Here’s How to Watch Every Track and Field Event During the Tokyo Olympics If You Don’t Have Cable

No cable box or login? No problem. Here’s how you can catch every track and field event from Tokyo.

For track and field fans, the Olympic Games are must-see TV. And this year, with spectators not allowed, television coverage feels more critical than ever.

Fortunately, NBC will air more than 5,500 hours total of live coverage across all sports from the Tokyo Olympics, which start July 23 and go until August 8. That will include qualifying rounds, semifinals, and finals of everything from the 100 meters to the marathon. (Check https://www.nbcolympics.com/schedule for the full schedule.)

With the 13-hour time difference between Tokyo and New York, most track and field coverage begins at either 4 a.m., 6 a.m., or 8 p.m. EDT. While some track and field events will air live on NBC proper, many will be shown on the network’s other channels, including USA and NBCSN—as well as on NBCOlympics.com, the NBC Sports App, or NBCSports.com, after you sign in with your cable or satellite provider login.

So, if you don’t have cable, how are you supposed to watch? We break it down for you.

Stream for free 


If you don’t have a cable login, you’re limited to highlights on those NBC websites and the app. With an increasing number of online streaming services, however, it’s still possible to catch every second of the action on your smart TV, computer, phone, or tablet, even if you don’t have a cable subscription.

And—if you time your sign-ups right—you can even do it for free.

First things first: Make sure you’ve joined NBC’s Peacock service—even if you have cable. Some track and field events—for instance, the men’s and women’s 10,000 meters and finals of the 1500 meters and 100 meters—will stream live there exclusively. It’s free. (For a $4.99 a month Peacock Premium subscription, you can get Olympic basketball and have access to other track events, such as the Diamond League meets, but you don’t need a Premium subscription for Olympic track.)

Live coverage of the remaining track and field events will be spread between NBC, USA, CNBC, and—for the men’s and women’s race walk—NBCSN. So, you can pair Peacock with a streaming service that includes other NBC stations to watch all your favorite athletes.

Track and field events take place during the 10-day period from July 30 to August 8. Because several companies offer seven-day free trials for new customers, it’s possible to string a few promo periods together to cover track and field, or even the entire Games.

A word to the wise: Set yourself a calendar reminder to cancel at the end of the trial period if you don’t want to incur charges. However, none of these services requires a long-term contract, so even if you forget, the most you’re out is a month of subscription fees.

Streaming services

Here are five options—complete with cost, trial period, and how much storage space you get for recording, so you can watch later or revisit key races as many times as you want. Note: In some markets, local NBC affiliates aren’t available on all of these services. So if you don’t already have a way to watch local TV, double-check by entering your ZIP code on the website or contacting customer service before you sign up.

AT&T TV

Price: $69.99/month for the Entertainment package

What you get: 65+ channels and 40,000 on-demand TV shows and movies

DVR storage: 20 hours, or upgrade to unlimited for an additional $10/month

Free trial? No

FuboTV

Price: $64.99/month for the Starter package

What you get: 100+ channels, some TV shows and movies on-demand, and 130+ events, including other track and field favorites like Diamond League and American Track League meets

DVR storage: 250 hours

Free trial? 7 days

Hulu + Live TV

Price: $64.99/month

What you get: 75+ channels, on-demand library with TV and movies, plus Hulu originals (think The Handmaid’s Tale and Little Fires Everywhere)

DVR storage: 50 hours

Free trial? 7 days

Sling Blue

Price: $35/month, plus an extra $6/month for News Extra to include CNBC

What you get: 30+ channels, with some TV shows and movies on-demand

DVR storage: 50 hours, or upgrade to 200 hours for an additional $5/month

Free trial? No, but there’s an intro offer of $10 for your first month

YouTubeTV

Price: $64.99 per month

What you get: 85+ channels, with some TV shows and movies on-demand

DVR storage: Yes, with unlimited space

Free trial? Promo offers are frequently updated, so check back

posted Saturday July 17th
by Runner’s World