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Why does NBC make it so difficult to watch the Olympics?

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Re: Why does NBC make it so difficult to watch the Olympics?

#151

Post by lotsofpulp »

jessaustin wrote: post #137
lotsofpulp wrote: post #102

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I'm not sure what else we expect NBC to do here. Not tie it up with a Dish network subscription? NBC (or rather Comcast) wants to get paid from all sides, advertisers, TV channel distributors, online streamers. That is why there is no banner on their website saying “pay $x and stream whatever Olympic event you want with NBC website/app”. Actually, the answer to the thread title’s question is the fact that Comcast d…

I also don't believe in "intellectual property", but in a legal regime that isn't so enlightened it isn't surprising that we have to go to some small amount of trouble and pay some small amount of money to see non-shit coverage of a ridiculously costly sporting event.

It has nothing to do with intellectual property or a less enlightened legal regime. It is just a dying legacy business that has been obviated by the internet trying to milk whatever they can before they are gone.

Re: Why does NBC make it so difficult to watch the Olympics?

#152

Post by Brendinooo »

totalZero wrote: post #132

If you have cable TV, you can watch everything at nbcolympics.com/schedule so it’s actually quite accessible. I believe you can watch 30 minutes of content without signing in using your cable account. Also, the author is wrong. NBC broadcast the opening ceremonies at 7am [0]. The author must have seen a rebroadcast. [0] https://sports.nbcsports.com/2021/07/23/when-do-the-tokyo-ol...

Came here to say this. They showed it live at 7 AM, on broadcast. No accounts or payment required.

I know some people have issues getting a signal over the air (live in an apartment, too far from source), but usually when I talk to people about broadcast they just have some weird hangup about buying a $10 antenna and connecting it to their television.

Re: Why does NBC make it so difficult to watch the Olympics?

#153

Post by lotsofpulp »

pydanny wrote: post #128
lotsofpulp wrote: post #75

Earlier quoted context omitted.

With the internet, you can please everyone. Search, pay, click, watch whatever you want.

That's not true at all. There's literally no way for many Americans to find live or recorded events for free or to pay. NBC has blocked it off.

I am saying it is technologically possible. In the US, I simply do not watch sports as it all requires buying a subscription to an archaic and obviated cable/satellite TV service.

Once I can go to the sports league’s website and and pay directly for what I want to watch, I will start watching.

Re: Why does NBC make it so difficult to watch the Olympics?

#154

Post by lake_vincent »

jressey wrote: post #127

I love to talk shit on huge broadcasters but using their app for the olympics has been amazing. I just watched 2 days of replays from their app, all with minimal or no commentary, and all with few commercials (like 1/30 minutes). Not only do you get replays for literally every event, but they don't even spoil them with the final scores or results. Edit: It looks like I failed to mention that cable is required so that…

Agreed - just log into app via cable provider and voila, Olympic paradise.

Re: Why does NBC make it so difficult to watch the Olympics?

#155

Post by totalZero »

lotsofpulp wrote: post #150
totalZero wrote: post #132

If you have cable TV, you can watch everything at nbcolympics.com/schedule so it’s actually quite accessible. I believe you can watch 30 minutes of content without signing in using your cable account. Also, the author is wrong. NBC broadcast the opening ceremonies at 7am [0]. The author must have seen a rebroadcast. [0] https://sports.nbcsports.com/2021/07/23/when-do-the-tokyo-ol...

Requiring the purchase of an unrelated product for no reason other than padding subscriber numbers for NBC’s benefit qualifies as “making it difficult”.

Several of the tv stations broadcasting the olympics are on cable (eg USA). I understand the desire to watch for free, but cable is certainly not an unrelated product here.

If you have a raspberry pi you can probably set up a vpn at a house with cable and watch it that way. For my provider I think they simply match the IP to the ISP (the login was automatic).

Re: Why does NBC make it so difficult to watch the Olympics?

#156

Post by ryandrake »

wombat-man wrote: post #84
enumjorge wrote: post #76

Earlier quoted context omitted.

NBC's coverage is especially bad if you compare it to coverage from other countries. NBC mostly focuses on sports where the US will do well, so if you care about a sport in which the US doesn't have a strong foothold then you're out of luck. Last Olympics I thought maybe they could treat this as back catalogue content that you could watch online, but I could only find heavily edited highlights. And they not only fill…

Yeah even watching gymnastics last night, they pretty much only show US competitors. At least with swimming they were forced to show other countries.

Even in events where they are forced, by the nature of the event, to show competitors from non-US countries, the announcers spend the entire event fawning all over the US competitors without pause or silence. While a non-US athlete is up there setting a new world record, NBC aims the camera at the US guy and says things like "It's a race for bronze, folks!"

Re: Why does NBC make it so difficult to watch the Olympics?

#157

Post by pydanny »

lotsofpulp wrote: post #153
pydanny wrote: post #128

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That's not true at all. There's literally no way for many Americans to find live or recorded events for free or to pay. NBC has blocked it off.

I am saying it is technologically possible. In the US, I simply do not watch sports as it all requires buying a subscription to an archaic and obviated cable/satellite TV service. Once I can go to the sports league’s website and and pay directly for what I want to watch, I will start watching.

Just discovered I can in theory use Youtube TV. The offer being submitted is to sign up for a year. So I stand corrected.

Re: Why does NBC make it so difficult to watch the Olympics?

#158

Post by majormajor »

coldcode wrote: post #117
fireball_blaze wrote: post #51

On the modern Olympics: it helps to remember that it is now an advertising event that happens to have sports competitions.

Hoping the olympics just goes away. Now it's all hyper scientifically prepped professionals competing to get attention in between ads on some idiotic exclusive network. College football is about to become the same thing. No more thrill of victory or agony of defeat, just filler to sell more toilet paper or something.

College football has been that for about 20 years. The rich got richer, the Saturdays got less interesting, the players got the short end.

It's somewhat baffling that all the also-ran schools have such strong fanbases still - it's so stacked against them, moreso than in any other league.

Re: Why does NBC make it so difficult to watch the Olympics?

#159

Post by quickthrowman »

totalZero wrote: post #155
lotsofpulp wrote: post #150

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Requiring the purchase of an unrelated product for no reason other than padding subscriber numbers for NBC’s benefit qualifies as “making it difficult”.

Several of the tv stations broadcasting the olympics are on cable (eg USA). I understand the desire to watch for free, but cable is certainly not an unrelated product here. If you have a raspberry pi you can probably set up a vpn at a house with cable and watch it that way. For my provider I think they simply match the IP to the ISP (the login was automatic).

Comcast owns NBC and directly benefits from cable subscriptions. NBC also owns all the rights and doesn’t have to put stuff on the cable channels it owns. That’s why people are complaining.

Re: Why does NBC make it so difficult to watch the Olympics?

#160

Post by colinmhayes »

criddell wrote: post #147
colinmhayes wrote: post #129

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I haven't seen any commercials on the nbcolympics.com streams. They just go to a blank stream during breaks so you can keep the volume on and watch a different stream until it's back.

That's what MLB does and in some ways it's almost more annoying. I wish they would just pull back to their widest shot and pipe in the venue sounds.

I enjoy having it silent so I can keep the volume on while I watch something else. That way I know when to switch back.
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