The Winter Olympics, which are in their second week currently, have the entire nation in a chokehold. When you click onto any given social media platform, you’re sure to see something about the events, whether it’s a sport you follow or not. From our hockey team to the “quad god,” Ilia Malinin, everyone has a sport that they can sit down and watch with at least a portion of their free time for two weeks this winter.
Why are we so fascinated with the Olympics, though? What about it has so many people talking, and why are so many people invested in the stories and missions of the athletes, the wins and losses of their country? While one reason can’t explain it all, I think there’s a good amount of reasons why these two weeks are the most exciting of the winter.
One reason that people, especially in the United States, are so excited about the Olympics is community. During any given part of the year, sports fans are divided by the teams that they follow and root for, possibly making it harder for them to get along with people who don’t align with their team. For example, during the hockey season, I watch the Devils and my dad watches the Rangers, and while it is not our primary sport, I always feel a twinge of anger when I put our Rangers ornaments on our Christmas tree.
During the Olympics, however, we don’t have these barriers within our country. Unless you or your family is from another country, most people in our area are rooting for the USA, making it easier to celebrate big wins with those around you. Now, when I watch hockey during the Olympics, I have two weeks to share pride for the same team with my dad, and it makes the victory sweeter than it would have been if not for the camaraderie.
Another big reason for increased viewing of the Olympics is because of the uniqueness of the sports on display at the games. Sure, you can watch hockey or even snowboarding any time during their respective seasons, but there aren’t many opportunities to watch a skiing biathlon or curling. In my suite, we sit religiously and watch curling simply because it isn’t something you watch every day. This gives people new found passions for sports they might not have known existed, and could possibly lead to interest in participation and new Olympians for future games. A lot of ice skaters, for example, are legacy skaters, and the additional coverage from the Olympics gives these skaters a lot to look forward to and a goal to reach in their career.
People are also able to tune into the Olympics because of the full-day coverage offered during the games. Most years, the games take place in cities that do not have the same time zone as anyone in the United States, so the games will be live from 4:00 in the morning until around 5:00 in the afternoon, and then recap footage will run until the late hours of the night. This enables people with all kinds of schedules, from students to nurses to people with nine to fives. This keeps everyone in the world in the loop on all things Olympics, and widens the demographic for viewers from all walks of life.
The biggest reason for this expansive coverage in every country, especially the United States, is because of the national pride that comes with competing in the Olympics. Many towns in the United States have hometown heroes competing for their country, including a Monmouth University alumni, Bryan Sosoo, competing on the US Men’s Bobsled team. We have immense pride for both our hometown athletes and athletes from all over the country, solely because they reflect where we are from.
No matter what corner of the United States you come from or what your background is in any country, you can find someone who reflects you and what you are going through in life. There are queer athletes, athletes of color, athletes with traumatic pasts, and artists that succeed in everything they do. We are invested in the lives, successes and failures of these athletes, and every win is another metal of pride around the neck of our home countries.
