The 2022 Beijing Winter Games are fast approaching. Here is everything you need to know ahead of the 24th Winter Olympics.

When are the 2022 Olympics?

The Beijing Games officially kick off with the Opening Ceremony on Friday, Feb. 4, and run through Feb. 20. The first competitions of the Winter Olympics, however, begin on Wednesday, Feb. 2 with curling.

Where are the Winter Games?

The 2022 Olympics will be hosted in Beijing, with the Opening Ceremony set at the National Stadium, home to the Opening and Closing Ceremonies of the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Ice skating, as well as four snow sports, will take place in China’s capital, while the Olympic Village will be housed 40 miles outside of Beijing in Yanqing. The northwest suburb will also serve as the home to the Games’ alpine skiing and sliding events. Other skiing and snowboarding disciplines will take place in Zhangjiakou, 111.8 miles away from the city center.

Beijing sits in the China Standard Time Zone, 13 hours ahead of the Eastern Time Zone and 16 hours ahead of the Pacific Time Zone.

How will COVID-19 impact the Olympics?

Limited spectators will participate in the Beijing Games due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Fans from outside of China will not be allowed to purchase tickets to the Olympics, as underlined in the International Olympic Committee’s policy.

What sports are included in the Winter Games?

The 2022 Olympics will feature 109 events across 15 sports, including seven new medal events. Women’s Monobob, Men’s and Women’s Big Air, Mixed Team Snowboard Cross, Mixed Team Aerials, Mixed Team Short Track Relay and Mixed Team Ski Jumping will all see their Olympic debut in Beijing.

Who are the Team USA favorites?

Mikaela Shiffrin will look to add to her medal count in her third Olympics, stating that she intends to compete in all five alpine skiing events. With 73 career World Cup wins to her name, the 26-year-old will be one to beat in Beijing.

Chloe Kim is also a favorite heading into February’s Games, looking poised to defend her gold medal in the snowboarding halfpipe.

Hilary Knight is an Olympic veteran, returning for her fourth Games with Team USA. The 32-year-old will lead the women’s hockey team in their quest to defend their gold medal from 2018.

How to Watch?

Due to the time change, NBC will provide full-day coverage of the Winter Games along with a live stream of events on Peacock.

Live coverage of the Opening Ceremony will kick off at 6:30 a.m. ET on Friday, Feb. 4 on NBC and Peacock. A primetime presentation will also air at 8 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock.

NBC will offer primetime coverage of the Games nightly, beginning at 8 p.m. ET.

Events to watch:

Saturday, Feb. 5

• Women’s Ski Jumping: Normal Hill Final at 4:45 a.m. ET on NBC
• Women’s Snowboarding: Slopestyle Final at 8:30 p.m. ET on NBC and USA

Sunday, Feb. 6

• Women’s Alpine Skiing: Giant Slalom Run 1 at 9:15 p.m. ET on NBC and USA

Monday, Feb. 7

• Women’s Alpine Skiing: Giant Slalom Run 2 at 12:45 a.m. ET on NBC
• Women’s Big Air: Final at 9 p.m. ET on NBC
• Women’s Hockey: Team USA vs. Canada (prelim) at10:45 am ET on USA and 11:10 pm ET on NBC.

Tuesday, Feb. 8

• Women’s Snowboarding: Halfpipe Qualifying at 8:30 p.m. ET on NBA and USA
• Women’s Alpine Skiing: Slalom Run 1 at 9:14 p.m. ET on NBC
• Women’s Snowboarding: Snowboard Cross Qualifying at 10 p.m. ET on NBC

Wednesday, Feb. 9

• Women’s Alpine Skiing: Slalom Run 2 at 12:45 a.m. ET on NBC
• Women’s Snowboarding: Snowboard Cross Final at 1:30 a.m. ET on NBC and USA
• Women’s Snowboarding: Halfpipe Final at 8:30 p.m. ET

Thursday, Feb. 10

• Women’s Alpine Skiing: Super-G at 10 p.m. ET on NBC

Sunday, Feb. 13

• Women’s Hockey: Semifinal at 10:45 p.m. ET on USA and 11:10 p.m. ET on NBC

Monday, Feb. 14  

• Women’s Freestyle Skiing: Aerials Final at 6 a.m. ET on NBC and USA
• Women’s Snowboarding: Big Air Final at 8:30 p.m. ET on NBC
• Women’s Alpine Skiing: Downhill Final at 10 p.m. ET on NBC

Tuesday, Feb. 15

• Women’s Figure Skating: Singles Short Program at 5 a.m. ET on NBC and USA

Wednesday, Feb. 16

• Women’s Hockey: Bronze Medal Match at 6:30 a.m. ET on NBC

Thursday, Feb. 17

• Women’s Alpine Skiing: Combined Slalom at 1 a.m. ET on NBC
• Women’s Figure Skating: Free Skate at 5 a.m. ET on NBC and USA
• Women’s Hockey: Gold medal match at 5 p.m. ET on USA
• Women’s Freestyle Skiing: Halfpipe Final at 8:30 p.m. ET on NBC and USA

Friday, Feb.18

• Women’s Curling: Semifinal at 7:05 ET on NBC and CNBC

Saturday, Feb. 19

• Women’s Curling: Bronze Medal Match at 7:05 a.m. ET on NBC
• Women’s Curling: Gold Medal Match at 8:05 ET on NBC and CNBC

For the first time in the NWSL's 12-year history, fans can now buy their own goalkeeper jerseys. And while replica goalkeeper jerseys representing all 14 NWSL teams hit the market on Wednesday, some didn't stick around for long. 

Fans across women's soccer have long vocalized their discontent over the position's lack of availability on social media, often comparing the shortcoming to the widespread availability of men’s goalkeeper jerseys. And as the NWSL has grown, so has demand — and not just from those in the stands. 

"To have goalkeeper kits available for fans in the women’s game as they have been for so long in the men’s game is not only a long-awaited move in the right direction, it’s just good business," said Washington Spirit goalie Aubrey Kingsbury in an team press release. "I can’t wait to see fans representing me, Barnie [Barnhart], and Lyza in the stands at Audi!"

just went looking at #nwsl goalkeeper kit stock out of curiosity — Alyssa Naeher's $145 kit already sold out S-XL (league announced GK jerseys on sale 3 hours ago)https://t.co/8bYA7tlwcx

— Meg Linehan (@itsmeglinehan) April 17, 2024

Business does, in fact, appear to be booming. Alyssa Naeher’s Chicago Red Stars kit sold out less than three hours after the league's announcement. Jerseys for other keepers like DiDi Haračić, Abby Smith, Michelle Betos, Katelyn Rowland, and Bella Bixby aren’t currently available via the Official NWSL Shop, though blank goalkeeper jerseys can be customized through some individual team sites. Jerseys start at $110 each.

"This should be the benchmark," said Spirit Chief Operations Officer Theresa McDonnell. "The expectation is that all players’ jerseys are available to fans. Keepers are inspiring leaders and mentors with their own unique fan base who want to represent them... I can’t wait to see them all over the city."

Decorated gymnast Simone Biles took to the popular Call Her Daddy podcast this week to open up about her experience at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, revealing she thought she was going to be "banned from America" for her performance.

After Biles botched her vault routine due to a bout of the "twisties," she withdrew from the team final as well as the all-around final in order to focus on her mental health. She later reentered the competition to win bronze in the individual balance beam final.

In her interview with podcast host Alex Cooper, Biles admitted to feeling like she let the entire country down by failing her vault attempt.

"As soon as I landed I was like 'Oh, America hates me. The world is going to hate me. I can only see what they’re saying on Twitter right now,'" she recalled thinking. "I was like, ‘Holy s---, what are they gonna say about me?'"

"I thought I was going to be banned from America," she continued. "That’s what they tell you: Don’t come back if not gold. Gold or bust. Don’t come back."

Widely regarded as the greatest gymnast of all time, Biles has hinted at a desire to join her third Olympic team in Paris, though her participation won't be confirmed until after the gymnastics trials in late June. She holds over 30 medals from the Olympic Games and World Artistic Gymnastics Championships combined, and if qualified, would be a sure favorite heading into this summer’s games.

Caitlin Clark is reportedly close to cementing a hefty endorsement deal with Nike.

The Athletic was the first to break the news Wednesday evening, commenting that the deal would be worth "eight figures" and include her own signature shoe. On Thursday afternoon, the publication tweeted that the deal would top $20 million, according to lead NBA Insider Shams Charania. Both Under Armour and Adidas are said to have also made sizable offers to the college phenom and expected future WNBA star.

The new agreement comes after Clark's previous Nike partnership ended with the conclusion of the college basketball season. She was one of five NCAA athletes to sign an NIL deal with the brand back in October, 2022. 

Considering Clark's overwhelming popularity and Nike's deep pockets, the signing's purported value doesn't exactly come as a shock. New York Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu’s deal with the brand is reportedly worth $24 million, while NBA rookie and No. 1 overall pick Victor Wembanyama’s deal is rumored to weigh in at $100 million. And in 2003, LeBron James famously earned $90 million off his own Nike deal. 

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Clark’s star power continues to skyrocket, with the NCAA championship averaging 18.9 million viewers and the 2024 WNBA Draft more than doubling its previous viewership record. Following the draft, Fanatics stated that Clark's Indiana Fever jersey — which sold out within an hour — was the top seller for any draft night pick in the company’s history, with droves of unlucky fans now being forced to wait until August to get their hands on some official No. 22 gear.

In Wednesday's Indiana Fever introductory press conference, the unfailingly cool, calm, and collected Clark said that turning pro hasn’t made a huge impact on how she’s conducting her deals.

"If I’m being completely honest, I feel like it doesn’t change a ton from how I lived my life over the course of the last year," she said. "Sponsorships stay the same. The people around me, agents and whatnot, have been able to help me and guide me through the course of the last year. I don’t know if I would be in this moment if it wasn’t for a lot of them."

Former Oklahoma slugger Jocelyn Alo has signed on with Athletes Unlimited and will compete in the AU Pro Softball AUX this June.

The NCAA record holder in career home runs (122), total bases (761), and slugging percentage (.987), Alo was originally drafted by the league in 2022 but opted instead to join the newly debuted Women’s Professional Fastpitch. 

Alo currently plays for independent pro softball team Oklahoma City Spark, with team owner Tina Floyd reportedly on board with her recent AUX signing. AUX games are scheduled for June 10-25, while the Spark's season will kick off June 19th. Alo will play for both. 

Among those joining Alo on the AUX roster are former James Madison ace pitcher Odicci Alexander and former Wichita State standout middle infielder Sydney McKinney.

According to Alo, the decision to play in the Athletes Unlimited league was fueled by her desire to propel women's sports forward as well as provide more exposure to a sport that's given her "so many opportunities."

"Not only to challenge myself more, but just for the growth of the game," Alo said, explaining her reasoning to The Oklahoman. "I genuinely believe that professional softball can be a career for girls."

Joining AUX is also one more step in her plan toward representing Team USA at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

"I’m constantly thinking about how can I do these little things right in these four years to prepare me for the biggest stage of softball," she told The Oklahoman. "I definitely want to play in the Olympics, for sure."

Alo further expressed enthusiasm in the hope that the rise of other women’s sports, like women’s basketball and the NWSL, will push softball’s professional viability even higher.

"We’re seeing the NWSL (National Women’s Soccer League) get their stuff going, I see the WNBA starting to get hot," she continued. "I feel like the softball community is like, 'All right, it’s our turn and it’s our turn to just demand more.'"