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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?

#171

Post by eigen »

WhyNotHugo wrote: post #125

Given that the event is in Japan, I'm curious why someone would hire a US-based service to stream it rather than just a Japanese based one. Actually, I'm surprised the Olympics themselves don't have a direct subscription for streaming the entire event where people can sign up and stream it. I'm under the impression that the event is designed for the PHYSICAL audience first, and streaming it is kind of a poorly though…

> Actually, I'm surprised the Olympics themselves don't have a direct subscription for streaming the entire event where people can sign up and stream it.

NBC tried something similar 30 years ago. It was a financial failure.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olympics_Triplecast

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

#172

Post by jazzyjackson »

matheusmoreira wrote: post #108
effingwewt wrote: post #93

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Please Gods, no! Black Mirror is almost here. 'Just pay 100 merits to skip..Oh you've used all your skips this hour.' Beeeeeeeeep 'Resume viewing, resume viewing.

Why is this downvoted? This bleak future isn't too far off honestly. Can't wait until the advertisers start literally torturing us as punishment for withholding our attention. When I watched that episode for the first time I was horrified but reality is even worse: these people think we're literal criminals who are stealing from them if we don't watch ads.

Probably because YouTube and Spotify are already peppered with such interruptions

“upgrade to premium today to disable these annoying ads”

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

#173

Post by jazzyjackson »

te_chris wrote: post #77
PaulDavisThe1st wrote: post #70

NBC's Olympic coverage ... the only reason I've ever found to pay for an IP proxy in the UK so that I could watch the BBC coverage instead. ps. I did try to pay for a UK TV license too but they don't seem to have the concept of someone outside the UK paying for this.

Oh that’s gone and got cocked up too. Discovery have paid a fortune for the europe-wide individual streaming rights, so BBC can only broadcast two streams at a time. You can only watch the individual sports streams on Eurosport/Discovery plus. This is a kafkaesque mess though - e.g. PS only has Eurosport app, but to sign up and subscribe, you have to go through discovery+, whose credentials can’t log you in to Eurosp…

But I thought uk left Europe :(

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

#174

Post by spywaregorilla »

eplanit wrote: post #109
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.

I'm so done with the f-ing Olympics. They're just a vast marketing scam that countries and cities buy into -- often acting against the wishes of their own people. The cities that host them see more negative impact than positive; and, frankly, the coverage is boring. After the last fiasco in Brazil, I was hoping it would drive a spike into the heart of the old relic -- maybe the tremendous loss on the investments in T…

> The summer games are the only ones any mass audience really cares about anymore, true?

Not if you're in a wintry country.

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

#175

Post by city41 »

lotsofpulp wrote: post #102
jessaustin wrote: post #27

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I have signed into the "NBC Sports" app on Roku with my basic package Dish Network credentials, and that allows me to view any event live or on replay. This is in USA. I'm not sure what else we expect NBC to do here. I have watched canoeing, cycling, rugby, equestrian, TKD, sailing, etc. Of course their headline/primetime coverage is shit and doesn't know sports other than swimming and gymnastics exist. They have the…

> 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…

This is just the reality of sports in America today. As a non-cable subscriber who likes hockey, every year I have to jump through numerous hoops to watch the playoffs, not to mention blacked out games. I am hopeful that once revenue from cable drops enough, all these shenanigans will go away.

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

#176

Post by jessaustin »

lotsofpulp wrote: post #151
jessaustin wrote: post #137

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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.

Yeah, sure, we all wish we were living in the future. In the meantime, someone has to pay for the cameras and streaming. I agree that no one should pay for some of the "personalities" involved in some of the NBC coverage. You've implied that the currently available terms of payment are not appealing to you. However, lots of real people still have subscriptions to cable, satellite, Hulu, Sling, etc.

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

#177

Post by julienchastang »

enumjorge wrote: post #76
sizzzzlerz wrote: post #42

You must be a youngster. NBC has been fucking up the Olympics broadcasts since they started back in 1988. They've always been overly USA-centric, they refuse to air the broadcasts when the events happen, insisting on time shifting everything, and loading so many commercials into the thing, it is impossible to watch. I pretty much quit watching 3 or 4 olympics ago. Today, as I tune through the channels, I always see t…

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…

NBC Olympic coverage is not great, but it was even far worse in the past. You may remember from a few Olympics ago that coverage was loaded with “human interest” back stories and the broadcast would actually show very little sports. The other day to my complete surprise, I watched archery Netherlands vs South Korea. No American jingoism in sight. It was quite refreshing. The broadcast is still US-centric, but I am seeing a bit more diversity than in the past. Of course, if I had the choice, I would watch the Olympic broadcast from another country.

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

#178

Post by jazzyjackson »

akg_67 wrote: post #89
supportlocal4h wrote: post #61

Earlier quoted context omitted.

NBC has held the Olympics hostage in the USA. But the last time I made an effort, a few Olympics ago, I did try to watch the gold medal round of women's judo to see the American. I couldn't watch it because NBC was showing a qualifying round of women's handball: Poland vs Lithuania or some such. So much for USA-centric. I guess you'll never please everyone.

NBC has held Olympics hostage worldwide. The whole reason, Olympics are during hottest muggiest time of year in Tokyo (Jul/Aug) because NBC/Comcast didn’t want Olympics during Football season. Previously (1964), Olympics were held in October during more temperate weather in Tokyo. Most countries broadcast focus on their own athletes. There is wall to wall coverage of Japanese athletes on Japanese TV too right now.

That’s very depressing info, thanks

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

#179

Post by nrjames »

tedajax wrote: post #162
lake_vincent wrote: post #154

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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

And if you don't have cable?

This is the problem I'm experiencing. The best I've found is fuboTV and it's not great. I don't have cable in my house. I'd be willing to pay NBC $100 for access to all of their live and on-demand olympic coverage (what's available through the website, etc.), but that's not even an option.

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

#180

Post by hadrien01 »

te_chris wrote: post #77
PaulDavisThe1st wrote: post #70

NBC's Olympic coverage ... the only reason I've ever found to pay for an IP proxy in the UK so that I could watch the BBC coverage instead. ps. I did try to pay for a UK TV license too but they don't seem to have the concept of someone outside the UK paying for this.

Oh that’s gone and got cocked up too. Discovery have paid a fortune for the europe-wide individual streaming rights, so BBC can only broadcast two streams at a time. You can only watch the individual sports streams on Eurosport/Discovery plus. This is a kafkaesque mess though - e.g. PS only has Eurosport app, but to sign up and subscribe, you have to go through discovery+, whose credentials can’t log you in to Eurosp…

I don't know how much the BBC paid Discovery for the rights, but France.tv had to do the same and has the right to up to three simultaneous TV broadcasts, and what seems to be all sports streaming online (with an awful UI, but that's another matter). Eurosport/Discovery also broadcasts in France, like in the rest of Europe.
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