The Tokyo Olympics 2020: The latest news and streaming tips
The saying "All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy" got an entirely new meaning during Covid.
The pandemic has depleted us of almost every type of fun, including sports. Therefore, sports enthusiasts have been waiting for the postponed Olympics to take over their screens for two weeks and satisfy their thirst for live sports.
WHAT'S NEW AT THE OLYMPICS?
For the fans of the lavish opening ceremonies out there, this year, the Ceremony will start on Friday, July 23 at 8 pm local time. However, you can start enjoying the games from July 21, when the first baseball/softball and football matches will take place.
On a different note, the latest news states that the organizers have banned alcohol consumption for the fans and the athletes due to the possibility of violating the social distance rules. Cheering will also be prohibited, and the fans will have to wear masks at all times.
New Sports at the Olympics 2020
In addition to strict COVID measures, this year's Olympics bring some novelties that we can really look forward to. The International Olympic Committee decided on five new sports to enter the game.
Sport climbing
If you're an adrenaline junkie, this one will keep you on your toes. Climbers will challenge themselves on a vertical wall with an array of hands and footholds. The sport will feature three disciplines - Speed, Lead, and Bouldering.
Baseball/softball
Softball and baseball are back at the Olympics after being excluded from the competition in 2008. With baseball being the second most popular sport in America, this one will be a real treat for every game fan.
Surfing
If you like water sports, don't miss this one out. Surfing will gather some of the biggest names in the sport to present their wave-catching skills. If you're not familiar with the rules and the sport in general, it's definitely worth checking this one out.
Karate
Karate has been trying to become a part of the Olympic family for years. In 2015, The International Olympic Committee finally approved their joining request, and now martial-arts fans can enjoy seeing their favorite athletes perform. The competition has two disciplines - kata and kumite.
Skateboarding
The youngest of them all, skateboarding has been around for just over 50 years. Born and raised in the USA, it has become the backbone of American pop culture. Skateboarding will make its Olympic debut in two categories - street and park.
STREAM THE OLYMPICS
Even though the covid situation in Japan took a wrong turn in the last few months, the Olympic Committee is doing its best to ensure the highest level of security. On that note, they've decided that international spectators cannot attend the Olympics. Hence, for most of us, a streaming service is the only option.
Companies in some countries are stepping up their streaming game and offer their audience a top-quality service. If you're not among the lucky ones, you can bypass the geographical restrictions by using a VPN and access the highest quality streaming service regardless of your location.
To save your time, we came up with a list of the best streaming services that will broadcast the Olympic Games this year:
● NBC: NBC has the official right to broadcast the Olympics in the US. You can get the streaming on NBCOlympics.com and the NBC Sports app as well. The best streaming option is still Peacock - NBC's streaming service.
● Hulu (with Live TV): Live TV option offers a variety of channels, including NBC, which means you'll have access to the Olympics live streams as well.
● Sling TV: with the Sports Extra feature, you can access the Olympics Channel, but bear in mind that it has limited coverage rights.
● FuboTV: just like Sling TV, FuboTV has bought only limited streaming rights from NBC, but on the other hand, it works great on all devices.
● YouTube TV: YouTube has its own Olympic Channel, and it will also cover some of the programs; you can access it if you have a premium TV account.
There you have it! It's time to check out the competition schedule and buckle up! The pandemic may have silenced the large stadium atmosphere, but it indeed hasn't curbed our enthusiasm for a good sports game.