The pandemic-delayed Tokyo Olympics begin on Friday with the opening ceremony featuring all the unique and impressive elements of the traditionally biannual event that the world has come to know and love. Unlike previous opening ceremonies, this year\u2019s event will notably take place in an empty stadium due to the coronavirus pandemic, making the spectacle even more eye-catching.<\/b>
\nThe Tokyo Olympics are almost here, after a year\u2019s postponement due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the top sporting stars from around the world have gathered in Japan. Unlike previous opening ceremonies, Friday\u2019s event will take place in an empty stadium due to coronavirus protocols. Here\u2019s a guide on how to watch the opening ceremony. When can I watch the Opening Ceremonies? The opening ceremonies will take place at 7 a.m. EDT Friday on NBC. Due to the time difference between Tokyo and the United States, NBC will be airing a taped delayed version of the event on primetime beginning at 7:30 p.m. EDT. The entire event will last four hours. Are there any streaming options to watch the opening ceremony? There are plenty of streaming options: Peacock, NBC\u2019s free streaming platform; NBCOlympics.com, as well as FuboTV. What will be happening during the ceremony? For this year\u2019s ceremony, Japanese heads of state will be in attendance, and the host country\u2019s national anthem will be played. The traditional parade of athletes will take place and a symbolic release of the doves will happen shortly after. The games will then be officially opened by Japanese Emperor Naruhito. What is the parade of nations? The parade of nations is exactly what it sounds like. As is tradition, athletes representing Greece will lead the rest of the participating nations into the stadium. Though the order of the countries is organized alphabetically, as the host country, Japan will enter the stadium last. The United States Olympic team will be the third-to-last group that will enter the stadium. This is done as a representation of the U.S. being a future host to the Olympics with the Los Angeles Games taking place in 2028. Who is leading the U.S. into the stadium? Beginning this year, the International Olympic Committee is allowing each participating country to have two flag bearers: one man and one woman. For this year\u2019s games, Sue Bird (women\u2019s basketball) and Eddy Alvarez (baseball) will be leading the American team. Bird,40, is a four-time Olympic gold medalist who will be participating in her fifth Games in Tokyo. Alvarez won a silver medal in speed skating at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi. What will the U.S. team wear? The entire U.S. team will be wearing Ralph Lauren designed, self-regulating cooling outfits.<\/p>\n