The Bird Is The Word

Over the years, I have written a lot about my experiences with cycling coverage on television. Many of the satisfying moments have come from free broadcasts, while many of the frustrating moments have come from broadcasts for which I had to pay. I subscribed to NBC Sports Gold for four seasons, watching its annual fee increase each year. By 2021, it simply wasn’t worth the price anymore. But as the 2026 season begins, I have a new subscription. NBC Sports Gold no longer exists, but the bird in the picture above should look familiar. Here’s what I will get from Peacock:

You know what’s funny? I didn’t go looking for a subscription to Peacock; it came to me as a free add-on to my new Walmart+ subscription. I’m in the 30-day trial period right now, with a $98 annual fee to follow. I figure I can easily save more than $98 on the groceries, dietary supplements, and household supplies that I otherwise would get from Meijer, my current superstore. And Walmart will deliver everything to my door for free! I don’t like shopping. I won’t miss going to the store, which is much less convenient since the COVID-19 pandemic put an end to 24-hour access. With my weird schedule, I used to shop late on nights when I didn’t have to work. I also won’t miss self-checkout lanes. I’m not an employee, I’m a customer. Don’t give me that rot about keeping costs down. The machines themselves cost thousands, and a fair number of the people who use them are compensating themselves for their trouble by “accidentally” forgetting to scan a few things. So, yeah, Walmart+ will keep me out of the stores and away from the criminal element! It will keep me out of the garage, too. In the six weeks since my return from Pennsylvania, I have made only one trip by car that wasn’t to the grocery store. When groceries start to arrive at my front door, this remote worker may go months without touching his car keys. How much money will that save?

There’s a lot more to Peacock than cycling, but I don’t know how much of it will appeal to me. For now, I’m looking at it as a nice thing to have for free. Most of the races in the list above have been nothing to me but YouTube highlights since the end of the 2020 season. I’m going to feel like a real road racing fan again, and it all begins tomorrow at 1:30 a.m., West Bend time, with the prologue of the Tour Down Under.