The 2014 Winter Olympics will be held in Sochi, Russia. Sochi was chosen as the home for the XXII Olympic Winter Games in July of 2007. Over the past 6 years the city has undergone a major over hall in order to get it ready for the Olympics. It is estimated that over $50 billion dollars has been spent on building things like hotels, housing for athletes and a new stadium. This is by far the most money ever spent for a city to get ready for the Olympics.
There will be 98 events that take place from February 7 until February 23. Billions of people are expected to watch the Winter Olympics this year.
For those attending the Olympics:
Only those with a valid spectator pass or ticket will be allowed to enter Olympic Park or the other competition venues. If you are going to purchase a ticket to events that are at different locations on the same day, make sure that you allow yourself enough time to get from one venue to another. Sochi traffic can be quite congested in general and the Olympics are sure to cause even more traffic issues. Because of this it is important to have secured your transportation ahead of time. There is heavy security this year at the Olympics because of terror threats. When going to an event, try to arrive early as possible because there will be security checks that you need to go through. Glass bottles, water bottles and thermoses are not allowed to be brought inside of any of the competition venues. Food and beverages will need to be purchased at the actual event. Cash and credit cards with the Visa logo are the only forms of payment that will be taken.
For those watching at home:
NBC will air Sochi’s first event on February 7 at 11 a.m. There is a tape delay and you will not be able to watch the opening ceremony live, unlike some of the other previous Winter Olympic Games. Live coverage will be available for 11 sports including figure skating, ski jumping, Nordic combined, bobsled and speed skating. Most events will not be broadcast live. Events that are expected to receive the most coverage include:
-Men’s Downhill, February 9 from 7-11 p.m. EST, NBC
-Men’s Hockey, U.S.A. vs. Russia, February 15 starting at 7:30 a.m. EST, NBCSN
-Ice Dance Free Skate, U.S. skaters, February 16, starting at 10 a.m. EST, NBCSN
-Women’s Hockey Gold Medal Game, February 20, from 12-3 p.m. EST, NBC
-Men’s Hockey Gold Medal Game, February 23, from 6:30 a.m.-10 a.m. EST, NBC
Athletes to keep an eye on:
There are a few athletes that are expected to set world records and impress viewers at the Winter Olympics. Ski racer, Mikaela Shiffrin is only 18 years old and has been compared to Lindsey Vonn for her athleticism. Returning gold medalists snowboarder Shaun White and alpine skier Bode Miller should have some impressive performances as well. Both of these men are trying to become the first American men that are able to win medals for the same event at 3 different Winter Olympic Games. Shaun White did announce today that he will drop out of the slopestyle to focus on halfpipe.
Watching the games while you are away from home:
You can pick up live streams of the game on your laptop if you’d like to watch it while you are away from home. There is also an app called the NBC Sports Live Extra app that allows for Olympic viewing on your phone. The app needs to be installed prior to viewing, but it is free.
Fun Fact:
The Sochi Olympics has 3 mascots this year: the leopard, hare and polar bear. Click here for more fun facts about the Winter Olympics.
