NBC President Responds to Concerns Over Pressure Network Places on Olympic Athletes

Does NBC place too much pressure on U.S. athletes to succeed at the Olympic Games?

Ilia Malinin fell short of a medal in the men’s individual skating competition. | James Lang-Imagn Images

American figure skater Ilia Malinin became the latest athlete to crack under the pressure of competing at the Olympic Games.

After falling twice during his free skate program, Malinin, the heavy favorite to win the competition, fell short of medalling in the individual event. Malinin acknowledged after the event that the pressure and all the attention got to him in the moment.

This in part led some to question if NBC, the network covering the Olympics, places too much pressure on U.S. athletes to succeed. Malinin is far from the first athlete to struggle under the weight of the expectations. Between the hype before the competition to close up shots on athletes on their every reaction after their performances, Olympians are under a microscope few can relate to when the Games take place.

NBC Olympics president Gary Zenkel responded to those concerns this week and explained to Sara Germano of Sportico, “All of that [production], of course, is entirely voluntary. Was there a discussion about, ‘is this too much for you?’ Because it puts too much pressure on him? Not to my knowledge, no.”

“I will tell you that our approach to the ‘before’ [he competes in Milan], which is to introduce the American audience to the athletes that are going to compete, to try to engage the audience in their story, to, the mantra is, ‘make them care,’ has been the same for decades,” Zenkel added.

Zenkel noted that the Olympics in itself, an event which sees the best athletes in the world get one shot every four years, is a primary contributor to the pressure that exists at the competition.

“It’s on that [Olympic] stage that they’re ultimately, and maybe in their minds, measured,” Zenkel said to Sportico. “And I’ve heard unbelievable statements from athletes that have competed in the Olympics say, just how extraordinary it is to be in that moment, the greatest on the planet.

Zenkel continued, “I think the Olympics places an enormous amount of pressure. Does NBC exacerbate that pressure up to the point where they’re unable to perform at their true potential? I don’t know. The formula hasn’t changed in decades. Michael Phelps participated in all the stuff that you’re describing, at least the version of that that existed in 2000 through the end of his journey. So I’m going say I don’t think so. And by the way, they’re getting a lot of attention from other [media].”

It’s a double-edged sword as the exposure NBC gives the top U.S. athletes at the Games helps them morph into stars. On the other hand, it only adds to the pressure they already face by finally getting to take part in the competition they’ve trained their whole lives for—particularly since NBC puts little focus on athletes from other nations, adding even more expectations for top U.S. athletes to win.

With the amount of attention surrounding these athletes at the Olympics, they not only have to excel in the physical parts of the competition, but handle the mental aspects of the Games to come out as champions.

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