The IOC has turned down the European Broadcasting Union's bid for the rights to upcoming Olympic Games. The IOC has cited wanting to negotiate individual contracts in the countries involved (read: more $$$ and £££) as the reason for the decision. I wonder if this is totally wise.
In my opinion, you get continuity when you have a master contract covering most of Europe. There may be a few countries here and there that don't sign on and want their own deals. I just can't see the sense of this. It's going to drive up costs (obviously) and for some poorer or smaller nations, the cost to broadcast may be prohibitive.
At the last IOC session in Guatemala City, Jacques Rogge cited concern about certain countries not being able to receive Olympic programming or getting inconsistent transmissions of certain events. But by starting to put a chokehold on the European broadcast rights is only the beginning. We're already seeing in Oceania terrestial broadcasters who previously held the rights being shut out by local cable, most notably Foxtel for 2010 Winter and 2012 Summer (along with Nine Network), shutting out long-time broadcaster 7 Network.
It's time to give it back to the people who have done it the best and done it the longest-and not some upstarts who think they can do it better and sell the IOC and the viewing public a bunch of damaged goods, all in the name of someone lining their pockets when it comes time to negotiate the contract.
The real losers will be the viewing public, and with no viewers, there is no ratings and in the end, no bux.
Familiarise yourself where the on/off switch is. You will need it if you live in Europe-and I suspect elsewhere too.
Thursday, December 4, 2008
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Chicago's (troubling) unanswered questions
Hello there! As you can probably guess, we have been busy. Thanks for hanging in there.
The recent tragic news about the slaughter of American Idol star Jennifer Hudson's family in South Side Chicago made me think of one of the major concerns I have for Chicago's bid-and their unanswered questions that go along with it.
Make no mistake about it, crime is everywhere. But it seems it's going at a runaway pace in Chicago, and their bid officials can't or won't address the issues. I know people who have repeatedly emailed them with concerns about how security and crime will be handled if the Games are awarded to them. I personally am of the philosophy that if you don't answer questions, you have something to hide. Pure and simple.
Chicago has a demonstrated history of corrupt cops, even more corrupt Mayors and if you are of the baby boomer generation, then you know what happened in 1968 with the students who demonstrated. The murder rate is at an all time high and the concerns expressed by myself and others have gone unanswered.
It would behoove Chicago 2016 to buckle down, and stop hiding from the tough questions. In fact, it would actually be easier for them to start answering questions now, instead of taking the bet and someone asking some even tougher questions next October in Copenhagen.
I for one am not impressed-or amused. And according to an email I got tonight from my friends at Games Bids, Chicago has fallen from the top spot. Not surprising-and they are going to keep falling unless they start to do the right thing and start responding-and soon.
You meet the same people on the way up as you do on the way down. Chicago would bode well to repair the relationships of the folks that they have rubbed the wrong way. I have talked to some of these people and they are very influential-and can make or break their bid in a heartbeat.
Or perhaps they think some people are expendable and not worth their time.
As Julia Roberts said in "Pretty Woman":
"Big mistake, I mean really big mistake."
The recent tragic news about the slaughter of American Idol star Jennifer Hudson's family in South Side Chicago made me think of one of the major concerns I have for Chicago's bid-and their unanswered questions that go along with it.
Make no mistake about it, crime is everywhere. But it seems it's going at a runaway pace in Chicago, and their bid officials can't or won't address the issues. I know people who have repeatedly emailed them with concerns about how security and crime will be handled if the Games are awarded to them. I personally am of the philosophy that if you don't answer questions, you have something to hide. Pure and simple.
Chicago has a demonstrated history of corrupt cops, even more corrupt Mayors and if you are of the baby boomer generation, then you know what happened in 1968 with the students who demonstrated. The murder rate is at an all time high and the concerns expressed by myself and others have gone unanswered.
It would behoove Chicago 2016 to buckle down, and stop hiding from the tough questions. In fact, it would actually be easier for them to start answering questions now, instead of taking the bet and someone asking some even tougher questions next October in Copenhagen.
I for one am not impressed-or amused. And according to an email I got tonight from my friends at Games Bids, Chicago has fallen from the top spot. Not surprising-and they are going to keep falling unless they start to do the right thing and start responding-and soon.
You meet the same people on the way up as you do on the way down. Chicago would bode well to repair the relationships of the folks that they have rubbed the wrong way. I have talked to some of these people and they are very influential-and can make or break their bid in a heartbeat.
Or perhaps they think some people are expendable and not worth their time.
As Julia Roberts said in "Pretty Woman":
"Big mistake, I mean really big mistake."
Monday, October 6, 2008
Copenhagen-one year to go!
"Taking the pulse" will be the theme of the next IOC Session in one year's time. And if they aren't careful, the IOC could go on life support.
Tromso just dropped out of the 2018 Winter Games bidding, citing escalating costs for it's government. The worldwide credit crunch has hit the bids. Another issue that is to be decided is if the current IOC President, Jacques Rogge will stick around for another term. And it's the once-every-ten-years-or-so IOC Congress. Whew-there is going to be enough to keep everyone busy.
The upcoming IOC Session will be a good opportunity to seriously examine the future of the IOC, the bid process itself, and where the IOC will be going in the next five, ten, fifteen or so years. Taking stock of itself, you could say. I would hope this time, they buckle down and take stock of the serious issues that have been sorely neglected during the Rogge presidency. We've discussed some of them here. Otherwide the next IOC president will have a mess to clean up on their hands.
It concerns me that the same issues that seem to come up again and again at an IOC Session are the ones that the IOC very publicly chooses to ignore: the escalating costs of bidding, despite Dr. Rogge's commitment in 2003 at Prague "to bring the costs of the Games down", the continued issues in regards to doping, and now, issues that have come up regarding the ages of athletes in certain competitions. Enough already!
My hope for Copehagen is that the Session and Congress will take on these issues, so we can move on to more new and positive aspects of sport that enrich all our lives, to the betterment of all concerned.
It will be a good way to avoid declaring the IOC DOA.
Tromso just dropped out of the 2018 Winter Games bidding, citing escalating costs for it's government. The worldwide credit crunch has hit the bids. Another issue that is to be decided is if the current IOC President, Jacques Rogge will stick around for another term. And it's the once-every-ten-years-or-so IOC Congress. Whew-there is going to be enough to keep everyone busy.
The upcoming IOC Session will be a good opportunity to seriously examine the future of the IOC, the bid process itself, and where the IOC will be going in the next five, ten, fifteen or so years. Taking stock of itself, you could say. I would hope this time, they buckle down and take stock of the serious issues that have been sorely neglected during the Rogge presidency. We've discussed some of them here. Otherwide the next IOC president will have a mess to clean up on their hands.
It concerns me that the same issues that seem to come up again and again at an IOC Session are the ones that the IOC very publicly chooses to ignore: the escalating costs of bidding, despite Dr. Rogge's commitment in 2003 at Prague "to bring the costs of the Games down", the continued issues in regards to doping, and now, issues that have come up regarding the ages of athletes in certain competitions. Enough already!
My hope for Copehagen is that the Session and Congress will take on these issues, so we can move on to more new and positive aspects of sport that enrich all our lives, to the betterment of all concerned.
It will be a good way to avoid declaring the IOC DOA.
Thursday, October 2, 2008
Denver-not so fast!
They're at it again.
Didn't they go thru this once before-and tell the IOC to stick it where the sun doesn't shine?
The Metro Denver Sports Commission thinks they can bring an Olympics to Denver. Remember the last time Denver was actually awarded the Games, only to have the tree-huggers vote the Games out of town? Innsbruck, Austria saved the day, and in turn, saved the IOC from major embarassment.
I recall a conversation I had with a senior IOC member in regards to a possible Denver bid. He told me it "would be a cold day in hell" before the IOC would ever award another Games to Denver, all because of "what happened the last time."
Sport Accord to be held in Denver next March is sure to have some hot and heavy discussion regarding any Denver bid. My personal opinion is that Denver would best be served if they forgot about the Olympics and tried to lure another major sports event, such as the Super Bowl to Denver, that would have less risk and less chance of failure, due to the amount of public money that is needed to finance a bid versus committing hundreds of millions of public money that in the end might not be successful.
Save your money, Denver. Your citizens will thank you in the end.
Didn't they go thru this once before-and tell the IOC to stick it where the sun doesn't shine?
The Metro Denver Sports Commission thinks they can bring an Olympics to Denver. Remember the last time Denver was actually awarded the Games, only to have the tree-huggers vote the Games out of town? Innsbruck, Austria saved the day, and in turn, saved the IOC from major embarassment.
I recall a conversation I had with a senior IOC member in regards to a possible Denver bid. He told me it "would be a cold day in hell" before the IOC would ever award another Games to Denver, all because of "what happened the last time."
Sport Accord to be held in Denver next March is sure to have some hot and heavy discussion regarding any Denver bid. My personal opinion is that Denver would best be served if they forgot about the Olympics and tried to lure another major sports event, such as the Super Bowl to Denver, that would have less risk and less chance of failure, due to the amount of public money that is needed to finance a bid versus committing hundreds of millions of public money that in the end might not be successful.
Save your money, Denver. Your citizens will thank you in the end.
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
How old are you?
That's the question being asked by the IOC this week in regards to the Chinese gymnasts who have raised suspicions with various sport governing bodies in regards to their ages. The Chinese authorities have turned over copies of documentation, such as passports, residence permits and ID cards to prove the ages of the 2008 gold medal team are within the 16-years old minimum age limit.
I watched some of the gymnastics events. If all of those kids are at least 16, then there is a bridge somewhere that is for sale. One of them looked awfully young. I have heard thru the grapevine that one of them is all of 11 years old. Some of the members of China's 2000 Sydney gymnastics team are also being investigated. If it turns out some of these girls are under age, it throws the medal placements into chaos.
China's "win at all costs" attitude got them into trouble. And it's victims are the youngest ones, pawns in a closely-crafted propaganda machine, that awards deceit and punishes honesty.
No one knows what the eventual outcome of this is going to be, but one thing is for certain: we haven't heard the last of this one yet.
A case of child abuse: legally sanctioned by the Chinese government.
And this is only the beginning.
I watched some of the gymnastics events. If all of those kids are at least 16, then there is a bridge somewhere that is for sale. One of them looked awfully young. I have heard thru the grapevine that one of them is all of 11 years old. Some of the members of China's 2000 Sydney gymnastics team are also being investigated. If it turns out some of these girls are under age, it throws the medal placements into chaos.
China's "win at all costs" attitude got them into trouble. And it's victims are the youngest ones, pawns in a closely-crafted propaganda machine, that awards deceit and punishes honesty.
No one knows what the eventual outcome of this is going to be, but one thing is for certain: we haven't heard the last of this one yet.
A case of child abuse: legally sanctioned by the Chinese government.
And this is only the beginning.
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Bye Giselle
Come the end of November or thereabouts, the Olympic media office will have one less person we have come to know. It's definitely going to be a loss.
Giselle Davies was (and still is!) a class act. However, I understand her decision to step down after six years. Being the Director of Communications, and all that goes with it takes a lot out of you-especially the travelling. She has said she "wants to start a new chapter both personally and professionally" in her life.
I had another friend who worked in the press office. She cited similar reasons for wanting to get off the treadmill and put down roots. It's tough to have any resembalance of a life when one's job takes you to London, Sydney, Beijing and all points inbetween.
She has been entirely supportive of me-and that means a lot. Considering that what I have written has many times not been entirely complimentary regarding IOC activities, she certainly has supported my right to say it. Sometimes painful things have to be said-and I can't think of a better person to leave the Communications department in good hands than her.
I only hope her replacement will continue her high standards and fairness. I have seen her handle uppity press people (you know who you are!) with grace and style. I wish her all the best.
What next for her? At this time, no one has said and if they know, it's being kept close to the vest. I personally would like to see her write a book, and knowing where the bodies are buried will make for very interesting reading. I would love to read what she has to say after she leaves that she probably couldn't have said before.
Happy trails Giselle. You've more than earned this next chaper in your life-and it's going to be a good one!
Giselle Davies was (and still is!) a class act. However, I understand her decision to step down after six years. Being the Director of Communications, and all that goes with it takes a lot out of you-especially the travelling. She has said she "wants to start a new chapter both personally and professionally" in her life.
I had another friend who worked in the press office. She cited similar reasons for wanting to get off the treadmill and put down roots. It's tough to have any resembalance of a life when one's job takes you to London, Sydney, Beijing and all points inbetween.
She has been entirely supportive of me-and that means a lot. Considering that what I have written has many times not been entirely complimentary regarding IOC activities, she certainly has supported my right to say it. Sometimes painful things have to be said-and I can't think of a better person to leave the Communications department in good hands than her.
I only hope her replacement will continue her high standards and fairness. I have seen her handle uppity press people (you know who you are!) with grace and style. I wish her all the best.
What next for her? At this time, no one has said and if they know, it's being kept close to the vest. I personally would like to see her write a book, and knowing where the bodies are buried will make for very interesting reading. I would love to read what she has to say after she leaves that she probably couldn't have said before.
Happy trails Giselle. You've more than earned this next chaper in your life-and it's going to be a good one!
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
Getting ready for another busy year
We've been busy, but we haven't forgotten about you! Many thanks to my loyal readers. We're coming up on our first anniversary and I thank you for your support. There's going to be lots of stuff to discuss in the run-up to Copenhagen 2009, so stay right here!