How I Subscribed to the Olympic Channel

By Published On: January 10th, 2018Comments Off on How I Subscribed to the Olympic Channel

The Olympic Channel is the new hub for live alpine skiing World Cup coverage. NBC Sports continues to show delayed broadcasts of many races for fans willing to wait, but in order to watch the race live, the Olympic Channel is the easiest option for U.S. viewers. The problem with the new channel is access. We decided to go through the process to help you watch your favorite athletes go for World Cup wins.

First off, you don’t need a paid subscription to watch all World Cup racing. Here’s a little-known fact: The first run of World Cup tech races streams live on OlympicChannel.com. This season, I have been able to watch first runs without a subscription. For example, as I write this, I am watching the first run of the ladies’ slalom in Flachau, Austria, without commentary. It’s just the raw World Feed.

However, in order to watch speed races or the second run in tech events, you need access to the Olympic Channel through a cable or online provider.

Given the fact that the cable-cutting trend is gaining momentum, I decided to go through an online streaming provider, YouTube TV. For $35 a month, subscribers get access to live TV on ABC, Fox, CNBC, FreeForm, and ESPN in addition to the Olympic Channel. You can watch it on phones, tablets, computers and on some TV devices like Google Chromecast, making it a sensible solution for fans on the go. If you were to watch every World Cup race during the month of January, it would break down to about $1.25 a race.

The good news is that you can try before you buy. YouTube TV offers a 7-day free trial, so you can test it out for yourself. You’ll have to put in credit card information to take advantage of the trial period, but you cancel at anytime before it is over to avoid being charged. Hulu offers a similar live TV plan for $39.99 a month with a one-week free trial, which might make sense if you’re already binging Hulu’s original programming like The Handmaid’s Tale–a personal favorite. Once you’ve become a subscriber, you can watch Olympic Channel programming a number of ways.

First, you can go to OlympicChannel.com/TV and log-in to the site through your provider. Alternatively, if you use the same tool as me, you can watch right on the Youtube TV website and through their mobile app. I downloaded YouTube TV onto my iPhone, and I was able to stream the race right on my device. Also, by pairing my phone with my Roku device, I was able to watch the live stream on my TV. I enjoy the flexibility this subscription provides.

If you’re still a fan of cable, certain providers like Xfinity and Direct TV offer the Olympic Channel with specific packages. In the case of Xfinity, you need to be a Premier or Preferred cable subscriber. You need to check with your cable company.

All in all, the process for subscribing is easy and watching it is convenient. The question you’ll have to ask yourself is: Is it worth the expense?

Find the NBC and Olympic Channel broadcast schedules for the alpine skiing World Cup here.

We’re curious: Where have you been watching World Cup races this season? Let us know in the comment section below.

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About the Author: Gabbi Hall

A California native, Gabbi moved to Vermont to ski on the NCAA circuit for St. Michael’s College, where she served as team captain and studied journalism. Before joining Ski Racing, she worked as a broadcast TV producer and social media manager in higher education. She can be reached via email at gabbi@skiracing.com