NBC is adding a wholly unnecessary, yet somewhat interesting, tweak to some of their Summer Olympics coverage. They’re actually outfitting the parents of competing athletes with heart rate monitors that will display the results on-screen. Adding the on-screen heart rate monitors is the latest addition to NBC’s coverage, which is getting something of a makeover this summer. Mike Tirico will co-host the Opening Ceremony alongside Kelly Clarkson and Peyton Manning, while the Closing Ceremony will be co-hosted by Tirico, Jimmy Fallon, Tara Lipinski, and Johnny Weir. To the surprise of no one, NBC’s streaming service Peacock will be a huge part of NBC’s Olympics coverage, with all events streaming live on the service. Compared to all of those significant changes, adding heart rate monitors on parents isn’t an earth-shattering move. However, it’s another point to NBC treating the Olympics like a reality show.
