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Thoughts on how to select Olympic venues

Tricia

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A friend of mine posted this on Facebook and I thought....hmmmm, there's a thought

Today’s caffeine inspired genius idea: Whatever country wins the most medals in the Winter Olympic gets to host the next Olympics. That means the winter sports are part of their culture and they are committed, have the infrastructure and want them for the right reasons. Take IOC/bribery out of the mix. Remember how great the Lillehammer Olympics were?
 

Muleski

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Cute idea. No chance. None.

First you have the IOC. Until that whole system is overhauled {and they have NO incentive to change and many not to} the Olympic Games are an enormously grotesque boondoggle. See @newfydog's posts about their being guests at Sochi.

It's no bargain to be able to host the games. You have to seriously wonder when there will be a lack of willing hosts bidding. That is as it stands now.

We think about the ski piece. Even that had huge venue needs. You need Nordic ski jumps. You need all of the freestyle venues. A halfpipe. I am told that just the hill prep at Aspen for the X games costs about $300K. The tracks for XC, including biathalon.

No need to accolade the press, the athletes, coaches, staff, the industry folks. Guests. The housing and food needs are huge. High end WC skiers aren't staying in dorms and eating just anything for food.

The thing has to change, but the horse is out of the barn and barely visible.

Because of my dad's business, my family went to the 1960-1988 games. I skipped 1976. The change even over those years was nuts. When you think about weather issues, and the number of sports and athletes.....Wow.

Think about the skating and hockey facility needs? Yikes.

Hate to be a downer.

If there were rotating sites in the work, how many? Four, five? One would be in North America? Where would it be, planning long term and considering weather?

Big challenge.

"Take IOC/Bribery out of the mix...." That's a good one. Riddle me this? Who does the IOC answer to? What is their incentive to "reform"

My family lived in Lausanne, Switzerland in the 1960's. My dad's office was near the IOC, and I remember as a kid his railing on what a bunch of pompous idiots they were, just spending money like water. Chauffeur driven MB 600's etc. I can't imagine now.

Bigger question....does alpine skiing even need the Olympics, seriously. Could the FIS World Champs in effect replace them? I think so. It'd frankly better run, at better venues than any recent Olympics.

Beaver Creek 2015 was, IMO, incredible.
 

crgildart

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It seems every time the US gets an opportunity the US folks in that city don't want anything do to with it. Folks in Minneapolis didn't want the SuperBowl either.. Maybe instead of having people bid on them cities with the most basic required terrain and venues should be REQUIRED to be available to host. If you decline being in a lottery to become the host on any given year your athletes won't be allowed to participate. Just a thought. Otherwise we're stuck with the current mode where only a small handful of nations are actually interested in hosting. Everyone else just wants to be guests and participants..
 

BC.

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I am kinda hoping SLC does not get the games

Really??

As a “local”, I would think it would be so cool to have them in my back yard.
As a community member I am sure there would be opportunities to work/attend many events over the course of those 2 weeks.

I am sure there are many negatives to having them (as people will probably note).....but I would think it would be a cool 2 weeks......
 

newfydog

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Take IOC/bribery out of the mix. Remember how great the Lillehammer Olympics were?

Norway was going to bid to host another Olympics. The IOC asked for more than even they could stomach:

  • They demand to meet the king prior to the opening ceremony. Afterwards, there shall be a cocktail reception. Drinks shall be paid for by the Royal Palace or the local organizing committee.
  • Separate lanes should be created on all roads where IOC members will travel, which are not to be used by regular people or public transportation.
  • A welcome greeting from the local Olympic boss and the hotel manager should be presented in IOC members' rooms, along with fruit and cakes of the season. (Seasonal fruit in Oslo in February is a challenge ...)
  • The hotel bar at their hotel should extend its hours “extra late” and the minibars must stock Coke products.
  • The IOC president shall be welcomed ceremoniously on the runway when he arrives.
  • The IOC members should have separate entrances and exits to and from the airport.
  • During the opening and closing ceremonies a fully stocked bar shall be available. During competition days, wine and beer will do at the stadium lounge.
  • IOC members shall be greeted with a smile when arriving at their hotel.
  • Meeting rooms shall be kept at exactly 20 degrees Celsius at all times.
  • The hot food offered in the lounges at venues should be replaced at regular intervals, as IOC members might “risk” having to eat several meals at the same lounge during the Olympics.
The IOC issued a statement responding to Oslo's decision:

"This is a missed opportunity for the City of Oslo and for all the people of Norway who are known world-wide for being huge fans of winter sports. And it is mostly a missed opportunity for the outstanding Norwegian athletes who will not be able to reach new Olympic heights in their home country."
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From first chauffeur in Sochi, to the last private lounge, it was clear that the games and the athletes really don't matter much. They are just a vehicle to dole out the perks and status for people who have far too much of that already.
 

Started at 53

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Really??

As a “local”, I would think it would be so cool to have them in my back yard.
As a community member I am sure there would be opportunities to work/attend many events over the course of those 2 weeks.

I am sure there are many negatives to having them (as people will probably note).....but I would think it would be a cool 2 weeks......

Cool two weeks? Sure, but what about the year leading up to it? What about the likely increased taxes to pay for it? What about the traffic nightmare? There are no guarantees on getting tickets to popular events.

And.... I personally think the best way to watch sports is on TV, not because I do TV, but because I do TV. Yeah, that is a bit confusing.... I am at sporting events all the time, the logistics are a nightmare and I am inside the ropes so to speak. Give me my comfy chair, and I’ll watch the recording on my DVR to skip over the crap I do NOT wanna watch.

Sorry to be a downer, but I have had about 5 lifetimes of live sporting events. With rare exception, I’d rather watch on TV

Exceptions? Pretty short list:
Wimbledon (I have been a few times as a spectator, and broadcast it twice)
US Open Tennis (once was enough)
Daytona 500 (very cool, but once was enough)
The Masters (I will get to watch it on TV this year for the first time in 18 years, yep, I have worked the past 18)
Ryder Cup (every golf fan should go at least once) .....(I have worked everyone since 1999) .....(Better on TV)
Kitzbühel (This one is on my bucket list, but tough to fit into my work schedule)

I am sure there are a few more, but that gives you an idea of my take on attending sporting events.
 

crgildart

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Someone like Bezos and/or Musk ought to launch a NEW "global sports ceremonial committee" to compete directly against the Olympics in a more host friendly format.
 

BC.

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My cousin played at Miami (OH).....we went to a few college hockey games to see him play....as a HS kid....I thought it was incredible....the small arena, the hits, the fights, the swearing student chants...the debauchery.....great!

I played soccer and baseball in college....but after those trips, I always wished I was a hockey player....great sport.
 

Bad Bob

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Maybe the Greeks had it right. They had 1 venue where the games were held each time. (War was also banned during the month prior and after the games)

Choose one location in the world and building it up with with facilities that would be of truly Olympic stature and quality to be used every 4 years with perhaps World Championship competition on the even years in between. It could be located in a winter sure location. It could be initially funded by contributions of the participating nations, perhaps "X" % of their annual military expenditure? Nations could send a delegation but would have to meet the funding rules that other nations followed. The site should be located in a neutral location, hello Switzerland Liechtenstein or the like.

If the IOC did not like this, great, we do have a UN to help facilitate such activities.

I am returning to my corner now to take my meds and wax my ski poles.
 

Muleski

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I was just catching up with my brother and mentioned this discussion. He's howling. He was an alternate at the 1968 games. He asked me if I recall having dinner with True Davis, who was the ambassador to Switzerland, and the US Ambassador to France. Yeah, I did. I was 14. My brother was howling. We had a simple dinner, at a very simple place. We ate "family style." My parents had invited them, and dad picked up the check. My brother, who's older, remembers the three guys railing on the IOC. This was when the "amateur" BS was heating up. He was saying that they were saying that if those guys had to perform in normal jobs, they wouldn't be able to put food on the table. I had no idea who our top IOC delegates are. A former female rower in her 60's, and a former female ice hockey player in her 30's. My brother said "Not a chance that in that forum anybody listens to them. No swing whatsoever. Not men, as dumb as that sounds in 2018."

Yeah........as I said this thing got out of control LONG ago. I was in on some of the discussions about Boston making a bid for the summer games. Absolutely impossible to do it, without nearly bankrupting the city, the state, etc. The infrastructure needs would be huge. That might not be bad as Boston and MA has big needs to rebuild roads, bridges and overhaul many transportation needs. But you also typically end up with other projects that just linger long thereafter. It's jut become so big, let alone the stupid BS that @newfydog has mentioned.

The whole thing has exploded so far out of control. Why on earth would you want to host this in it's current form?

As far as my question as to who the IOC answers to, I have absolutely no idea!
 

Tom K.

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So, for all you guys that know something about this, is there any chance that the IOC will evenutally price themselves right out of the market, or will there always be takers?
 

Muleski

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I wonder when they hit the tipping point. At least until now there are interested cities, competitive processes to "win" the games, etc. Now, are they rational? Is there an unlimited number of corporate sponsors to pony up the cash? I have to think that we're close to that point, at least in North America. I can't speak for Europe.

I heard comments like "totally irresponsible" and "completely insane" from friends working to think this through in Boston. I believe that the summer games are infinitely more complicated, but have more revenue/sponsor options.

At some point the "show the world our country thing" probably runs out.

Read the Olympic charter, etc. sometime. It's not quite so applicable these days. Just amazing changes.
 

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