Bigger Event - World Cup or Olympics (1 Viewer)

[heckmanm]

The thing I like about the Olympics is the big stakes for events some of us don’t care about. Easy to turn on and be instantly invested. I’m a big fan of both but went Olympics just due to how much of it there is.

Anybody who posts around here knows how big a soccer fan I am but for me it's the Olympics and it's not really close. Some items I considered:

• Athletes from around the globe spend their entire lives for what is usually their only chance at fame
• Just about every sport on the planet is included
• Most of the guys in the World Cup are known to soccer fans and most of them are super rich/famous already
• The human interest stories are always amazing to watch
• The opening ceremonies for the Olympics and the country procession is just awesome - the WC opening ceremonies are mostly lame
• If I ignore WCQ (which isn't necessarily fair but how I'm viewing it) WC is 64 matches - That's 128 hours of action. No clue what the Olympics is but it's a ridiculous amount.
• You get soccer in the Olympics - granted at a much lower quality but it's there
• You get winter and summer sports and you get it every 2 years with the rotation
• Womens Beach Volleyball - check and mate

Cappy and AAA echo a lot of my thoughts, although I don't need a lot of the human interest stuff. I really like watching the "smaller" sports even when the US isn't even competitive.

Really enjoying the WC and I'm getting more into soccer in general, but there's something about the variety of events in the Olympics.

 

[Zow]

I've never in my life contemplated going to a bar at 7am to watch The Olympics. I'm strongly considering that for Sunday's final World Cup game.

Same. For me, it's WC and not close. While I'll watch some of it, the Olympics don't really do anything for me. I think it's in part because I haven't played a lot of the sports myself and, frankly, the bouncing around of the coverage and the downtime in the coverage doesn't make it all that riveting for me.

ETA: But, I can easily see how others would say the Olympics.

I'm a casual Olympics fan. The TV coverage is horrendous, as you say. Tape delays, long segments about the athletes' back stories, strange sports I never knew were sports, etc. I don't mind having it on in the background, but it's not appointment TV for me.

I've been waking up super early on weekends so I don't miss games and they've been on in the office since the start. When games are compelling, I'm letting my phone ring and not doing much work at all.

100% same.

 

[Uruk-Hai]

I've watched a good portion of this year's WC and, while I have no clue on strategy or anything else, I've had a blast.

That said, I've watched the Olympics since the 1960s and have a ton more memories from them than I ever will from the WC.

I remember:

Beamon's jump
Jean Claude-Killy
Mark Spitz
The US hoops team getting jobbed in Munich
The US boxing team in '76
Carl Lewis
Flo Jo
Katarina Witt
Michael Johnson
The Albatross
Jackie Joyner-Kersey
Katie Ladecky
Usain Bolt
Michael Phelps
Too many more to mention

 

[Dan Lambskin]

I’d say the Olympics are the bigger event but World Cup is the better event

The Olympics are probably my least favorite sporting event. Soccer isn’t high on my list either but at least the WC is mildly interesting

 

[Gally]

I wonder how different the pole results would be if the question was asked during the Olympics and not during the WC. I would guess the WC is getting extra votes because it's currently in the forefront of peoples view at the moment.

 

[Grace Under Pressure]

The poll says which one is the bigger event, and "define bigger as you see fit". Many responses in here are stating which event they like better. That's fine, but that's technically not the question, even with the caveat.

As a market researcher, I felt it necessary to geek out with that statement, and to do so in a condescending fashion. It's an art form, truly.

 

[General Malaise]

The poll says which one is the bigger event, and "define bigger as you see fit". Many responses in here are stating which event they like better. That's fine, but that's technically not the question, even with the caveat.

As a market researcher, I felt it necessary to geek out with that statement, and to do so in a condescending fashion. It's an art form, truly.

I can see why you're so successful.

 

[Brony]

Have you seen the size of those weightlifters and basketball players? Olympics by a mile.

 

[gianmarco]

Have you seen the size of those weightlifters and basketball players? Olympics by a mile.

NTTAWWT.

 

[hagmania]

These poll results are bonkers.

 

[Eephus]

These poll results are bonkers.

Pay no mind to the poll results. The judge from Belarus will throw it to the Olympics.

 

[The Z Machine]

The only thing swaying from my opinion was the women's beach volleyball comment. Other than some shots of the crowd, the WC doesn't have anything that can touch beach volleyball unless you're into neck tattoos on really fit dudes. NTTAWWT

Still, WC is bigger because of the emotion tied up in a knock out soccer tournament game where one bounce, one mistake, one audacious attempt can explode so much emotion across the globe simultaneously. That's the glory of soccer and why it's bigger.

 

[TripItUp]

Anybody answering olympics hasn't traveled the world enough and have the classic myopic American world viewpoint. Let's just call a spade a spade here.

 

[CletiusMaximus]

The Olympics barely even qualifies as a sporting event -- it's all personal drama about the performers written to appeal to middle-class women. The World Cup is a real tournament featuring a real sport played by athletes with an actual fanbase. How is this even a contest.

You are kidding, right? You have to be kidding.

Not kidding at all. I loathe the way the Olympics are covered. I consider it unwatchable.

Winter Olympic coverage on Peacock was a game-changer for me. I already love the Olympics, but having access to complete events, live or on replay whenever I wanted, was fantastic. I saw zero seconds of background or athlete interest stories, no interviews, no opening or closing ceremonies, no medal ceremonies, no figure skating, snowboarding or any other event I don't like. But if I wanted to watch the full Men's 15 km mass start biathlon beginning to end (of course I do), rather than just the typical US 5 minute highlight coverage, I could and did. If I wanted to watch all the men's curling knockout games, live and in full, every stone thrown, rather than just a 5 minute highlight video of the US team, I could (and did.)

I've watched every World Cup since '82 Spain. Massive fan. But still say the Olympics are "bigger" for me. More countries, more competitors, more events - just way bigger in every way.

 

[BassNBrew]

Anybody answering olympics hasn't traveled the world enough and have the classic myopic American world viewpoint. Let's just call a spade a spade here.

Norway and their neighbors who cross country ski and biathlon disagree with your viewpoint. The Olympics has offerings of little interest in America but are followed big time by countries that suck at soccer.

 

[AAABatteries]

Anybody answering olympics hasn't traveled the world enough and have the classic myopic American world viewpoint. Let's just call a spade a spade here.

This comment makes zero sense.

 

[Eephus]

Norway and their neighbors who cross country ski and biathlon disagree with your viewpoint. The Olympics has offerings of little interest in America but are followed big time by countries that suck at soccer.

Erling Haaland begs to differ

 

[Manster]

The thing I like about the Olympics is the big stakes for events some of us don’t care about. Easy to turn on and be instantly invested. I’m a big fan of both but went Olympics just due to how much of it there is.

Yea this is kinda how I feel. Winning a gold medal for your country in the Olympics is the shiz. I love the winter Olympics the most. I'm also not much of a soccer fan. My wife is. I mean I can watch it a bit, but I'm just not too invested.

 

[Manster]

The Olympics barely even qualifies as a sporting event -- it's all personal drama about the performers written to appeal to middle-class women. The World Cup is a real tournament featuring a real sport played by athletes with an actual fanbase. How is this even a contest.

This is a slap in the face to the Olympic athletes who train their whole lives to compete for a medal.