The Winter Olympics, the 2026 Milano Cortina Games in Italy, officially began with their opening ceremony on Friday at Milan's San Siro Stadium (with simultaneous events in Cortina, Livigno, and Predazzo).
NBC provided U.S. coverage through live streaming on Peacock starting around 2 p.m. ET and a primetime broadcast on NC at 8 p.m. ET. Hosting duties featured Mary Carillo and Terry Gannon, joined by former Olympic snowboarder Shaun White (particularly during the Parade of Nations).
Savannah Guthrie was originally scheduled to co-host but was absent due to a family emergency—the ongoing search for her missing 84-year-old mother, Nancy Guthrie, who disappeared in Arizona. Carillo stepped in on short notice, and the team addressed Guthrie's absence on air with messages of support and prayers.
NBC aimed to address past viewer criticisms (such as excessive commentary during the 2024 Paris Summer Games), and the broadcast was seen by some as an improvement despite logistical challenges. However, viewer reactions remained mixed, with many American audiences expressing frustration over elements like pacing, filler content during the Parade of Nations, or overall presentation.
- Hosts and additions: Shaun White brought an athlete's perspective and enthusiasm (though he overused words like "amazing" early on). Mary Carillo and Terry Gannon provided solid commentary. Some praised NBC for being nimble with last-minute host changes and for a broadcast seen as an improvement over the cluttered Paris 2024 one.
- Ceremony highlights captured well: Performances like Andrea Bocelli's thrilling "Nessun Dorma," Mariah Carey's "Volare" (with no lip-sync issues this time), tributes to Italian culture (e.g., Armani fashion homage, Canova sculpture-inspired dances), and energetic segments (like Sabrina Impacciatore's clown routine and time-travel production number) were engaging. NBC's coverage included expert insights and avoided some past pitfalls.
- Overall event vibe: Many appreciated the ceremony's playful, Italian flair—elegant yet over-the-top, celebrating art, music, and culture in a sleek way.
The Bad
- Constant commercial interruptions: This was the biggest complaint. Viewers slammed the broadcast as "unwatchable" due to frequent ad breaks cutting into the ceremony, making it feel disjointed and frustrating compared to the live Peacock feed or international broadcasts.
- Commentators talking over moments: Some fans begged NBC to "stop talking" or "let us just watch," feeling the narration interrupted the spectacle unnecessarily.
- U.S.-centric elements: Shaun White's promotion of his Snow League (with Saudi ties) came off as mild sportswashing to some. The broadcast focused heavily on American angles, which is typical but drew ire.
The Ugly
- Censorship/editing suspicions: Multiple reports noted that NBC's feed downplayed or muted crowd boos directed at U.S. Vice President JD Vance (and Usha Vance) when shown on the Jumbotron—despite clear audible reactions in stadium and on other broadcasts (like CBC). Commentators simply said his name neutrally as boos rang out elsewhere. This sparked accusations of sanitizing political moments for U.S. audiences, with Americans questioning why it was audible on foreign feeds but not NBC's.
- General viewer fatigue: Online reactions (e.g., Reddit, social media) called parts "boring" or overly long, with ads exacerbating the issue. Some compared it unfavorably to more controversial ceremonies (like Paris 2024), though others found it classy and sophisticated.