The 2012 Olympics will see plenty of beach volleyball action spread across NBC's many networks. Beach volleyball is fun and very photogenic, so expect plenty of great high definition shots. With a mixture of live broadcasts and recap shows, NBC plans on keeping beach volleyball fans happy for as long as the Olympics lasts.
All times listed are EDT.
Saturday, July 28
4:00 a.m.: NBC Sports Network kicks off beach volleyball. This preliminary women's match will pit Russia versus China in a live broadcast.
8:15 a.m.: NBC Sports Network picks back up the beach volleyball coverage with a rebroadcast of men's beach volleyball featuring Poland versus Latvia.
11:30 a.m.: Coverage shifts to MSNBC with a live broadcast. The U.S. takes on Canada in this men's qualifier.
5:00 p.m.: NBC will have live coverage of men's beach volleyball, as the U.S. faces South Africa in a qualifying match.
8:00 p.m.: NBC will be airing a mixed events primetime show that will include a qualifying-round match featuring the U.S. women's beach volleyball team of Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh Jennings.
Sunday, July 29
1:30 a.m.: NBC will air an overnight recap show that will feature preliminary beach volleyball events.
5:00 a.m.: NBC Sports Network will televise a women's beach volleyball qualifier between Italy and Russia.
8:00 a.m.: NBC Sports Network continues its coverage with a men's qualifier pitting Brazil against Austria.
3:00 p.m.: NBC Sports Network will have live coverage of the women's qualifier of Brazil versus the Netherlands.
4:00 p.m.: NBC takes over coverage with two live matches. Team USA will be shown competing in both the women's and men's qualifier.
Monday, July 30
5:00 a.m.: NBC Sports Network will kick off the morning with China versus Switzerland in a live women's beach volleyball qualifier.
10:30 a.m.: MSNBC has Brazil versus Germany slated for a live women's qualifier match.
4:00 p.m.: NBC will air the qualifying round match of Team USA versus Poland live.
5:00 p.m.: MSNBC returns with live coverage of the women's qualifier between Austria and Australia.
8:00 p.m.: NBC will air assorted live and taped events. Beach volleyball is expected to be covered.
Tuesday, July 31
2:00 p.m.: NBC Sports Network will air a beach volleyball qualifier, but the teams have yet to be determined.
4:00 p.m.: NBC has slated live coverage of a men's qualifier for beach volleyball.
Wednesday, August 1
12:35 a.m.: NBC will have a recap show that will feature the previous day's U.S. women's qualifying matches.
5:00 a.m.: NBC Sports Network will carry two live matches for the beach volleyball qualifying round.
8:45 a.m.: NBC Sports Network will air an undetermined beach volleyball qualifier.
11:30 a.m.: NBC will have an hour of live coverage of assorted qualifying round beach volleyball.
1:45 p.m.: NBC Sports Network will air a qualifying round match.
4:30 p.m.: NBC Sports Network will switch to a beach volleyball match that is already in progress.
8:00 p.m.: NBC will feature at least one beach volleyball match involving Team USA during its nightly recap show.
Thursday, August 2
10:30 a.m.: NBC Sports Network will carry beach volleyball qualifying live.
11:30 a.m.: NBC will take over live coverage of beach volleyball.
8:00 p.m.: NBC will air coverage of assorted events, possibly including beach volleyball.
Friday, August 3
4:00 a.m.: NBC Sports Network starts the morning with live coverage of a beach volleyball elimination match.
6:30 a.m.: NBC Sports Network pick live coverage back up with another beach volleyball eliminator.
12:00 p.m.: NBC will have a live doubleheader of elimination matches for beach volleyball.
Saturday, August 4
8:00 a.m.: NBC Sports Network will have live coverage of beach volleyball elimination matches.
5:00 p.m. : NBC will broadcast a beach volleyball elimination round match live.
8:00 p.m. : NBC will cover beach volleyball in its nightly mixed events show.
Sunday, August 5
1:30 a.m.: NBC will recap several events, including beach volleyball.
1:00 p.m.: MSNBC will have live coverage of the women's quarterfinal match.
2:00 p.m.: NBC Sports Network will take over live coverage of a women's beach volleyball quarterfinal match.
7:00 p.m.: NBC will offer coverage of beach volleyball during its primetime coverage of multiple events.
Monday, August 6
1:35 a.m.: NBC will replay their mixed event show that includes beach volleyball.
1:00 p.m.: MSNBC will have live coverage of men's quarterfinal action.
2:00 p.m.: NBC takes over live beach volleyball action with a men's quarterfinal match.
8:00 p.m.: NBC will feature a men's beach volleyball match during its primetime coverage.
Tuesday,August 7
1:35 a.m.: NBC will repeat their prime time programming which features beach volleyball.
12:00 p.m.: MSNBC will carry back-to-back quarterfinal matches -- women's beach volleyball and then a match from the men's.
4:00 p.m.: NBC will broadcast live coverage of a men's semifinal in beach volleyball.
8:00 p.m.: NBC will air a beach volleyball match during its nightly coverage.
Wednesday, August 8
1:35 a.m.: NBC will have an encore showing of its primetime coverage that includes beach volleyball.
2:00 p.m.: NBC will be bringing the bronze medal match for women's beach volleyball live.
8:00 p.m.: NBC will cover the women's gold medal match in beach volleyball during its primetime show.
Thursday, August 9
1:35 a.m.: NBC will replay the primetime show that features the gold in women's beach volleyball.
4:00 p.m.: NBC will have the bronze-medal match in men's beach volleyball live.
8:00 p.m.: NBC will have coverage of the men's gold-medal beach volleyball match during its nightly mixed sports show.
Christopher Beheler is a lifelong sports fan. He has followed the Olympics since 1984.
