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“Oprah” Trying To Book Show With Every U.S. Medalist
“The Oprah Winfrey Show” is trying to book all of the U.S. medalists from the 2008 Olympic Games for a special in September, Olympic agents say.
Three Olympic agents who represent 2008 medal-winning athletes, said that the show contacted them and asked if their athletes would be interested in appearing on a show with all of the 2008 Olympic medalists. To date, the U.S. has won 102 medals in Beijing. Read More >Comments -
On The Air: NBC Finds A New Star In Analyst Ato Boldon
As I watch NBC’s coverage of the Olympic track and field competition two things become crystal clear. First, Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt is to track what Michael Phelps is to swimming.Secondly, track analyst Ato Boldon has become a real star for NBC with his enthusiasm, knowledge and colorful style, which lights up the TV screen. Read More >
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NBC's Prime-Time Rating For Wednesday Below Athens
NBC is averaging a 16.9/29 national rating and 29.0 million viewers through 13 prime-time telecasts of the Beijing Olympics, up 7.0 percent over a 15.8/27 for the same period at the 2004 Athens Games. The 16.9 rating is the best prime-time mark through the second Wednesday for a non-U.S. Summer Olympics since a 17.9/34 for the 1992 Barcelona Games. Read More >
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News Notes: Future Hosts Vancouver, London Ready
Vancouver Olympic Organizing Committee chairman John Furlong said Friday, “We’re no longer second in line. In a few days, we’ll be first in line.”
The hosts of the 2010 Winter Olympics are feeling the uptick in interest. Communications Vice President Renee Smith-Valade said traffic to the VANOC Web site has increased fivefold since Aug. 8, when the Beijing Games began. Read More > -
Steven Lopez, Family Fight For Sponsorship Exposure
U.S. taekwondo athlete Steven Lopez followed gold medals at the 2000 Sydney Games and the 2004 Athens Games, the only two previous Olympiads in which taekwondo had been contested, with a bronze medal today in the men's 80 kg welterweight weight class. Steven and brother Mark, who won the silver medal in the men's 68 kg weight class, and sister Diana, who won the bronze medal in the women's 57 kg weight class, are repped by Ann Bleiker and her brother, Cecil Bleiker, of ABC Sports Management. Read More > -
2 Million People Visit Coke’s Olympic Centers In China
More than 2 million people have visited Coca-Cola’s 25 Olympic experience centers across China since the Games began, said Scott McCune, Coca-Cola’s vice president of worldwide sports, entertainment and licensing. Read More >
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NBCU Acquires TV Rights To Swimming Championships
Looking to build on the interest in swimming sparked by the Beijing Games, USA Swimming and NBC Sports announced a partnership sure to make a splash. The partnership will result in the broadcast of the 2009 USA Swimming National Championships and the 2009 World Swimming Championships on NBC Sports and Universal Sports, NBC's newly minted Olympic channel.NBC will provide weekend coverage of the 2009 World Championships and Universal Sports, the channel it co-owns with InterMedia Partners, will offer midweek coverage. Read More >
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Catching Up With MLB's Tim Brosnan Fresh From Beijing
MLB’s executive vice president for business Tim Brosnan returned to New York on Wednesday night from a whirlwind five-day trip to Beijing.The longtime MLB executive has been a key figure in the sport’s increasing involvement in China, which in March saw the staging of two exhibition games between San Diego and the Los Angeles Dodgers. Brosnan spoke with SportsBusiness Journal staff writer Eric Fisher. Read More >
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NBC's Prime-Time Rating Back Over 16 On Tuesday
NBC earned a 16.3/27 national rating with 26.6 million viewers for Tuesday night's prime-time coverage of the Beijing Games, up 3.8 percent from a 15.7/26 for the comparable night in Athens in 2004. Through Monday, NBC is averaging a 17.1/29 national rating (29.3 million viewers) for 12 prime-time telecasts, up 8.2 percent from a 15.8/27 in Athens and marking the best rating through the second Tuesday of a non-U.S. Summer Games since an 18.1/34 for the 1992 Barcelona Games.
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United Airlines Renews $10M Deal With USOC
United Airlines has agreed to renew its sponsorship of the U.S. Olympic Team, signing an agreement to be the official airline of the USOC for the 2009-12 quadrennial. Sources valued the supplier-level deal in the $10 million range over the period of the contract. An announcement is expected later today. Read More >
