Johnny Weir and Tara Lipinski to Host NBC's 2018 Winter Olympics Coverage
It's official: Olympians Johnny Weir and Tara Lipinski will be heading up NBC’s figure skating broadcast team, alongside play-by-play announcer Terry Gannon, for the 2018 Winter Olympics. They will replace the previous figure skating broadcast team of Tom Hammond, Scott Hamilton, and Sandra Bezic. However, Hamilton will remain with NBC as a “special contributor” for the U.S. Championships, the Winter Olympics, and other figure skating events.
Lipinski and Weir, of course, were a big story at the Sochi Olympics, where their back-and-forth banter occasionally overshadowed the actual figure skating taking place. Their colorful, coordinated outfits also caused them to stand out a bit more than your average broadcast team, yet it was largely considered to be a successful pairing. Hell, it had to be, or else NBC wouldn't be locking them down this early for a spot on the 2018 broadcast.
"I am so honored to be a part of the NBC family and I hope to bring figure skating and the Olympics into America’s living rooms for many years to come," said Weir in a statement. "I could not have asked for a better first experience than in Sochi and along with my broadcast partners Tara and Terry. I cannot wait to start a fresh new era of commentary and analysis that will entertain and inform. I love my sport and I can’t wait to go on more Olympic journeys!"
"NBC gave us an opportunity of a lifetime in Sochi, I could not be more excited to continue this journey," said Lipinski. "My goal is to continue educating, entertaining and bringing the incredible sport of figure skating to a new generation of fans. It is an honor to be a part of an Olympics. I cannot wait to begin and I'm lucky to have my talented co-pilots Johnny and Terry by my side. Being a part of this is a combination of all of my favorite things and I look forward to the adventures in the years ahead."
"I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to cover skating at the highest level on NBC with partners that are informative, unpredictable and uniquely stylish. ... Time to upgrade my wardrobe," Gannon added.
The news, confirmed earlier this morning on The Today Show, comes just before Weir, Lipinski and Gannon team for NBC's coverage of the 2014 Hilton HHonors Skate America. The broadcast is set to air this Sunday from Chicago. It should provide a glimpse of what we can expect from the figure skating coverage in 2018.
But what do you think of the decision? Are Lipinski and Weir the right pair? If not, who would you have liked to see in the spot? Sound off in the comments!
Credit: NBC