This year, the 2024 Paris Paralympics took place from Aug. 28 to Sept. 8. The Paralympics is a global sports competition similar to the Olympics but designed for athletes with disabilities who cannot compete in the Olympics such as visual impairment, limb deficiency and intellectual disabilities. 

According to NBC, Paralympics viewership was a record 15.4 million based on data from all broadcasting networks. However, in comparison to the Olympics’ viewership (30.6 million), this number is still low.  

Senior Gauri Bhingarde said that this discrepancy may be due to the schedule. 

“I think that the timing is kind of odd, since it happens right after the [end of the] Olympics. It seems like it is presented as sort of an afterthought and not given as much importance,” said Bhingarde.

Bhingarde relates this issue to lack of representation of people with disabilities in the media. 

“The media definitely does a disservice to athletes with disabilities, which makes it so people don’t really hear about them as much,” said Bhingarde. 

Senior Yetta Lorimor agrees. She thinks it’s important to expand representation. 

“When Paralympics athletes aren’t previously publicized or recognized, we aren’t as attached to the athletes,” said Lorimor.  

In this year’s Olympics, fans were drawn towards athletes that gained popularity via social media, such as Ilona Maher and Stephen Nederoscik. 

Many Olympic athletes also became sponsored by brands prior to and during the event, resulting in elevated media attention. Teams are sponsored by brands, such as Lululemon for Canada and Ralph Lauren for the US, according to the New York Times. Italian gymnast Giorgia Villa is also sponsored by Parmigiano Reggiano.  

Lorimor suggests another solution to elevating viewership: if companies were to create brand deals and sponsorships with athletes with disabilities, similar to those with Olympic athletes, they would gain more of a following. 

“[Since] lack of media coverage and sponsorships is a big deal, companies choosing to promote paralympic athletes [would remedy it],” said Lorimor.