About 3 billion people around the world are expected to tune in for the 2024 Summer Olympics. And if you’re looking for information about how to stream the games on your phone, TV, or tablet, you’ve come to the right place.
When Does the Summer Olympics Opening Ceremony Start?
The Summer Olympics in Paris, France starts July 26 and will run through Aug. 11. The opening ceremony starts at 1:30 p.m. ET., and will probably last about three hours. What’s being called an “enhanced prime-time encore” will also be aired on NBC at 7:30 p.m. ET.
Where Can I Stream the Opening Ceremony?
While the Winter Olympics in 2022 had many things that could be watched for free, anyone in the U.S. who wants to watch live events online this year will probably need to watch on NBC’s streaming platform Peacock, though highlights will be available on nbcolympics.com. Peacock apps are available for Apple TV, Fire TV, Roku, and Google TV. One alternative to getting Peacock is to subscribe to YouTube TV to watch the games on NBC if you don’t have a broadcast TV, though that’s considerably more expensive than just getting Peacock.
Peacock starts at $7.99 per month, or $79.99 for an annual plan. The annual option saves you about $16. If you’re really looking for a deal, Instacart+ subscribers can get Peacock for free right now. Just something to keep in mind if you were already thinking of getting Instacart+.
Where Can I See the Olympic Schedule?
The NBC website has a complete list of all the dates and times for each sport, from cycling to gymnastics and everything in between.
What’s Going on With the Opening Ceremony?
According to NBCUniversal, the opening ceremony will be one of the most complex yet. Steven Spielberg directed a film called “Land of Stories” and the ceremony won’t be held in a stadium, instead focusing on the Seine River. A parade of roughly 100 boats will carry thousands of athletes along the river.
“The river parade will follow the course of the Seine past the iconic sites of Paris, from Austerlitz Bridge, beside the Jardin des Plantes, crossing through central Paris and finishing in front of the Trocadéro, where the final elements of the show and ceremony will take place,” NBC explained in a press release.
NBC is touting the first hour as a commercial-free experience, though you’ll probably see plenty of sponsor logos, including the six companies that are sponsoring the thing: Coca-Cola, Delta, Lilly, Toyota, Visa, and Xfinity. But we’re all pretty used to being inundated with brands at these things, aren’t we folks?
Where Is the Weirdest Place I Can Watch?
Have you tried IMAX? Because IMAX theaters will have the opening ceremony. If you’re not going to watch it at home, seems as good and grand a place as any to watch.
What Cities Will Host Future Olympic Events?
The next games are scheduled to be held in Milan Cortina (2026), Los Angeles (2028) and Brisbane (2032). But the host city for the 2030 Winter Olympics has not been chosen yet.
