Winter Olympics are underrated

With the winter Olympics right around the corner, households across the United States gear up to tune into NBC. There is a certain obligation to watch the Olympics, whether it be nostalgia or the fact that they only occur once every four years. Each time, the summer Olympic games attract billions of viewers and fans from around the world watching their country compete in their favorite sports. That said, the number of viewers the winter Olympics receives is far lower than they deserve.

The 2018 winter games in PyeongChang attracted only 1.92 billion viewers worldwide, about half as many as the 2016 Rio de Janeiro summer games. Despite the winter games being a smaller event, with 91 countries participating versus 206 in the summer games, it still does not receive an equitable amount of hype.

For one, the winter Olympics showcase sports that some don’t even know exist. The games can expose individuals to new, obscure sports and can provide great entertainment. Watching curling, ski jumping and luge are only a few of the unique events that the winter games bring to the big screen. 

Like every summer Olympian, the winter competitors also work just as hard to perfect their techniques in their sports. Olympians spend years working their way up to their country’s Olympic team, spending hours each day practicing. For example, team USA snowboarder Shaun White has been snowboarding since he was six years old and went to his first Olympics at the age of only 19.

These athletes should be celebrated and should have an audience to watch them. There are many inspiring stories of winter athletes just as there are with summer athletes. Even if one does not enjoy the sport, there is a lesson to be learned from watching the hard work and dedication the athletes have put into where they are today. 

Additionally, the winter Olympics are more unpredictable than the summer games. Of course, there are favored teams in each event, but there is a different level of excitement and uncertainty watching someone attempt to land a 300-foot ski jump. Likewise, to the common viewer, there is no expected winner while watching two countries face off in a curling match; one gets the full watching experience, free of bias.

Similarly, the sports in the winter games are more dangerous and keep viewers on the edge of their seats. Whether it be watching a bobsled team throw themselves down the course at 90 miles per hour, a snowboarder performing a death-defying stunt or a skeleton slider launching themselves head-first down a track of ice, these athletes risk their lives competing.

Whether you are a fan of the Olympics or not, I encourage you to watch some of the unique performances that the 2022 games will bring. If not for the hard-working athletes, watch for the sheer entertainment value or to expose yourself to a sport you might have never paid much attention to. 

The opening ceremony occurs Feb. 4 and the games go through Feb. 20. You can access a  schedule for the events here.