Paralympics

We are watching the opening ceremonies now. I love those umbrellas! 

but neither us can remember much of the coverage of the previous Paralympics here.

I remember watching a ton of Paralympic events in 2008.  I was signed off work ill for weeks.  I watched tons of Parlympics Competition and it was just awesome.   I became a huge fan!

We are watching the opening ceremonies now. I love those umbrellas!  

 

I hope those of you with tickets have so much fun!!! 

Thanks!  We went to the dressage in Greenwich on Thursday.  It rained on/off but it was still great!  The British competitor, Natasha Baker, won!  My little girl was thrilled. 

Thanks!  We went to the dressage in Greenwich on Thursday.  It rained on/off but it was still great!  The British competitor, Natasha Baker, won!  My little girl was thrilled. 

Awesome! Great stuff!! 

I occasionally still look at the NY Times and Washington Post sites (find it interesting reading a different view on things) - amazingly there's nothing on the paralympics that I could see. I find that a bit shocking to tbh, why is that? Disinterest? Too much other sport going on? Ignorance of the event?

I assume that US television and newspapers don't think their audiences will be very interested in the Paralympics.  I think they're missing the boat though.  Viewing audiences for the events which have broadcast here in the UK have been good.  I'm loving watching it myself!  The Paralympics are well covered in the newspapers too, so the media must believe their readers are interested.

On a side note, "our" athlete, Natasha Baker, was on the cover of the Evening Standard after she won her second gold in dressage, and we saw a good interview of her on TV as well.   

According to the Times, the UK only had 1 hour of Paralympic coverage in 92. 

They did have coverage from Beijing, but it was nothing like this. 

Hopefully this will spur on the US for more coverage.

I think part of the problem is that NBC has the rights to both events.  Paralympics is doing well here, but the viewing figures aren't what they were for the Olympics.  It isn't as if the BBC has done the same for both events.

 I can see why NBC doesn't want to replace all of its shows, but then maybe next time they shouldn't get the rights to both?  Perhaps air the coverage on another channel?  Or set it up the way the BBC did with the Olympics?  Devote a whole ton of digital channels to it?

We work for one of the sponsors and DW was nominated to win tickets - we got them to the athletics, train and hotel included. Looking forward to it.
It's already the highest ticket sales for any Paralympics and also looks like it could be a near sell out.

Had an absolutely amazing time and our seats....wow! Half way along the 100m straight right in front of the medal podiums and just 16 rows back....we were within spitting distance of Teresa May!
The atmosphere when David Weir won the 1500 metres was incredible!

Wow Tykeman, that sounds fabulous!    I wish I'd been able to go to the athletics.

I know it's been a long time since the last post here but just came across the topic. Regarding the lack of US interest in the Paralympics, I remember reading an article at the time about how disability sport in the US is seen only in terms of rehabilitation and not in terms of being an actual sport. So the idea in the US of a disabled athlete competing because he wants to/wants to win against his peers/wants to be the best/really enjoys it in exactly the same way as an able bodied athlete isn't really there. A disabled athlete in the US does sport only to rehabilitate himself - apparently 

That does a massive disservice to all those great US disabled athletes out there!!