanette]

NBC won't send sports announcing teams to 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing due to COVID-19

NBC's broadcasting teams for figure skating, Alpine skiing and snowboarding had been expected to be in Beijing.

www.usatoday.com

 

[kwanette]

NBC won't send sports announcing teams to 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing due to COVID-19

NBC's broadcasting teams for figure skating, Alpine skiing and snowboarding had been expected to be in Beijing.

www.usatoday.com

 

[kwanette]

https://www.usatoday.com/story/spor...-2022-nbc-tv-beijing-*********-19/6585943001/

NBC won't send sports announcing teams to 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing due to COVID-19

NBC's broadcasting teams for figure skating, Alpine skiing and snowboarding had been expected to be in Beijing.

www.usatoday.com

 

[Sylvia]

Any headline/URL with c0vid in the title will result in **** so you need to use tinyurl or bitly...

ETA: https://tinyurl.com/nkxsrbxm (by C. Brennan)

As the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympic Games approach and COVID-19 concerns mount, NBC Sports will not send any of its announcing teams to China, a spokesperson told USA TODAY Sports Wednesday afternoon.

“The announce teams for these Olympics, including figure skating, will be calling events from our Stamford (Conn.) facility due to COVID concerns,” Greg Hughes, senior vice president communications, NBC Sports, said in a phone interview.

"We’ll still have a large presence on the ground in Beijing and our coverage of everything will be first rate as usual, but our plans are evolving by the day as they are for most media companies covering the Olympics.”

NBC’s broadcasting teams for figure skating, Alpine skiing and snowboarding had been expected to be in Beijing, but those plans have been canceled.

I've reposted this in this (pre) Olympics news thread in Other Sports: https://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/th...-news-articles-etc.108615/page-3#post-6171081

 

[Karen-W]

Wow. I'm a bit that Terry, Johnny & Tara won't be in Beijing but, not complaining at all about no awkward Andrea Joyce post-KnC interviews, or ones where she's chasing the skater into the arena a la Alysa Liu at Nationals.

 

[kwanette]

Any headline/URL with c0vid in the title will result in **** so you need to use tinyurl or bitly...

ETA: https://tinyurl.com/nkxsrbxm (by C. Brennan)

As the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympic Games approach and *********-19 concerns mount, NBC Sports will not send any of its announcing teams to China, a spokesperson told USA TODAY Sports Wednesday afternoon.

“The announce teams for these Olympics, including figure skating, will be calling events from our Stamford (Conn.) facility due to ********* concerns,” Greg Hughes, senior vice president communications, NBC Sports, said in a phone interview.

"We’ll still have a large presence on the ground in Beijing and our coverage of everything will be first rate as usual, but our plans are evolving by the day as they are for most media companies covering the Olympics.”

NBC’s broadcasting teams for figure skating, Alpine skiing and snowboarding had been expected to be in Beijing, but those plans have been canceled.

I've reposted this in this (pre) Olympics news thread in Other Sports: https://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/th...-news-articles-etc.108615/page-3#post-6171081

 

[kwanette]

Any headline/URL with c0vid in the title will result in **** so you need to use tinyurl or bitly...

ETA: https://tinyurl.com/nkxsrbxm (by C. Brennan)

As the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympic Games approach and *********-19 concerns mount, NBC Sports will not send any of its announcing teams to China, a spokesperson told USA TODAY Sports Wednesday afternoon.

“The announce teams for these Olympics, including figure skating, will be calling events from our Stamford (Conn.) facility due to ********* concerns,” Greg Hughes, senior vice president communications, NBC Sports, said in a phone interview.

"We’ll still have a large presence on the ground in Beijing and our coverage of everything will be first rate as usual, but our plans are evolving by the day as they are for most media companies covering the Olympics.”

NBC’s broadcasting teams for figure skating, Alpine skiing and snowboarding had been expected to be in Beijing, but those plans have been canceled.

I've reposted this in this (pre) Olympics news thread in Other Sports: https://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/th...-news-articles-etc.108615/page-3#post-6171081

I Have no idea..why I depend on you..

 

[Frau Muller]

So no “Olympic Ice” fun show from the venue…Mary Carrillo won’t be riding on the Zamboni. Rats.

 

[Carolla5501]

The sideshow act will just broadcast remote and talk over the skaters

 

[Sylvia]

I posted this article snippet earlier today in Adam's fan thread:

Whether or not he’ll be in Beijing, Rippon will be involved in the Olympics, as NBC hired him to host a show with another former Olympian, Ashley Wagner, who is also one of his closest friends. Olympic Ice is still in the early planning stages, but is scheduled to be streamed on Peacock during the Games.

I believe Olympic Ice is supposed to be based in Stamford, CT.

ETA - scheduled to be streamed on Peacock's premium tier:

“Olympic Ice” (10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. ET) will be essential viewing for figure skating fans, featuring in-depth analysis of one of the Winter Games’ most popular events, including competition highlights, interviews with Team USA athletes, practice reports and scoring breakdowns

 

[sk9tingfan]

I posted this article snippet earlier today in Adam's fan thread:

I believe Olympic Ice is supposed to be based in Stamford, CT.

Please see original Beijing Olympics thread.

 

[Lemonade20]

Wow. I'm a bit that Terry, Johnny & Tara won't be in Beijing but, not complaining at all about no awkward Andrea Joyce post-KnC interviews, or ones where she's chasing the skater into the arena a la Alysa Liu at Nationals.

No media at all? Or just no announcers?

 

[Barbara Manatee]

Whether or not he’ll be in Beijing, Rippon will be involved in the Olympics, as NBC hired him to host a show with another former Olympian, Ashley Wagner, who is also one of his closest friends. Olympic Ice is still in the early planning stages, but is scheduled to be streamed on Peacock during the Games.

Does this mean Adam and Ashley will be doing Olympic Ice? I'd be disappointed. Adam's entertaining but I'd prefer hosts more interested in thoughtful commentary than snappy one-liners. Scott and Tanith were really good in 2018.

 

[Allskate]

If Adam is going to be broadcasting "Olympic Ice" from Stamford, does that mean that he won't be coaching Mariah in Beijing?

 

[Frau Muller]

Oh, oh. Someone above mentioned that the Olympic Ice show is still in “the planning stages…” Uh, the Olympics are only two weeks away.

 

[Spikefan]

If Adam is going to be broadcasting "Olympic Ice" from Stamford, does that mean that he won't be coaching Mariah in Beijing?

I’m just speculating but I wonder if everyone is limited to one coach? If that is the case it was probably easiest and wisest to go with Raf.

 

[Sylvia]

A Jan. 19th People article mentions that next month Rippon will be "in Beijing for the Winter Olympics, where he's coaching national champion Mariah Bell."

ETA: https://tinyurl.com/nkxsrbxm (by C. Brennan)

The USA Today article has been updated with additional quotes.

An excerpt:

That of course was well before the omicron variant began raging around the world, creating increasing concerns that anyone traveling to Beijing, from the athletes of the world to accredited members of the media, could test positive while at the Games and have to spend days and even weeks in quarantine.
“The Beijing model is going to be very similar to Tokyo in that the heartbeat of our Olympic operation will actually be in Stamford, Conn., at our NBC Sports headquarters. We’ll have more personnel there than in the host city,” said Molly Solomon, president and executive producer, NBC Olympics Production.
“With COVID’s changing conditions and China’s zero-tolerance policy, it’s just added a layer of complexity to all of this so we need to make sure we can provide the same quality experience to the American viewers. That’s why we are split between the two cities.”

 

[lurkz2]

I’m just speculating but I wonder if everyone is limited to one coach? If that is the case it was probably easiest and wisest to go with Raf.

Also speculating but at the K&C it seems like Raf was pressing Adam to go to Beijing. Mariah audibly says "change your plans".

At any rate Raf will definitely be in Beijing as Nathan's coach so Adam could go as Mariah's if everyone is limited to one coach.

 

[nickp]

Kirk Herbstreit did color commentary for college football from his basement

 

[overedge]

What will Johnny do with the suitcases full of clothes that he'd probably already chosen and coordinated

 

[Debbie S]

What will Johnny do with the suitcases full of clothes that he'd probably already chosen and coordinated

Take them to Stamford.

 

[AxelAnnie]

Oh, oh. Someone above mentioned that the Olympic Ice show is still in “the planning stages…” Uh, the Olympics are only two weeks away.

Maybe they mean the 2026 Olympics?

 

[Sylvia]

Take them to Stamford.

https://twitter.com/JohnnyGWeir/status/1484181634035425281

 

[Yuri]

While NBC may be stating that YNW is the reason for not sending announcing crews, it wouldn't surprise me if the REAL reason to allow NBC to be openly critical of the Chinese government without fear of retribution. Given the US government has declared a political boycott of the Winter Games, NBC may be facing some pressure from the government and sponsors to criticize the Games' hosts. I'd rather do that from the safety of their Stamford CT broadcast HQ than in Beijing!

Many sports have had remote broadcasts (including skating), sometimes from the basements of the announcers as noted. But Stamford is a full studio, like whatever NBC would have had in Beijing. The key difference will be that none of the announcers will be on-site at their events, limiting their ability to see anything but the world feed as well as on-site interviews. But we probably won't notice much difference in the studio "hosts" (e.g., Bob Costas in the past) whether they are in China or the US.

I assume Terry, Johnny, Tara, and Tanith will all be in studio in Stamford together, so there's no reason we won't see Johnny's extensive wardrobe. They just won't be rinkside.

 

[VALuvsMKwan]

What will Johnny do with the suitcases full of clothes that he'd probably already chosen and coordinated

The Pennsylvania Peacock is undoubtedly working for the correct network.

 

[overedge]

While NBC may be stating that YNW is the reason for not sending announcing crews, it wouldn't surprise me if the REAL reason to allow NBC to be openly critical of the Chinese government without fear of retribution. Given the US government has declared a political boycott of the Winter Games, NBC may be facing some pressure from the government and sponsors to criticize the Games' hosts. I'd rather do that from the safety of their Stamford CT broadcast HQ than in Beijing!

This is what I was thinking too. If they were in Beijing and said something that the Chinese hosts didn't like, or if anything NBC said anywhere was interpreted as being critical of China, it could be very difficult for them to get out of the country safely.

 

[jamesy]

What will Johnny do with the suitcases full of clothes that he'd probably already chosen and coordinated

Including his Project Runway outfit?

 

[Carolla5501]

I admit that if I was Bell I’d be unhappy my coach wants to do a tv show instead of supporting me.


It would certainly give me something to think about if I was the parent of a skater looking at him as a coach.

 

[Carolla5501]

https://twitter.com/JohnnyGWeir/status/1484181634035425281

Yeah and this is why I try not to listen to him. Instead of trying to figure out what skaters are doing or learning he’s doing a wardrobe. Because it’s all about Johnny, the skaters are not important if he’s not centerstage. Hopefully Peacock will give us some other alternatives beside him and his wardrobe.


Hey Johnny you’re not moving to Connecticut and the truth is well-dressed people don’t need 13 suitcases to go anywhere. Even Dolly Parton travels with less luggage.

 

[soogar]

I’m just speculating but I wonder if everyone is limited to one coach? If that is the case it was probably easiest and wisest to go with Raf.

I think she has more rapport with Adam. It looks like Raf has checked out of their relationship. If I was a competitor, I think I would prefer Adam since he was in the same situation and he looks like he would break up the stress.