The Special Olympics is a celebration of talents, perseverance, and achievements of individuals that are mentally challenged and is the largest sports organization to assist them. Over 7,000 athletes from 177 countries compete in 26 Olympic-style events. This year, the 2015 Special Olympics World Summer Games take place from July 25th to August 2nd and the games will be held in Los Angeles, California. This is the first time the events have been played in the US in 16 years. ESPN is covering the big event in the US, but you can watch from anywhere with a VPN.
Best VPNs to Stream the Special Olympics
| Rank | VPN Service | Our Score | Server Locations | Visit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  | 9.8 | 160 |  |
| 2 |  | 9.4 | 87 | |
| 3 |  | 9.2 | 95 | |
The Special Olympics was founded by Eunice Kennedy Shriver in 1968 as a way to advance the goals of the mentally challenged. In 1962, she was concerned about children with intellectual disabilities not having anywhere to play. Because of that concern, she started a day camp at her home called Camp Shriver. By using the camp as an example, Ms. Shriver used her status as part of the Kennedy family to promote the idea of physical activity. Much like the regular Olympics, games are held every two years and alternate between Summer and Winter games. The last Summer Games were held in Greece in 2011, and the Winter Games were held in South Korea in 2013. The Special Olympics is recognized by the International Olympic Committee.
Every time the games have been played, the number of athletes and represented countries have increased. The number of competitors has gone up from 6000 in 2011 to 7000 expected in 2015, with the anticipation that the number will go up by another 1000 by the 2019 games. Of course, there will be celebrities on hand to cheer on their favorite country. Which country has the best athletes? Tune in and find out. Here is a list of the special guests that will be attending the opening ceremony this year.
- Michelle Obama
- J Balvin
- Siedah Garrett (‘Reach Up LA’ theme song creator)
- Jimmy Kimmel
- Avril Lavigne
- Eva Longoria
- Greg Louganis
- Stephanie McMahon
- Yao Ming
- O.A.R.
- Michael Phelps
- Lauren Potter
- Cody Simpson
- Nicole Scherzinger
- Stevie Wonder
As mentioned, television coverage for these games will be available via ESPN. Here is a list of the events and their schedules. Because ESPN is a premium channel, you would need a cable, satellite, or Sling TV subscription. If you haven’t tried it yet then you can sign up for a 7 day free trial. That is great if you are inside the US, but what if you are not there? That is where a VPN would be useful. If you try to access ESPN coverage from outside the US, you would run in to geographical blocking restrictions. Geo-blocking is a technology that recognizes where a user is, and if they are not in the targeted area, they will be blocked. A VPN service will allow you unblock these restrictions, as well as add an extra layer of privacy for browsing the internet.
Enjoy all the excitement during the 2015 Special Olympics and watch to see what country wins the most gold medals, and see the support of athletes worldwide. Please share this post with your friends so they can enjoy the events from anywhere in the world with a VPN. Follow us @VPNFan for the latest deals and guides.