Phelps A Media Magnet After Record Olympics

The curtain drops on week one of the Beijing Games and the clear winners are Michael Phelps and NBC. The buzz around Phelps has reached celebrity status, and he is sure to be one of the most talked-about stories of the year. Wherever you look, he is there (or his mother, coach, sisters, etc.). For NBC, the ratings will drop over the next seven nights, but the Games are already being hailed as an unqualified success, with the N.Y. TIMES calling them the “hottest event of the summer, with numbers that so far have been ... far beyond the network's expectations." In addition, these Games could be re-writing the media playbook on the nexus between the traditional TV and online world. In terms of the Games themselves in Beijing, observers offer different accounts of their experiences on site, but influential Olympic observer Ed Hula writes that overall, "all seems okay here” heading into week two.

Outlet Pass
NBA in advanced talks to stream live games in local markets, surely unsettling news for operators and media partners.

Extra Credit
Myles Brand earns $935,000 in the last FY, up 4% from the previous year.

Calling Card
ManU ink reported US$18M-plus sponsorship with mega phone company Saudi Telecom.

New York Minute
With "Mike & the Mad Dog" off the air, WFAN at crossroads as Mets, Esiason deals also near end.

Milk Money
Former Indy 500 winner Danny Sullivan in talks to acquire NASCAR's Bill Davis Racing.

Summer Of Slam 
USA TODAY rips NBC for “turning a blind eye" to problems in China; Costas gets strong marks for adroit handling of coverage, but AP wonders how NBC talent is supposed to pronounce Beijing!

Sprinting To The Finish?
Liu Xiang's withdrawal from Games seen as a huge hit to China, sponsors, while Usain Bolt's record dash has Puma smiling.

Good Seats Still Available 
As poor attendance persists in Beijing, VANOC officials look to better policies for 2010.