Like many sports activities fans, I relish the joy of Sunday soccer, indulging in hours of uninterrupted sports activities motion with excessive stakes. It’s an expertise that, outdoors of main occasions like tennis or golf championships, the FIFA World Cup, or the Olympic Video games, is commonly unparalleled.
Whereas watching a tense Sunday Night time Soccer battle on NBC between the Baltimore Ravens and the Jacksonville Jaguars for a spot within the NFL playoffs, I used to be intrigued to see NBC play-by-play announcers Mike Tirico and Cris Collinsworth take a second to focus on an Olympic athlete, U.S. decathlete Anna Corridor, who’s a robust contender for a medal (probably gold) within the ladies’s heptathlon subsequent summer time in Paris.
World Championships silver medalist Anna Corridor at Sunday Night time Soccer
👋 @annaahalll pic.twitter.com/h9HYrGmcKs— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) December 18, 2023
The published showcased Corridor, sporting a Jacksonville Jaguars sweater, who waved to the common 18.7 million viewers who tune in to observe Sunday Night time Soccer every week. All year long, NBC has persistently featured athletes like 100m world champion Noah Lyles, 800m Olympic champion Athing Mu, world and Olympic champion shot putter Ryan Crouser and 200m Olympic medallist Gabby Thomas on the printed–all U.S. medal hopefuls for the 2024 Paris Olympic Video games.
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Curiously, on Saturday night time, former Canadian Olympic champions Andre De Grasse and Donovan Bailey have been prominently featured in a taped intro to CBC/Sportsnet Hockey Night time in Canada. This phase featured two of Canada’s quickest sprinters discussing “velocity” earlier than well-known broadcaster Ron MacLean and the Sportsnet panel previewed the Toronto Maple Leafs vs. Pittsburgh Penguins sport.
“I really like the sport due to the velocity.” 🏃♂️
Canadian Olympic sprinters Andre De Grasse (@De6rasse) and Donovan Bailey (@donovanbailey) open Hockey Night time in Canada on Sportsnet. pic.twitter.com/dzghxxKDmR
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) December 17, 2023
Whereas it’s commendable that Hockey Night time in Canada gives a platform for observe and subject stars, there ought to be extra constant protection, particularly contemplating CBC and Sportsnet are the official broadcasters of the Paris Olympics. If NBC can highlight upcoming Olympians or Paralympians of their hometowns, why can’t CBC or Sportsnet function upcoming Canadian athletes in the course of the weekly Hockey Night time in Canada broadcasts?
The pitch
Think about the affect of getting an athlete drop the puck or take part in a 30- to 60-second interview in the course of the broadcast. Such alternatives might introduce these athletes to a broader viewers, probably garnering new followers and sponsorships. For CBC and Sportsnet, these interviews might pay dividends throughout their Olympic broadcasting. Image MacLean in an interview with Cam Levins about his 300-km/week coaching routine for the Olympic marathon in the course of the intermission of a Vancouver Canucks sport. Or Jean-Simon Desgagnés, a world 3,000m steeplechase finalist, proudly sporting the Montreal Canadiens jersey on French tv–wouldn’t that be gold?
With a mean viewership of round 1.5 million throughout an NHL common season Hockey Night time in Canada sport, it has the potential to supply Olympic athletes substantial publicity, making a stronger reference to the Canadian viewers. And once more, it can pay dividends, come July/August. Extra Canadians will tune in, figuring out they’ve a horse within the race or a medal hopeful. With over 350 athletes representing Crew Canada in Tokyo, it shouldn’t be troublesome to search out athletes who’re a fan of one of many seven Canadian franchises.
Opinion: Canadian broadcasting needs to do better in highlighting Olympians
