In contrast to the upcoming 2024 Paris Olympics, the Paralympics, which kicked off with Wednesday’s opening ceremony, will be covered much less extensively.

However, all 22 sports will be available for live streaming on Peacock in the United States, a notable increase from the 12 sports streamed during the 2012 London Games. This reflects positive progress, according to Craig Spence, chief brand and communications officer of the International Paralympic Committee.

“We’re experiencing more coverage than ever,” Spence stated.

For Steve Serio, the captain of Team USA’s wheelchair basketball team and a flag bearer at the opening ceremony, the advancements are hopeful but he acknowledges that there is still much work to be done. He has long desired to see the gold medal match broadcasted on main network television, particularly “big” NBC; his team was featured in one of NBC’s two primetime broadcasts during the Tokyo Games three years ago.

“We are by no means satisfied,” Serio emphasized after being part of a discussion group hosted by NBC, something he could never have imagined a decade prior.

He remarked, “We seek greater awareness and more coverage. When I was younger, I didn’t see athletes who resembled me.”

Swimmer McKenzie Coan shared a similar perspective, recalling the influence of seeing billboards featuring British Paralympic athletes during the 2012 London Games. She aspires for the Paris Paralympics to elevate the profiles of athletes in preparation for the 2028 Summer Games in Los Angeles.

“Team USA is making progress, yet we have often felt like we’re lagging behind,” Coan expressed. “This progress has been long overdue, and while I comprehend that advancement takes time, we are moving in the right direction.”

Evan Medell, a para-taekwondo competitor, believes the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) has done a commendable job ensuring fairness between able-bodied athletes and Paralympic athletes. However, he wishes to see the USOPC exert more pressure on each sport’s national governing body (NGB) to establish full equality.

Medell’s entry into para-taekwondo was coincidental; he only discovered the sport after competing against able-bodied athletes for three years at nationals, until someone informed him about the para programming in the sport.

Many Paralympic athletes face the challenge of balancing training and competitions with work. Medell, who has previously worked as a welder and washed semitrucks, often refrains from discussing his competition schedule with prospective employers for fear of jeopardizing job opportunities, since traveling and training for competitions often necessitates taking extended time off.

“We are athletes too,” he emphasized. “We need to support ourselves.”

The timing of the Paralympics following the Olympics creates visibility challenges. Hosting both events simultaneously would raise costs for the host city and lead to significant scheduling complications, given that several venues serve both events. Additionally, a larger Athletes Village, increased transportation requirements, and a surplus of volunteers would all be necessary.

Hosting the Paralympics right after the Olympics isn’t feasible, Spence pointed out, as capturing the world’s attention for six weeks is an unmanageable task, and no media organization could remain at the location for that extensive period.

Medell proposed a strategy to generate greater interest in the Paralympics.

“It would be beneficial if they were held beforehand,” Medell noted, “to prepare the audience for the Olympics.”

He likened this concept to an undercard match preceding a main event. However, the movement does not share this viewpoint.

“We often joke with the IOC that the Olympics act as our best test event,” Spence commented.

Every Games encounters initial challenges that need to be addressed, and Spence is glad to allow the IOC to manage these issues.

“We’re content with the current arrangement where we follow the Olympics,” he asserted.

Serio stressed that going second does not belittle the significance of the Paralympics. Spence firmly believes that the next four years leading to Los Angeles will be crucial for U.S. Paralympic history.

Following the 1996 Atlanta Games, the Paralympic movement failed to make a significant impact. Current Team USA athletes are conscious of this gap. Serio lacked disabled role models, while Medell found himself competing against able-bodied peers.

“We cannot afford a repeat of Atlanta,” Spence cautioned. “It’s essential that we achieve the breakthrough in this country that we aspired for 20, 30 years ago.”

“We have to get it right.”