Let the games begin! The 2008 Summer Olympics will kick off this weekend with the opening ceremony set to air Friday night at 7:30 p.m. ET/PT on NBC. Bob Costas and Matt Lauer will host the event, which will introduce athletes representing 205 countries. The Parade of Nations, which according to tradition will begin with Greece and end with athletes from the host country (China) will take place at the National Stadium in Beijing.
NBC posted the listings for the various events set to take place over the next couple of days. They’re spread out over a number of channels and some are available streaming live on NBCOlympics.com. If you’re going to try to watch as much as possible, better clear your schedule on Saturday and stock up on provisions (chips, soda, beer and in the spirit of the host country, maybe some egg rolls?) because there’s a lot going on! Here’s the schedule for the next two days:
THE OPENING CEREMONY DVD CAN BE PURCHASED HERE.
Highlights for Friday, Aug. 8, 2008, include:
NBC and NBC HD
7:30 p.m. – Midnight
Opening Ceremony - Parade of Nations, Lighting of the Olympic Cauldron
TELEMUNDO
9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.
”Titulares Beijing"
NBCOlympics.com - LIVE STREAMING BROADBAND COVERAGE:
Women's Archery
Men's & Women's Badminton – Singles Competition
Women's Fencing – Individual Sabre Competition
Men's Judo – 60kg Competition
Women's Judo – 48kg Competition
Sailing
Men's Shooting – Trap & 10m Air Pistol Competition
Women's Shooting – 10m Air Rifle Competition & Gold Medal Final
Women's Basketball
Equestrian – Team Eventing Dressage
Women's Handball
Rowing
Women's Weightlifting – 48kg
Cycling
Highlights for Saturday, Aug. 9, 2008, include:
NBC and NBC HD
10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Women's Volleyball – USA vs. Japan (LIVE)
Swimming
Men's Beach Volleyball – Rogers/Dalhausser (USA) vs. Samoilovs/Plavins (LAT)
Women's Beach Volleyball – Branagh/Youngs (USA) vs. Kadijk/Mooren (NED)
Men's Cycling – Road Race
Rowing
8:00 p.m. – Midnight
Swimming – Gold Medal Finals (LIVE)
Men's 400m Freestyle, 400m Individual Medley
Women's 400m Individual Medley, 4x100m Freestyle Relay
Women's Beach Volleyball – May-Treanor/Walsh vs. Saiki/Kusuhara (JPN) (LIVE)
Men's Gymnastics – Team Competition
*Note: LIVE Swimming Semifinals Men's 100 breaststroke & Women's 100m Butterfly
12:30 a.m. – 2:00 a.m.
Men's Volleyball – USA vs. Venezuela (LIVE)
USA and USA HD
2:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Women's Soccer – USA vs. Japan (LIVE)
Canada vs. China
Women's Basketball – USA vs. Czech Republic (LIVE)
Equestrian – Eventing Dressage (LIVE)
Men's Beach Volleyball – Nummerdor/Schuil (NED) vs. Laciga/Schneider (SUI)
Women's Beach Volleyball – Barnett/Cook (AUS) vs. Uryadova/Shiryaeva (RUS)
Women's Fencing – Women's Sabre Quarterfinals
Women's Shooting – Air Rifle Gold Medal Final
Women's Badminton – Lee (USA) vs. Rice (CAN)
Women's Weightlifting – Flyweight Gold Medal Final
CNBC and CNBC HD
2:00 a.m. – 5:00 a.m.
Boxing – 75kg, 81kg Competition (LIVE)
5:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Boxing – 75kg, 81kg Competition
MSNBC
5:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Women's Soccer – Nigeria vs. Germany (LIVE)
Brazil vs. North Korea (LIVE)
Women's Volleyball – Italy vs. Russia
Poland vs. Cuba
Women's Fencing – Individual Sabre Gold Medal Final
Women's Handball – France vs. Angola
Russia vs. South Korea
Badminton – Singles competition
TELEMUNDO
7:30 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Women's Soccer – USA vs. Japan (LIVE)
Men's Beach Volleyball – Heyer/Heuscher (SUI) vs. Conde/Baracetti (ARG)
Boxing
Women's Volleyball – Poland vs. Cuba
6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Beach Volleyball
Boxing
Midnight – 1:00 a.m.
TBA
UNIVERSAL HD
24-hour MSNBC & CNBC HD Simulcasts and Coverage
NBC OLYMPIC BASKETBALL CHANNEL
2:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.
Women's Qualifying Round
2:30 a.m. - 4:15 a.m. Spain vs. China (LIVE)
4:45 a.m. – 6:30 a.m. Brazil vs. S. Korea (LIVE)
6:30 a.m. – 8:00 a.m. Belarus vs. Australia
8:00 a.m. – 9:45 a.m. USA vs. Czech Republic (LIVE)
10:15 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Russia vs. Latvia (LIVE)
12:00 p.m. – 1:45 p.m. Mali vs. New Zealand
1:45 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. USA vs. Czech Republic 2nd half re-air
NBC OLYMPIC SOCCER CHANNEL
5:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Women's Preliminaries
5:00 a.m. – 6:45 a.m. USA vs. Japan (LIVE)
7:45 a.m. – 9:30 a.m. Brazil vs. N. Korea (LIVE)
9:30 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. Nigeria vs. Germany
11:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. China vs. Canada
12:30 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. Sweden vs. Argentina
2:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. New Zealand vs. Norway
3:30 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. USA vs. Japan (re-air)
NBCOlympics.com - LIVE STREAMING BROADBAND COVERAGE:
Men's Archery
Women's Archery – Competition & Quarterfinals
Badminton
Women's Fencing – Individual Sabre Semifinal & Gold Medal Final
Men's Fencing – Individual Epee Competition
Women's Field Hockey
Men's Judo – 60kg Competition & Gold Medal Final, 66kg Competition
Women's Judo – 48kg Competition & Gold Medal Final, 52kg Competition
Sailing
Men's Shooting – 10m Air Pistol Gold Medal Final, Men's Trap Competition
Women's Shooting – 10m Air Pistol Competition & Gold Medal Final
Women & Men's Basketball
Equestrian – Team Dressage
Women's & Men's Handball
Rowing
Women's Soccer
Men's & Women's Tennis
Women's Weightlifting – 53kg
Men's Weightlifting – 56kg
Cycling – Road Race
Men's Water Polo
