In the Olympics thread, a poster commented:
How do the rest of you feel? I’m not a big fan of watching much sport at all, but I have never had any interest in watching the paralympics. Just curious how broad the interest is.
In all honesty, none. I’m behind it 100%, though.
Right. I wasn’t intending to diss the endeavor at all. Amazing achievements. I just have never had any inclination to attend or view it. But - as I said, I don’t watch football or baseball, or much of the Olympics either.
I wondered what the interest is among people who are not “para” themselves or close to someone who is.
I think the paralympics is a great idea for those involved and I know there are many interested spectators. But over the years I’ve become less and less interested in the Olympics themselves, to the point that I have pretty much zero interest in the Games, for various reasons.
So sure, I support the paralympics as a good cause, but that sort of thing doesn’t interest me as a spectator.
Likewise.
I don’t pay any attention to them at all. Unless there is some highlight that makes the evening news, I don’t have much exposure to them. Are they even broadcast nationally, prime time or not?
Same here. The last Olympics I recall watching was the 1972 games. I’ll ignore the paralympics as well.
I have never followed it at all. But from seeing one photo of athletes in whelechairs colliding with each other during basketball, I can’t help but think those collisions are going to make their injury or whatever even worse.
Any opportunity to watch sports you don’t usually get to see is one I take.
I have said it before and will again; I do not understand why the Paralympics is a different event. It’s just more Olympics. The swimming events at the Olympics are over, so why is the pool empty? Get the Paralympic events started, I say. They’re all Olympic events, and they’re all happening in Paris, so why take a break?
Does this mean the Olympics would be four or five weeks long? Well, sure, but they basically are anyway because the Paralympics will now consume another two weeks of bad traffic in August/September. So just smoosh them all together. It’s all sport. Make it happen.
The only part of the current Olympics I’ve seen was about 5 minutes of basketball (Spain vs Canada) and that’s because it was on at the brewery. Then someone asked if they’d switch to the Pirates game.
I watch little to no television anymore. I stream movies on my tablet instead.
Agree with this. All the broadcasting infrastructure and marketing is already in place as well - just keep the schedule for these venues full and show the para-games mixed-in with everything else. I would be exposed to more of the para events and those athletes would be more visible. After the closing ceremony, the Olympics can thus really be closed.
I don’t watch any sports Olympics or otherwise so I will not be watching.
The What?
I’ll be following it very actively and weekly watching The Last Leg with Alan Hills, Josh Widdicombe, and Alex Brooker. They usually visit it or send someone like Johnny Vegas to go and see it.
In case you aren’t kidding, the Paralympics are the sporting event following the Olympics for physically disabled people.
The last time I watched was when Oscar Pistorius ran.
Yeah I was just gonna say…I watch The Last Leg every week, which started in 2012 with the Paralympics in England. They’re the go-to for disabled sports talk. So I’ll at least follow along there.
No need to answer, but if you see fit to, are you disabled or close to a disabled person? Or is your interest spurred by a love of competition and human achievement?
I just like it. More Olympics, basically. Not close to any disabled person. I credit The Last Leg for boosting my interest.
Cool. Was wondering if you were hopping outta your wheelchair to do your pushups! 
Me too. It’s sort of inspiring.