United States Olympic Committee Delays Launch of Television Network
Just over a month ago, Sports and Cinema.com reported on the USOC’s plans to launch a major cable television network.
Four weeks later, in the midst of the marquee Olympic sport of athletics hosting its world championships , USOC chairman Larry Probst decided to postpone their efforts after meeting with IOC president Jacques Rogge Sunday.
Much of the reaction to the launch announcement was negative and a lot of it came from major Olympic players like the IOC and its longtime American television partner, NBC .
“There is no question that we underestimated the intensity of the reaction that we got from multiple constituents,” said Probst.
A leading issue was that the announcement came at an awkward time which threatened the efforts of the Chicago bid committee to host the 2016 Olympics.
With the vote only seven weeks away, Probst decided it was best to set this dispute aside and remove an easy reason for IOC members to vote against Chicago on the Oct. 2 ballot against Madrid, Rio de Janeiro and Tokyo.
Rogge and Probst agreed to meet at a later date.
yeah the USOC announcement did seem to come at a bad time and it still seems unclear who has all the tv rights to the various Olympic sports for the olympic trials et al
I hope they didnt mess up Chicago’s chance to get the games.
Who said there are no politics in the Olympics?
If Chicago does not get the Games, it will likely be because the IOC wants to have them held in South America for the first time and Rio.
Chicago will get the games if NBC so deems it wants it there.
Follow the money. NBC spends billions to the IOC coffers, they have got to get a lot of sway with that kind of coin.