Attendance at the Nagano Games stood at 1,358,207 as of
Saturday (KYODO NEWS, 2/21)....The NAOC web site is expected
to receive more than 600 million hits during the Games,
compared with 187 million hits registered in Atlanta. The
site peaked at 103,049 hits per minute Friday during the
men's semifinal hockey game between Finland and Russia, and
the women's figure skating program (KYODO NEWS, 2/21)....The
Canadian Olympic team has "triggered a nationwide fashion
frenzy" for Roots merchandise. Roots stores in Canada and
overseas have been "overwhelmed by calls" for Roots caps,
which retail at $40. Roots' Olympic jackets are also "in hot
demand" (EDMONTON SUN, 2/23)....Italy made a last-minute
application for the 2006 Games. It goes up against cities
from Slovakia, Poland, Switzerland, Slovenia and Austria
(CALGARY SUN, 2/22)....Juan Antonio Samaranch said the IOC
will begin studies to see if more days need to be added to
the Summer Games, a move that "could mean more revenues for
rights-holding TV broadcasters." Samaranch added that
snowboarding will be included again at the 2002 Games:
"Snowboarding is quite an important event" (KYODO, 2/23).
