FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, August 23rd, 2021
TOKYO PARALYMPICS OPENING CEREMONY PRESENTED LIVE TOMORROW, TUESDAY, AUGUST 24, AT 6:55 A.M. ET ON NBCSN
Primetime Presentation of Opening Ceremony on Tuesday, Aug. 24, at 7 p.m. ET on NBCSN, Followed Immediately by Live Competition Coverage Beginning at 10 p.m. ET
Ahmed Fareed and 13-Time Paralympic Medalist Chris Waddell to Anchor Opening Ceremony Coverage
1,200 Hours of Record Paralympic Programming from Tokyo, Including First-Ever Primetime Coverage on NBC; NBCU Paralympic Coverage Presented by Toyota
2016 Paralympian Scout Bassett Joins NBCUniversal’s Tokyo Paralympics Commentary Team as Track & Field Analyst
STAMFORD, Conn. – Aug. 23, 2021 – NBCUniversal’s coverage of the Tokyo Paralympic Games presented by Toyota will begin tomorrow Tuesday, August 24, with live coverage of the Opening Ceremony at 6:55 a.m. ET on NBCSN. A primetime presentation of the Opening Ceremony will also air tomorrow at 7 p.m. ET on NBCSN, leading into live competition coverage at 10 p.m. ET.
Ahmed Fareed, who will serve as a host in his Paralympics commentating debut, will host coverage of the Opening Ceremony with 13-time Paralympic medalist and Paralympic Hall of Fame member Chris Waddell. Waddell will also serve as a track & field analyst for the Paralympic Games.
The Opening Ceremony will feature an interview with Team USA flag bearer paratriathlete Melissa Stockwell, opening remarks from IPC President Andrew Parsons, and performances, pageantry and the Parade of Nations. Two-time Paralympic wheelchair rugby medalist Chuck Aoki and Stockwell will serve as Team USA’s flag bearers.
Live competition coverage begins tomorrow Tuesday, August 24, at 10 p.m. ET on NBCSN, highlighted by swimming, wheelchair basketball, wheelchair rugby, and track cycling. A comprehensive programming schedule can be found here.
2016 Paralympian Scout Bassett has joined NBCUniversal’s Tokyo Paralympics commentary team as a track & field analyst. Bassett will work with Bill Spaulding (play-by-play), Waddell (analyst) and Lewis Johnson (reporter) during track & field coverage. The full commentary roster, who collectively have won 30 Paralympic medals, can be found here.
In its most ambitious effort ever, NBCUniversal will be presenting a record 1,200 hours of Tokyo Paralympic Games coverage. NBCU’s unprecedented coverage will include more than 200 hours of television coverage, the first-ever primetime hours on NBC, live coverage of the Closing Ceremony on NBCSN, and exclusive streaming coverage on NBC Sports digital platforms and Peacock. Click here for more details.
NBCU’s record programming hours for Tokyo is possible because of unparalleled corporate support. Toyota has again signed on as presenting sponsor of NBCUniversal’s Paralympic coverage and will be the exclusive auto advertiser across the linear and digital networks of NBCUniversal. Toyota branding will be included within NBCU’s extensive linear, digital and social media promotional campaigns. Nike, United Healthcare, Salesforce and Eli Lilly join Toyota as exclusive sponsors of NBCUniversal’s coverage of the Tokyo Paralympic Games.
A complete archive of Tokyo Paralympics press releases can be found here.
–TOKYO PARALYMPICS–
