Epic, unforgettable and transformative. No three words better summarize the expectations for the 2008 Olympics since the International Olympic Committee selected Beijing as the host city seven years ago. The moment was a watershed in sports, and a crescendo of anticipation has been building ever since.

But how much of the hype can you believe? And how much will it change the Games for the future?

In his book, “Inside the Olympics,” Dick Pound wrote, “The Olympic Games are so huge that they seem to create their own myths.” He added that most can be explained.    Read More  >

Steven Lopez has won two Olympic gold medals and is favored to win a third, but that elite hardware has come in a sport few know about and even fewer can spell. Lopez is a taekwondo fighter, a corner of the Olympic movement long overshadowed by high-profile sports such as gymnastics, swimming and track and field.

But Lopez is one of the most actively endorsed U.S. athletes heading into the Beijing Olympics. His face adorns point-of-sale Coca-Cola signs and stares at you from cartons of Minute Maid orange juice. He smiles on AT&T TV commercials that will air through September, and he kicks someone on a Visa debit card.    Read More  >

Donny Robinson

Athletes such as Michael Phelps, Tyson Gay, Kerri Walsh, Jennie Finch and others have become established as great marketing opportunities for brands looking to tie themselves to the 2008 Olympics.

But there is an array of other athletes whom sponsors can select.

Here are eight potential marketing gems to watch during and after the Beijing Games.    Read More  >

The following lists ratings for NBC's primetime coverage of the Beijing Games for each night through Tuesday.

	Beijing	Athens	Sydney	Atlanta
Opening Ceremony	18.6/33	14.6/27	16.2/29	23.6/45
Day Two	13.9/27	11.8/23	13.1/25	17.2/37
Day Three	17.9/31	15.4/26	14.6/24	22.9/42
Day Four	17.4/28	16.6/27	13.8/23	22.9/40
Day Five	19.9/34	18.3/30	15.5/26	27.2/40
Day Six	16.7/28	17.3/29	14.6/25	22.4/41
Day Seven	17.9/31	19.3/32	14.9/26	26.8/48
Day Eight	15.2/28	14.4/27	14.9/27	17.9/37
Day Nine	17.6/32	13.6/26	13.3/25	19.4/40
Day Ten	15.8/28	15.8/28	16.0/26	18.1/34
Day Eleven	15.8/26	16.4/27	15.8/26	26.4/47
Day Twelve	16.3/27	15.7/26	12.4/21	21.3/39
Day Thirteen	15.2/26	15.3/26	13.9/24	19.8/38
Day Fourteen	13.8/23	13.8/23	14.0/24	20.7/39
Day Fifteen	10.5/19	12.5/25	10.6/20	16.1/33
Day Sixteen	10.2/19	11.1/21	10.5/20	15.8/34
Day Seventeen	15.5/25	11.9/20	10.8/17	21.8/40
Seventeen-Night Average	16.2/28	15.0/26	13.8/24	21.6/41

The following lists a ratings and viewership trend for the Opening Ceremonies of the Summer Olympic Games on NBC.

Site	Year	Rating	Viewers
Beijing	2008	18.6	34,200,000
Athens	2004	14.6	25,384,000
Sydney	2000	16.2	27,272,000
Atlanta	1996	23.6	39,767,000
Barcelona	1992	13.8	21,609,000

The following lists average primetime and total Olympic ratings for past Summer Olympics on NBC.

Site	Year	Primetime Average	Total Olympics Average	Telecasts
Athens	2004	15.0	7.0	68
Sydney	2000	13.8	8.9	51
Atlanta	1996	21.6	14.5	50
Barcelona	1992	17.5	11.4	45
Seoul	1988	17.9	11.2	66