Filipino Manny Pacquiao, the pound-for-pound best boxer in the world, won the first fight at the new Cowboy Stadium.
Michael Schumacher started his Formula 1 comeback in Bahrain.
The IndyCar season started in Sao Paulo.
David Beckham suffered a World Cup dream-ending achilles injury.
Curling’s Brier was on in Halifax, so was Grapefruit and Cactus League baseball and NFL free agency.
The March Madness bracket was released for the NCAA men’s basketball playoffs.
The Vancouver Canucks played their first home game after a six-week, Olympic-imposed vacation from General Motors Place.
Winter sports athletes who starred at the Vancouver Olympics in skiing and snowboarding finished their world cup tours.
Oh yeah, the Paralympics began.
Para-what?
Sure, we know that the Winter Games for athletes with a disability are a magnificent spectacle of amateur sports because the event is happening in our backyard until March 21. But what about the rest of the world?
Not so much.
Paralympians from 44 countries are enjoying their own stage, but it’s a small stage that is getting little attention from the rest of the world because of the sheer volume of bigger events with recognizable names. As long as this continues, the Paralympics will always be the add-on to the Olympics and the athletes will have little chance at stardom.
International Paralympic Committee president Sir Philip Craven fails to realize that his stubborn stance is actually stunting the growth of sports for people with disabilities.
Dr. Robert Steadward of Edmonton, the IPC’s founding president, boldly stated on March 10 that the Winter Paralympics should be held simultaneously with the Winter Olympics in the same city and venues for the sake of efficiency and to increase the profile. People with disabilities want equality.
There were 2,803 accredited written and photographic press personnel from around the world at the Vancouver Olympics.
There are less than 600 at the Paralympics and most of them are from British Columbia outlets. Most of the world media has gone home and turned its attention elsewhere.
“We believe that Paralympians compete at the Paralympics and there’s no real need for them to compete at the Olympics,” Craven said at a March 12 news conference.
“It’s not my idea of progress, we’ve got a good formula now with the Winter Games and Summer Games,” Craven said. “This is the way it is, and I don’t believe in changing formulae when they work.”
But it doesn’t work because the Paralympics have only two major sponsors -- Visa and Samsung -- and even the big Olympic broadcasters like NBC in the United States and CTV in Canada pay lip service to coverage. If Paralympians could compete in their events during the Olympic period, they would naturally have huge attention.
I was reminded of the power of the Olympics at the Paralympic opening ceremony when Rick Hansen captivated the nearly 60,000 fans in B.C. Place Stadium with his moving speech about the power of sport.
Hansen wheeled around the world from 1985 to 1987 to raise funds for spinal cord research and to campaign for access and equality for people with disabilities. In 1984 Hansen raced in a 1,500 metre event during the Los Angeles Olympics in Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. It was broadcast worldwide. The kid from Williams Lake was a global star because he was on a global stage.
If he competed in a second-tier event seen by few after those Olympics, would Hansen’s Man in Motion world tour have been so successful? Would he be one of the most-trusted, most-inspirational Canadians?
Just asking.
Integrate the Paralympics and Olympics. Celebrate the spirit of athletes of all abilities in the same event. The time has come.
Sunday, March 14, 2010
Friday, March 5, 2010
Mulling marketing with IOC's Lumme
International Olympic Committee marketing and TV services director Timo Lumme spoke to media at the Main Press Centre in Vancouver on Feb. 23 about economic conditions now and in the future for the five-ring circus.
On The Olympic Partner sponsor program:
“We have nine at the moment and the level of financial contribution is higher than it was for the previous quadrennial (US$883 million vs. US$866 million). We have the opportunity now that some of the partners for varying reasons their industries have changed or their structures have changed or they’ve been taken over by other companies, they’ve moved away...
"We have the opportunity to look to have an internal scorecard, just like you’re choosing your friends, we want to be in a position to choose the best. We want them to understand the Olympic brand and fundamental values.”
On the cost of IOC rights fees and whether broadcasters may decide to pay less in the future:
"The IOC has never forced any broadcaster to pay any money. At the end of the day, through a bidding process the broadcaster who wishes to pay the most gets the deal. And that's the way it's been, and that's the way it's going to be in the future.
"We are very confident that the Olympic Games will retain a premium status as a world event and I think it will command a premium price."
On whether the IOC might consider changing the clean-venue policy that prohibits advertising in venues:
"We speak to our partners regularly about that. They have always consistently said, 'No, keep the same, we want a clean venue policy, that's what makes the Olympic Games special.' There's no plan whatsoever to change that policy."
On the impact of social media and its potential economic benefits and drawbacks:
“That allows people to engage more with the Olympic brand, what we’re seeing is really a phenomenon where people are able to have more touch points. That’s a huge boost to us. Then if you put the video coverage aspect in the middle that for us carries a greater value.
“It’s a symbiotic, complementary relationship. What we want to achieve is not just the great experience for 17 days but we’d like Olympic fans to feel that they’re connected 365 days of the year even outside the Games period.
“Generally we’ve done gatekeeper deals where we do all means and media, then it’s up to the rights holder in that territory and they decide how to partition and create the coverage across different platforms.
“In Brazil, new media rights were sold first with Terry by Telefonica, then we did pay TV, satellite and standard. This just reflects that it’s a fast-evolving marketplace.”
On Coca-Cola and McDonald’s, two sponsors whose flagship products are seen as unhealthy by critics:
“Both are longtime Olympic sponsors. On the one hand they’re completely committed to the Olympic values, they will promote our brand and make sure that they are reaching young people trying to aspire to better themselves through sport.
“The financial assistance they provide to us, 92 cents of every dollar we get goes towards various programs we have to put on the Olympic Games and help athletes at the grassroots and elite level train. We feel very comfortable with those partnerships, we know that they have the best interest of the Olympic movement at heart,
“They’re very aware in their own sectors how they have to position themselves, obviously to an extent they use the positive values of the Olympics to position themselves, we’re more than convinced they will continue to provide through their sectors the best products and services to their constituents.”
On The Olympic Partner sponsor program:
“We have nine at the moment and the level of financial contribution is higher than it was for the previous quadrennial (US$883 million vs. US$866 million). We have the opportunity now that some of the partners for varying reasons their industries have changed or their structures have changed or they’ve been taken over by other companies, they’ve moved away...
"We have the opportunity to look to have an internal scorecard, just like you’re choosing your friends, we want to be in a position to choose the best. We want them to understand the Olympic brand and fundamental values.”
On the cost of IOC rights fees and whether broadcasters may decide to pay less in the future:
"The IOC has never forced any broadcaster to pay any money. At the end of the day, through a bidding process the broadcaster who wishes to pay the most gets the deal. And that's the way it's been, and that's the way it's going to be in the future.
"We are very confident that the Olympic Games will retain a premium status as a world event and I think it will command a premium price."
On whether the IOC might consider changing the clean-venue policy that prohibits advertising in venues:
"We speak to our partners regularly about that. They have always consistently said, 'No, keep the same, we want a clean venue policy, that's what makes the Olympic Games special.' There's no plan whatsoever to change that policy."
On the impact of social media and its potential economic benefits and drawbacks:
“That allows people to engage more with the Olympic brand, what we’re seeing is really a phenomenon where people are able to have more touch points. That’s a huge boost to us. Then if you put the video coverage aspect in the middle that for us carries a greater value.
“It’s a symbiotic, complementary relationship. What we want to achieve is not just the great experience for 17 days but we’d like Olympic fans to feel that they’re connected 365 days of the year even outside the Games period.
“Generally we’ve done gatekeeper deals where we do all means and media, then it’s up to the rights holder in that territory and they decide how to partition and create the coverage across different platforms.
“In Brazil, new media rights were sold first with Terry by Telefonica, then we did pay TV, satellite and standard. This just reflects that it’s a fast-evolving marketplace.”
On Coca-Cola and McDonald’s, two sponsors whose flagship products are seen as unhealthy by critics:
“Both are longtime Olympic sponsors. On the one hand they’re completely committed to the Olympic values, they will promote our brand and make sure that they are reaching young people trying to aspire to better themselves through sport.
“The financial assistance they provide to us, 92 cents of every dollar we get goes towards various programs we have to put on the Olympic Games and help athletes at the grassroots and elite level train. We feel very comfortable with those partnerships, we know that they have the best interest of the Olympic movement at heart,
“They’re very aware in their own sectors how they have to position themselves, obviously to an extent they use the positive values of the Olympics to position themselves, we’re more than convinced they will continue to provide through their sectors the best products and services to their constituents.”
Record numbers forecast for Vancouver, but not record profits
The International Olympic Committee’s marketing director estimated 3.5 billion viewers would experience some of Vancouver’s 2010 Winter Olympics.
Timo Lumme said more than 300 broadcasters in 200 territories delivered the first all high-definition Winter Games to TV viewers. He said the total amount of content delivered was 50,000 hours, which is more than Salt Lake 2002 and Turin 2006 combined.
“In four short years from Torino to Vancouver we’ve had a continuing digital explosion,” Lumme said. “We now have the same amount of hours globally covered on digital media, Internet and mobile, as we have on the old media, broadcast.”
In Canada, a record 22 million people were watching when Sidney Crosby scored the gold medal-winning overtime goal in the hockey final. CTV reported average prime time viewership of 5.8 million.
The ratings were in record territories, but the recessionary Games won’t translate to record profits because of the advertising slump. NBC parent General Electric already announced in December that it would lose $200 million because of Vancouver 2010 and is being coy about its post-London 2012 plans. NBC Olympics chief Dick Ebersol is bearish about Sochi 2014, mainly because it's eight hours ahead of New York. Fox and ESPN have mulled bids.
Also in December, CTV Olympics president Keith Pelley said the aim was to break-even. CTV bid US$153 million five years ago for 2010 and 2012 rights, more than double the CBC contract for US$73 million for 2006 and 2008.
"We've said what we're going to say about the economics leading into the Games. Now we're totally focusing on the actual Games and we'll address the consolidated numbers shortly thereafter,” Pelley said during the Games.
The IOC promised VANOC a roster of 11 global sponsors, but it stalled at nine and no new deals were announced in Vancouver. Last summer, the IOC pledged to help VANOC with losses up to $22 million unless the gap could be narrowed through other means.
The B.C. government is the ultimate guarantor and launched a $38 million tourism ad campaign before the Games. The You Gotta Be Here out-of-home ads took up substantial space in the Olympic city and at transit stations, filling space that would have been used by private sponsors had the recession not happened.
Timo Lumme said more than 300 broadcasters in 200 territories delivered the first all high-definition Winter Games to TV viewers. He said the total amount of content delivered was 50,000 hours, which is more than Salt Lake 2002 and Turin 2006 combined.
“In four short years from Torino to Vancouver we’ve had a continuing digital explosion,” Lumme said. “We now have the same amount of hours globally covered on digital media, Internet and mobile, as we have on the old media, broadcast.”
In Canada, a record 22 million people were watching when Sidney Crosby scored the gold medal-winning overtime goal in the hockey final. CTV reported average prime time viewership of 5.8 million.
The ratings were in record territories, but the recessionary Games won’t translate to record profits because of the advertising slump. NBC parent General Electric already announced in December that it would lose $200 million because of Vancouver 2010 and is being coy about its post-London 2012 plans. NBC Olympics chief Dick Ebersol is bearish about Sochi 2014, mainly because it's eight hours ahead of New York. Fox and ESPN have mulled bids.
Also in December, CTV Olympics president Keith Pelley said the aim was to break-even. CTV bid US$153 million five years ago for 2010 and 2012 rights, more than double the CBC contract for US$73 million for 2006 and 2008.
"We've said what we're going to say about the economics leading into the Games. Now we're totally focusing on the actual Games and we'll address the consolidated numbers shortly thereafter,” Pelley said during the Games.
The IOC promised VANOC a roster of 11 global sponsors, but it stalled at nine and no new deals were announced in Vancouver. Last summer, the IOC pledged to help VANOC with losses up to $22 million unless the gap could be narrowed through other means.
The B.C. government is the ultimate guarantor and launched a $38 million tourism ad campaign before the Games. The You Gotta Be Here out-of-home ads took up substantial space in the Olympic city and at transit stations, filling space that would have been used by private sponsors had the recession not happened.
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