Sports
In its Olympics debut, Peacock's 'Gold Zone' has been an addictive hit with fans
Think of the Summer Olympics moments that stayed with you the most. Maybe it’s Jason Lezak running down France’s Alain Bernard in the final lap of the 4×100 swimming free relay in Beijing in 2008 to save Michael Phelps’ bid for eight gold medals. Perhaps Usain Bolt crossing the finish line in the men’s 4×100-meter relay in Rio to take his ninth gold medal in as many Olympic tries. Or simply pick any of the four gold medals won by Simone Biles.
If you are a diehard Olympic viewer living in the United States, the likelihood is you watched those events via NBC’s prime-time coverage. But the times are always a-changing in sports media, and for many Olympic viewers, memories from Paris will be served up via Peacock’s “Gold Zone,” an “NFL RedZone”-inspired whip-around show that streams daily from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Peacock.
For those who have watched it, there is only word for it: addictive. It is an uber-modern way to watch the Games. (Note: You need a subscription to Peacock to watch “Gold Zone” or you can use your cable login credentials via NBC’s website or through the NBC Sports App. It will not be shown on any NBC linear channels during the Olympics.) .)
If you tuned into “Gold Zone” on Monday at 1:33 p.m. ET, as I did, here is what you would have witnessed: A quad box on screen that showed the men’s team gymnastics final (where the U.S. ultimately won bronze); a handball match between France and Norway; Spain tennis ace and World No. 3 Carlos Alcaraz against Dutch tennis player Tallon Griekspoor; and Netherlands-China in women’s water polo.
There can be up to 40 events happening simultaneously during these Olympics and “Gold Zone” pledges to bring you coverage anytime a medal is on the line. For instance: As the women’s 200-meter freestyle gold medal in swimming was being conducted on Monday — featuring the popular Australian swimmer Ariarne Titmus — “Gold Zone” had a double box that gave equal treatment to France’s Manon Apithy-Brunet defeating countrywoman Sara Balzer in women’s individual sabre.
NBC said since its launch on Saturday, “Gold Zone” has ranked in the top-5 most-watched Olympics titles on Peacock and had a 55 percent jump in the number of accounts that watched between Saturday and Sunday.
Amy Rosenfeld, NBC’s Senior vice president of Olympics and Paralympics production and the point person for “Gold Zone,” described the control room housing the “Gold Zone” monitor wall as “something that looks like NASA with all of the different feeds coming in.” She said there are 30 people working on “Gold Zone” at the NBC Sports headquarters in Stamford, Conn., and they were chosen because they have the personality for this kind of high-wire act. “Gold Zone” uses two lead producers per shift. One producer is talking to the on-air talent and the other serves as a traffic cop.
“The orchestration of this is not for the faint of heart,” Rosenfeld said. “This show is so hard and so exhausting for the producers and directors because there’s something frantically happening in every minute.”
“Gold Zone” has four hosts working throughout the day in shifts. Matt Iseman and Jac Collinsworth clock in from 7 to 11 a.m. ET, followed by Andrew Siciliano (11 a.m.-2 p.m. ET) and Scott Hanson (2 p.m. to the conclusion of the day.) Hanson and Siciliano, of course, are well known for their respective work as Sunday guides of NFL coverage. Hanson has served as the host of “NFL RedZone” since its inaugural season in 2009. He is also an NFL Network host. Siciliano was the host of the “RedZone Channel” on DIRECTV from 2005 to 2023.
GO DEEPER
2024 Paris Olympics viewer’s guide: NBC’s plans, Snoop Dogg, and the big ratings question
Rosenfeld said the core of the show is the researchers, which makes sense given the breadth of the coverage. The producers of “Gold Zone” approach each day with a loose format, but the reality is you cannot plan for the Olympics because, well, things happen. On “Gold Zone” you might see a researcher hand a host a note on camera — or check something on-air in real time — because the audience needs to be informed.
“We said to our talent that they are not expected to be an expert in every single element in every sport and it’s okay to pull the curtain back,” Rosenfeld said. “People think it is kind of cool to see the behind the scenes.”
One of the people watching is George Privateer, who works in marketing and communications in Findlay, Ohio. Privateer volunteered to answer some questions from The Athletic about his “Gold Zone” experience. He said he and his family watched about 10 hours of “Gold Zone” coverage on Saturday and Sunday.
“I’m a big fan of ‘NFL RedZone,’ so when I heard they were trying the concept with the Olympics, I was really excited,” Privateer said. “One of the challenges with streaming something like the Olympics is knowing what sport to turn on and when. There are so many options, I’d typically default to an event featuring Team USA athletes. I know the sports that get the big draw will get the prime-time coverage but there’s drama and stories all over the Olympics, and as fans, we miss a lot of it. ‘Gold Zone’ fixes much of that.”
Privateer said he watched South Korea-China in women’s team archery on “Gold Zone” on Sunday and loved it. He said he would have never encountered that event without “Gold Zone.”
“‘Gold Zone’ took me there during that last round because gold was on the line and I was totally invested,” Privateer said. “Would South Korea win a 10th straight gold? Could China pull the upset? The announcers did a great job of setting up why this was important (South Korea’s never lost the gold, but China beat them earlier in the year) and building the drama. My wife, Christine, is much more of a casual Olympics fan than I am, but she found herself getting sucked into canoe slalom because of ‘Gold Zone.’ She would have never watched that on her own.”
Sean Burke, a Ph.D. student in the Department of Sport Management at Florida State University, also responded to our query. He said he has kept the Olympics on “Gold Zone” from the moment the whip-around coverage came on.
GO DEEPER
Olympic opening ceremony has total audience of 28.6 million viewers
“I chose to watch ‘Gold Zone’ because of its resemblance to the ‘NFL RedZone,’” Burke said. “It has made it easier to keep up with every single Olympic sport. Moreover, my affection for watching ‘Gold Zone’ and having a second screen has prepared me for college football this fall. It’s also made adjusting my sleep schedule much easier. I can get up in the morning and watch wall-to-wall coverage from 5 a.m. to 5 p.m. and then work on assignments at night for my PhD studies.”
NBC Olympics officials have been planning “Gold Zone” for more than a year and Rosenfeld recalled Molly Solomon, the executive producer and president of NBC Olympics production, telling her years ago how much she wanted to do this kind of production. You probably have not heard of Rosenfeld but she was instrumental in building ESPN as a soccer destination. She served as the lead producer for all of ESPN’s men’s and women’s World Cup productions from 1999 to 2014 and joined NBC Sports in June 2022.
Rosenfeld said she is always thinking about how many boxes on screen is too much and how such choices impact the viewer. She prefers fewer boxes when a major medal is being contested. She said she has seen quality feedback on social media, including suggestions that Peacock reduce the “Gold Zone” logo and increase the box size when a quad box appears. (They listened to the audience.) Privateer said if he had one request for “Gold Zone” producers it would be to have Siciliano and Hanson co-host one three-hour block together.
“Our mission is to have you be super-served everything,” Rosenfeld said. “If we’re doing our job right, you can be there with your popcorn and get delivered every important Olympic moment. You don’t have to touch your remote or be on your computer trying to figure out what’s happening next because we are here.”
(Photo of Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz, playing Olympic doubles together: Getty Images)
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
Israel’s national gymnastics team has suspended all training and team activities amid the recent Iranian counter-attack on the country following the U.S.-assisted strikes on Iran.
The Israel Gymnastics Federation (IGF) provided a statement to Fox News Digital announcing the violence has caused “unavoidable disruptions.”
“The current security situation in our region has resulted in unavoidable disruptions to our regular training schedule and has created significant uncertainty regarding the national teams’ professional plans, particularly as we are at the outset of the international season,” the statement read.
“At this time, all training activities have been temporarily suspended, pending approval from the relevant authorities to safely resume operations. Naturally, the suspension of training and the closure of airspace are causing considerable stress and concern. However, the safety and well-being of our gymnasts and professional staff remain our highest priority. We sincerely hope for safer and calmer days ahead, when we can focus solely on sport.”
A source within the team told Fox News Digital on Saturday that the gymnasts have been moving between bomb shelters since Iran’s counterstrikes began.
Israel’s gymnastics team is considered one of nation’s strongest Olympic programs alongside its Judo and sailing teams. The team is only a week removed from a successful trip at the Artistic Gymnastics World Cup in Germany, where the country’s star Artem Dolgopyat won the gold medal in floor gymnastics.
Now, the team will have to seek safety until the attacks are over.
The U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem has directed all U.S. government employees and their family members to continue to shelter in place either in or near their residences as Iran continues to fire missiles at Israel.
Additionally, the embassy announced that due to the security situation, it would be closed on March 2, and did not give an estimate on when it would be reopening. The closure includes consular sections in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv.
The embassy also said it is “not in a position at this time to evacuate or directly assist Americans in departing Israel.” It noted that Ben Gurion Airport remains closed and there there are neither commercial nor charter flights operating from the airport.
On Friday, ahead of the launch of Operation Epic Fury, the embassy gave all non-essential workers permission to leave Israel, with reports that U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee urged those looking to leave to do so as soon as possible.
Iranian airstrikes killed at least eight Israelis on Sunday as Tehran’s latest missile barrage landed just miles from Jerusalem.
The strikes landed in the Israeli city of Beit Shemesh. Initial reports said four people were killed when missiles landed in a residential area on Sunday, but that death toll rose to eight, according to Israel’s national emergency service.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
Iran’s military has carried out counterattacks against Israel and U.S. bases in the Middle East after a joint U.S.-Israeli strike killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Saturday.
The strikes also killed several other top Iranian leaders, including the head of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps.
Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
Local chapters of National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame have begun honoring the top senior football student-athletes, with the Coastal Canyon area banquet set for Sunday in Agoura.
Players are selected based on their grade-point averages and leadership skills, among other attributes, honoring the best of the best.
Such players as James Moffat from Crespi, Mateo Bilaver from Chaminade, Jacob Paisano of Hart, Diego and James Montes from Granada Hills Kennedy will represent their schools on Sunday.
The Los Angeles chapter will hold its gathering in Manhattan Beach on Friday.
Simi Valley coach Jim Benkert has taken over running the Coastal Canyon group with dozens of individual student-athletes set to be honored.
This is a daily look at the positive happenings in high school sports. To submit any news, please email eric.sondheimer@latimes.com.
Sports
US Olympic hockey hero Jack Hughes opens up about support for women’s team amid backlash over Trump’s joke
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
Team USA Olympic hockey hero Jack Hughes spoke about his support for his country’s women’s hockey team after his team was the subject of backlash for laughing at a joke by President Donald Trump about the women’s team.
During an interview on ESPN’s “The Pat McAfee Show” Friday, Hughes opened up about his respect for the women’s team after McAfee appeared to reference the controversy by joking that Hughes and his teammates “hate” the women players.
“We are hanging out with them so much, the women’s team. We were supporting them. Like, we were at their games, they were at our games,” Hughes said.
Jack Hughes of the United States celebrates after a gold medal win during against Canadaat Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena during the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic games Feb. 22, 2026, in Milan, Italy. (Elsa/Getty Images)
Hughes then appeared to address the recent criticism of his team for its response to Trump’s joke.
“Like all these people talking, how many of them watched their gold medal game? Me and Quinn Hughes were at the game. We were at the game until like overtime ended on the glass, and we were jumping up and down so excited for these girls, so excited they won,” Hughes said.
“And how many of these people watched the gold medal game, watched their semifinals game? Like 10 of the 10 of our players went to their game in the round-robin. Like, we supported them so much, and we’re so proud of them. We’re so happy that they won, and they brought a gold medal back and that, you know, I said it, the men’s and women’s team both brought gold medals back. So, just unbelievable for USA hockey.”
Hughes, who scored the game-winning overtime goal against Canada to win gold, reflected on his interaction with the player on the U.S. women’s team who did the same, Megan Keller.
“Me and her had a great moment in the cafeteria after her gold medal game. We played Slovakia the next night, and it was like a late game. And we were in the pasta line — me and Megan. They were just getting ready to go out again, and I just gave her a massive hug, and I said, ‘I’m so happy for you. I’m so proud of you,’” Hughes said.
“A couple nights later, saw her again in the [cafeteria], and we took a great picture and, uh, she just gave me a big hug and was so pumped for me as well.”
Hughes told reporters after the game the first thing he thought about when the puck went in was Keller, who scored the golden goal for the United States women’s team against Canada three days earlier.
US WOMEN’S HOCKEY GOLD MEDALIST SAYS IT’S ‘SAD’ MEN’S TEAM HAD TO APOLOGIZE FOR OLYMPICS CONTROVERSY
The controversy surrounding the men’s team stemmed from a locker room phone call between the players and Trump right after their gold medal win over Canada.
Trump told the men’s team after inviting them to Tuesday’s State of the Union address that he’d “have” to invite the women’s team, otherwise “I probably would be impeached.” The team laughed in response, prompting immense backlash.
Several mainstream media outlets penned op-eds condemning the men’s team for laughing at the joke and then visiting the White House to celebrate and Trump’s State of the Union address.
The United States’ Jack Hughes (86), who scored the winning overtime goal, celebrates after defeating Canada in the men’s ice hockey gold medal game at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy Feb. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
U.S. women’s hockey captain Hilary Knight said on Wednesday’s edition of ESPN’s “SportsCenter” that Trump’s “distasteful joke” has “overshadow[ed]” the women’s success.
“I thought it was sort of a distasteful joke, and, unfortunately, that is overshadowing a lot of the success, the success of just women at the Olympics carrying for Team USA and having amazing gold medal feats,” Knight said.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
“We’re just focusing on celebrating the women in our room, the extraordinary efforts, and continue to celebrate three gold medals in program history as well as the double gold for both men’s and women’s at the same time. And really not detract from that with a distasteful joke.”
Hughes’ mother, Ellen, a former Team USA player and current player development staff member, said the players only cared about “bring[ing] so much unity to a group and to a country.”
Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
Related Article
NFL insiders share Cowboys rumors from the combine
Rain floods Miami Beach streets, cut short Miami Heat Family Festival
Bruins Believe They ‘Didn’t Do Enough’ In Loss To Flyers | NESN
Police searching for information after fatal assault in Denver
Detectives Investigating Robbery, Shooting Over $20 Necklace – SPD Blotter
Florida High School Football Rankings: Top 25 teams – Oct. 21
Cleary's 21 help Le Moyne down Central Connecticut State 69-64 in OT
How old is Bo Nix? What to know about Oregon quarterback ahead of 2024 NFL Draft
99th annual Pony Swim held in Virginia
Indiana Members Credit Union announced as new anchor tenant at Bottleworks District
Video: What the Texas Primary Battle Means for the Midterms
Dems’ potential 2028 hopefuls come out against US strikes on Iran
At least nine killed after Iranian strike on Israel’s Beit Shemesh
Mass shooting at Austin, Texas bar leaves at least 3 dead, 14 wounded, authorities say
Mamdani’s response to Trump’s Iran strike sparks conservative backlash: ‘Rooting for the ayatollah’
-
World4 days agoExclusive: DeepSeek withholds latest AI model from US chipmakers including Nvidia, sources say
-
Massachusetts4 days agoMother and daughter injured in Taunton house explosion
-
Montana1 week ago2026 MHSA Montana Wrestling State Championship Brackets And Results – FloWrestling
-
Denver, CO4 days ago10 acres charred, 5 injured in Thornton grass fire, evacuation orders lifted
-
Louisiana7 days agoWildfire near Gum Swamp Road in Livingston Parish now under control; more than 200 acres burned
-
Technology1 week agoYouTube TV billing scam emails are hitting inboxes
-
Technology1 week agoStellantis is in a crisis of its own making
-
Politics1 week agoOpenAI didn’t contact police despite employees flagging mass shooter’s concerning chatbot interactions: REPORT