In an effort to jazz up its broadcast of the 2024 Paris Olympics, NBC is planning to use five heart rate monitors to show the reactions of parents of certain athletes during events.
For example, viewers would see the heart rate of the parent of a swimmer or runner as they watched their child compete on screen along with the actual event.
The rates could even be sponsored — NBCUniversal President of Olympic and Paralympic Sales Dan Lovinger told Variety that the company is “thinking about it.”
The Olympics will not be the first time NBC Sports has tried out a heart rate display, having used it at the U.S. Track and Field Outdoor Championships last July, aired on CNBC.
In a clip posted to X by the NBC Olympics account, the mother of hurdler Cordell Tinch, Elizabeth Simmons-Tinch, was displayed on screen in a score bug along with Mr. Tinch’s heart rate. Ms. Simmons-Tinch was also shown reacting to Mr. Tinch’s second-place finish in the 110-meter hurdles.
In addition to monitoring heart rates, NBC is also trying to get celebrities more involved and draw more eyeballs to the Olympics.
Rapper Snoop Dogg will be featured on the prime-time broadcast, former NFL quarterback Peyton Manning and singer Kelly Clarkson will co-host the opening ceremony with NBC broadcaster Mike Tirico on July 26, and “The Tonight Show” host Jimmy Fallon will co-host the closing ceremony on Aug. 11, again with Mr. Tirico.
“This kind of celebrity wouldn’t have been part of NBC Olympics coverage of the past. Now it’s one of the foundational elements. We’ve got to be innovating, trying things differently, trying to match where the media world is in 2024,” NBC Sports President Rick Cordella told Variety.
• Brad Matthews can be reached at bmatthews@washingtontimes.com.
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