Breaking's Olympic Debut Cut Short as Coverage Disappears from Peacock
- Peacock streaming service has removed Olympic breaking events from its platform.
- Some Olympic events were taken off the platform, including breaking competitions.
- Fans of Olympic breaking may need to find alternative ways to watch the competition.
In a surprising turn of events, breaking, the newly introduced sport at the 2024 Paris Olympics, has seen its coverage significantly reduced on the streaming platform Peacock just days after its debut. The platform now features only four clips related to breaking, none showcasing actual Olympic performances. The competition itself lasted a mere two days, and it has been confirmed that breaking will not be included in the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, a decision made prior to the event. The spotlight briefly shone on Australian competitor Rachael Gunn, known as Raygun, who faced backlash after losing all three of her battles and scoring zero points. Despite her previous ranking as one of Australia’s top B-girls, her performance has drawn criticism, with some questioning her selection for the Olympic team. However, rumors regarding her husband’s involvement in the selection process have been dismissed by the Australian Breaking Committee. The absence of competitive breaking performances on Peacock has raised eyebrows, with speculation suggesting potential music rights issues as a contributing factor. This theory is supported by the sparse content available for other music-dependent sports, such as artistic swimming. While the Olympics has protocols for copyright management, these do not guarantee long-term broadcast rights for the accompanying music. Peacock has indicated that its Olympics hub will remain accessible until August 20, after which it will transition to the Paralympics hub. Although viewers can find footage of breaking athletes elsewhere online, official highlights from the competition are now difficult to locate on NBC or Peacock platforms.