Mark Kolier’s Blog

Posts Tagged ‘Winter Olympics’

I’ve been posting regularly on my blog for over two years now and by far the most visited (and I hope read) post is the one I did earlier this year on American skier Lindsey Vonn. In that post from February 2010 http://bit.ly/h42aCA I included a couple of photos from the Sports Illustrated shoot Ms. Vonn took part in. One was of Vonn skiing, the other was of Vonn in a bikini.

The amount of traffic generated from this post is stunning to me. Are people really that curious about Lindsey Vonn? She is a terrific skier and had an excellent if not slightly disappointing Olympics in terms of winning gold medals in every event she in which she competed. A high standard to say the least.

Yet ten months later (skiing season in full swing) people are still reading that post from February. I’d like to believe it’s due to my being a writer of compelling content but I suspect it’s the bikini shot that might be driving the traffic. (Or stopping traffic?).

Ms. Vonn won another big race yesterday and she is at the top of sports news wires quite often. Just for a laugh I searched photos of Lindsey Vonn http://bit.ly/hHzaim – it seems to me as seriously as Ms. Vonn should be taken as a professional athlete she also understands that her popularity is ‘enhanced’ by provocative photos of her all over the internet. Should she be faulted for that?

I’m impressed by Ms. Vonn’s ability to stay in the forefront of the public eye. Winning races and competing at the highest level is her true contribution. After all if she weren’t winning she’d just be another Anna Kournikova.

Is Lindsey selling out by capitalizing on the fact that she is an attractive female athlete at the peak of her physical abilities (double entendre completely intended!)?

Am I selling out because I am writing about it again to see if my blog traffic increases as a result of this follow up post?

John Skipper of ESPN is both a neighbor of mine as well (he was also my son’s 4^th grade basketball coach over a decade ago) as the Executive VP for content.   In an article in yesterday’s NY Times http://nyti.ms/ciWFqt he discussed the idea that should ESPN be awarded the 2014 winter and 2016 summer games (which they plan to bid on) they would discontinue the tape-delay template. 

I agree completely with him.   Let this be the last Olympics where I have to be cajoled into hanging in there under the banner of ’17 minutes until Lindsey Vonn’.  Or ‘Apolo Ohno in 22 minutes’.  This while they show a taped cross country ski race for which we already know the result.  

NBC has offered live coverage on MSNBC (hockey in particular) and CNBC to name two alternate stations.   In fact I watched the women’s gold medal game last night live.  But NBC rarely if ever suggests that you go to MSNBC or CNBC to watch an event live.  As if they are somehow going to scoop their own coverage.  Yes I realize that non-cable subscribers may not have that access but – too bad for them if that’s the case.  

And as I was watching the hockey game last night with my wife and 16 year old daughter (the Canadian goaltender nearly stood on her head in pitching a shutout vs. a very determined and capable American squad), I marveled – (well maybe I was just impressed) at the continuous action and NO commercial breaks during the period.  The game was fast paced and took less than 2 hours to complete.  It was an enjoyable experience and although disappointed the Americans did not win I was happy for the Canadians who have a world of pressure to deliver gold in what should be but is not their national sport (lacrosse!). 

If you watch soccer on TV (and the 2010 World cup in South Africa is coming up fast in June) you notice that there are not commercial breaks either.  The action is continuous but what they do is place rotating ads on the screen in the corner.  Why doesn’t MSNBC do the same thing during the Olympic hockey coverage?   Viewers are fairly accustomed to this now and we do understand that broadcast rights are expensive. I sincerely doubt most people would begrudge rotating on screen ads if done unobtrusively, particularly if we exchange that model for one that has us going to commercial breaks at seemingly every stoppage of play as it is in the NHL TV coverage. 

How could MSNBC miss this opportunity?

The Winter Olympics are here.  Finally?  After all it’s been less than a week since the Super Bowl and this is the time of the sports year where there is VERY little going on.   This weekend is the NBA All-star game.  Ho-hum.    And the NHL will be over shadowed by Olympic Hockey.  NCAA basketball is still weeks away from March Madness. 

NBC Universal paid $ 820 million for the right to televise the 2010 winter games.  In 2006 NBC paid $ 613 million.  I cannot think of another valuation that has increased that much (+33%) since 2006.  All this and NBC has reported they will lose money on the 2010 winter games. 

So who stands to benefit most from the games in the U.S.?   My prediction is World Cup skiing champion Lindsey Vonn.   Fresh off her appearance in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit issue (May Lou Retton and even Nancy Kerrigan never had that opportunity), Mrs. (yes that is her married name) Vonn will become the most covered up yet over-exposed participant (American or not) at the games.   Check the ‘photo shoot’ NBC has posted on its winter Olympic website – http://www.nbcolympics.com/photos/galleryid=261208.html#lindsey+vonn+magazine+fashion+shoot

Just yesterday there was concern that a shin injury might preclude Lindsey’s participation in the Olympics altogether.  Yet somehow miraculously she took a ski run and declared herself fit and ready for the games.   She averred that she hoped to win ANY medal at the games but if she fails to bring home gold of any kind it will be seen as a monumental failure.  As the reigning World Cup champion (something that simply does not occur for American skiers regardless of gender) the pre-games hype is hardly unwarranted. 

Unfortunately since ski races take place during the daylight hours many people will not be able to view Lindsey’s exploits in the comfort of their living room.   A ski run takes 2 minutes or so and I am sure people will be watching at work or wherever – once the event has taken place – but not live. 

Vonn is planning to race in no less than five events.  NBC and the U.S. Olympic committee have hitched its wagon to Lindsey’s rising star.   No other American athlete is even close on the radar screen.   Be prepared to be tired of all the ‘up close and personal’ and background on the life of Lindsey Vonn.  Remember the Michael Phelps love-fest a couple of years ago?    Kind of makes me tired of it before it even starts (and yes I will be rooting for her despite all that).

Your fifteen minutes are here Lindsey.  A lifetime of living off them awaits you.  What will you do with them?