• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia
Arts & Entertainment

Here Are All the Ways You Can Watch the Rio Olympics

By
Tom Huddleston Jr.
Tom Huddleston Jr.
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Tom Huddleston Jr.
Tom Huddleston Jr.
Down Arrow Button Icon
August 5, 2016, 1:00 PM ET

The 2016 Summer Olympics kick off Friday night in Rio de Janeiro with an opening ceremony that is likely to be one of the most-watched TV events of the year, if previous Olympic openings are any guide.

The opening ceremony for the 2012 Summer Olympics in London drew a reported global audience of 900 million people, with 41 million of those people watching from within the U.S. For some context, those U.S. viewership totals would outpace this year’s Academy Awards (34.3 million viewers) while falling well short of the most recent Super Bowl (111 million).

In other words, a lot of people will be tuning in to host network NBC for tonight’s festivities—featuring the ceremonial lighting of the Olympic cauldron and the parade of thousands of athletes from 206 countries (even Russia!)—as well as for the sporting events planned for the next two weeks in Rio, as NBC is likely to easily average more than 30 million viewers each night.

Of course, not everyone will be able to watch NBC’s Olympics coverage live between now and the closing ceremonies on August 21, as the network has once again opted to air various Olympic events on a tape-delay. The opening ceremony is no different, as the event will air on a one-hour delay for viewers on the east coast of the U.S., with even longer delays in the western U.S.

For a by-the-numbers look at the games, check out this piece: https://fortune.com/rio-olympics-numbers/.

While many viewers complain about NBC’s tape-delay tradition, the network maintains that the practice is better for ratings as NBC claims female viewers (who actually make up the bulk of the Olympics’ audience) watch sports differently than men do, with women investing more in coverage showing athletes’ journeys to the games than in the actual results. (Still, some people are looking for ways to circumvent NBC’s tape delay to watch the Olympics live.)

Considering that NBC spent more than $1.2 billion to secure the U.S. rights to air the Rio Olympics (and has paid even more to air the Olympics through 2032), it’s understandable that the Comcast-owned network would be particular when it comes to its broadcast strategy. And, that Olympics coverage has already proven to be a windfall for the network, which said this week that it has already set a record with $1.2 billion in national advertising sales for this year’s summer games, which puts NBC on pace for a 20% bump over the network’s ad sales for the 2012 London Olympics when this year’s event is finished.

NBCUniversal has a lot of ad space to fill, too, as the company says it will produce 6,755 hours of Olympics coverage over the next two weeks across its family of broadcast and cable networks, plus streaming. With that in mind, here are all of the ways you can watch the 2016 Summer Olympics.

TV (broadcast and cable): You can catch thousands of hours of Summer Olympics coverage on NBCUniversal’s two broadcast networks, NBC and Telemundo (for Spanish language coverage, and on eight different cable networks: Bravo, CNBC, the Golf Channel, MSNBC, NBC Sports Network, NBC Universo (Spanish language), the USA Network, and two “Specialty Channels” that will carry basketball and soccer games. NBC even said it’s offering some 4K Ultra HD coverage to various cable and satellite providers for certain Olympic events.

Streaming: NBC will be live-streaming every single athletic event at this year’s Olympics, which means 4,500 total hours of content on NBCOlympics.com or through the NBC Sports app. Roughly 85% of viewers are expected to watch some of NBC’s coverage via a “second-screen” (aka mobile) device, according to WalletHub, and NBC said this will be the first year that viewers will be able to watch the network’s coverage through a connected TVs, including Apple TV, Google’s Chromecast, Roku, and Amazon Fire devices. NBC is expected to draw a pretty sizable digital audience this year, as more and more people stream live content, and those high expectations are evident in the fact that the network’s digital ad sales are up 33% over the 2012 Summer Olympics. (Viewers watching online or through the NBC app will need to enter login credentials for their cable provider.)

Streaming for Cord-cutters: There are several ways to watch the Olympics without cable, including a subscription to the Dish Network’s Sling TV service, which streams most major NBCUniversal channels carrying Olympics coverage as part of its $25-per-month package. Another option is Sony’s Playstation Vue, which also streams various NBC channels and has subscription packages starting at $30 per month. Additionally, Playstation Vue subscribers can use their login credentials for that service to access the NBC Sports app and stream the Olympics on mobile devices, as well. Both Sling TV and Playstation Vue also have seven-day free trials, but that would only cover you for half of the Olympics. (Note: NBC’s network feed is only available to Sling TV and Playstation Vue customers in “select markets.”)

Of course, if you’re a cord-cutter who doesn’t want to pay for a fancy subscription streaming package, there’s always an even cheaper, though not quite as fruitful, option: get a digital antenna. You can watch more than 260 hours of Olympics coverage on the flagship NBC broadcast channel for free with an antenna in most U.S. locations and the antenna itself can cost as little as roughly $10. (Meanwhile, if you really want to skimp, some sites are also offering tutorials on how to use a VPN, or virtual private network, to cut out NBC and access free livestreams from other countries.)

Virtual Reality: Want to feel like you’re actually at the Rio Olympics without the cost of a plane ticket to Brazil (or the risk of contracting the Zika virus)? NBC has you covered in the form of a partnership with Samsung that will allow users of the NBC Sports app, who also have a Samsung Gear VR as well as a Samsung Galaxy smartphone, to access more than 100 hours of virtual reality programming. That VR content will include coverage of the opening and closing ceremonies, as well as certain men’s basketball, gymnastics, track and field, beach volleyball, diving, boxing, and fencing events.

About the Author
By Tom Huddleston Jr.
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Arts & Entertainment

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • Future 50
  • World’s Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
Sections
  • Finance
  • Leadership
  • Success
  • Tech
  • Asia
  • Europe
  • Environment
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Health
  • Retail
  • Lifestyle
  • Politics
  • Newsletters
  • Magazine
  • Features
  • Commentary
  • Mpw
  • CEO Initiative
  • Conferences
  • Personal Finance
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
About Us
  • About Us
  • Editorial Calendar
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Diversity And Inclusion
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Most Popular

placeholder alt text
C-Suite
OpenAI’s Sam Altman says his highly disciplined daily routine has ‘fallen to crap’—and now unwinds on weekends at a ranch with no cell phone service
By Jacqueline MunisFebruary 5, 2026
1 day ago
placeholder alt text
Politics
Meet the Palm Beach billionaire who paid $2 million for a private White House visit with Trump
By Tristan BoveFebruary 3, 2026
3 days ago
placeholder alt text
Success
After decades in the music industry, Pharrell Williams admits he never stops working: ‘If you do what you love everyday, you’ll get paid for free'
By Emma BurleighFebruary 3, 2026
3 days ago
placeholder alt text
Travel & Leisure
How Japan replaced France as the country young Americans obsessively romanticize—they’re longing for civility they don’t see at home
By Nick LichtenbergFebruary 5, 2026
2 days ago
placeholder alt text
Investing
Ray Dalio warns the world is ‘on the brink’ of a capital war of weaponizing money—and gold is the best way for people to protect themselves
By Sasha RogelbergFebruary 4, 2026
2 days ago
placeholder alt text
Economy
Trump is giving the U.S. economy a $65 billion tax-refund shot in the arm, mostly for higher-income people, BofA says
By Nick LichtenbergFebruary 5, 2026
1 day ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.


Latest in Arts & Entertainment

Arts & EntertainmentSuper Bowl
Many 2026 Super Bowl ads share a common theme, revealing a truth about America’s current mindset
By Mae Anderson and The Associated PressFebruary 6, 2026
8 hours ago
Arts & EntertainmentSuper Bowl
Meet the man who’s created Super Bowl confetti for the past 30 years after getting his start at Disney
By Donna Gordon Blankinship and The Associated PressFebruary 6, 2026
8 hours ago
Jim Carrey almost returned a $20 million paycheck, with interest, for his hit role in How the Grinch Stole Christmas.
Arts & EntertainmentMovies
Jim Carrey nearly quit ‘Grinch’ and offered to return his $20 million paycheck. Then the founder of SEAL Team Six came to the rescue
By Nino Paoli and Fortune EditorsFebruary 6, 2026
11 hours ago
super bowl
Arts & EntertainmentFood and drink
Your Super Bowl party can beat inflation, Wells Fargo says. Just double down on wings and guac and skip the beef
By Nick LichtenbergFebruary 6, 2026
13 hours ago
bunny
North AmericaSports
Why Bad Bunny is essential to the future of the NFL, even if Trump hates his halftime show
By Jared Bahir Browsh and The ConversationFebruary 4, 2026
2 days ago
SuccessOlympics
Philippines’ first male Olympic gold medalist in history was given a fully furnished $550,000 condo and a lifetime supply of ramen to go with his medals
By Orianna Rosa RoyleFebruary 4, 2026
2 days ago