NBCUniversal has revealed the commentary team for the Paris Olympic games in swimming, artistic swimming and diving, with all competitions being broadcasted across NBC, Peacock, and USA Network.
For swimming, Rowdy Gaines and Dan Hicks look to be the primarily commentators during finals session, with Hicks on play-by-play and Gaines doing color commentary.
Hicks and Gaines have called swimming together at seven consecutive Olympic games, and will be calling their eighth this summer. Joining them during finals is Elizabeth Beisel, who is listed as a correspondent/analyst. She will be working at her second Olympic games after debuting in 2021 during the Tokyo Games.
Melissa Stark will serve as a sideline reporter during finals. This her third Olympic games, and her second Olympics covering swimming — with her first time coming in 2004 during the Athens Games. She will be replacing Michelle Tafoya, who was the sideline reporter in during the Tokyo Games but left NBC in 2022.
For prelims, Jason Knapp will be doing play-by-play, covering his fourth consecutive Olympics. He will be replacing Patrick Kinas‘ position from Tokyo. In Tokyo, Knapp called both wrestling and tennis for NBC. Amy Van Dyken will be providing color commentary for the second time after first doing so in Tokyo.
Gaines, Beisel, and Van Dyken have all swum at past Olympic games for Team USA.
Heather Olson will be an artistic swimming analyst for her fifth consecutive Olympic games. She is a two-time U.S artistic swimming Olympian and was part of Team USA’s gold medal-winning artistic swimming team at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.
Full Swimming Commentary Team:
- Dan Hicks, Play-by-Play, Finals
- Rowdy Gaines, Analyst, Finals
- Elizabeth Beisel, Correspondent/Analyst, Finals
- Melissa Stark, Reporter, Finals
- Jason Knapp, Play-by-Play, Heats
- Amy Van Dyken, Play-by-Play, Heats
- Heather Olson, Artistic Swimming Analyst
For diving, Ted Robinson will be providing play-by-play commentary, while three-time Olympians Cynthia Potter and Laura Wilkinson will be analysts. Meanwhile, Andrea Joyce will be the sideline reporter. Robinson and Potter are returners from Tokyo, and will be calling their seventh consecutive Olympics together.
Full Diving Commentary Team:
- Ted Robinson, Play-by-Play
- Cynthia Potter, Analyst
- Laura Wilkinson, Analyst
- Andrea Joyce, Reporter
The 2024 Olympic Games are set to begin on July 26, and will run until August 11. Swimming goes from July 27 to August 4, diving goes from July 27 to August 10, and artistic swimming goes from August 5 to 10.
Why do they have the guy commentating with Laura Wilkinson who doesn’t know anything about diving? Surely they could have found someone else who knew more! He keeps asking questions that Laura has to answer!
When presenting Olympic sports to mass audiences (the average nightly television ratings might be higher than the number of members of USA Diving ever), this is a common tactic. Ask the questions the audience might have.
Totally makes sense. I just think it would be much better if they could have picked someone who also has as much knowledge as Laura does and still present the information to educate the mass audiences, this would give another diver a chance to commentate also. They could still weave in teachable moments while also providing us with a more educated commentator.
Who were the two British guys back in 2008? I’m not sure of the network, but I remember watching on YouTube the replays of the 200 free and 100 fly(“He was a lucky boy!” referring to Phelps) and they were great. It’s been a few years since I’ve seen their commentary. The videos maybe have been taken down.
Dan Hicks is a professional. Rowdy is Rowdy, he’s excited, he’s knowledgeable, but sometimes less is more. Beisel has been fantastic, and I wish they could get her involved as 2nd color during the races.
AVD is a flat-out no. She made ACCs nearly unwatchable.
“Welcome to NBC’s coverage of the 2024 Olympic swimming finals”
Over to our host Braden Keith with statistics guru Troyy and color commentator Awsi Dooger.
can’t wait for avd to once again defend her commentary in nbc’s youtube comment section
Didn’t she show up here one time, too?
Would have liked to see Jeff Commings.
I guess I will be screaming Shut Up Rowdy at finals again! 🙄🙄
Well-deserved for Beisel!!!!
AVD…ugh….