There was quite the outcry in the US when the top tier NBA players weren't playing and the second tier guys were getting rolled on a regular basis.

I think it's important to not put it aside because we are at a point where we should be able to discuss it and point out the issues with it. And just because issues have been around for a while, doesn't mean we shouldn't discuss them and maybe correct them now (though obviously there's zero movement to correct or fix anything - the masses fully buy into the "honor to play for country" propaganda (see this thread for examples) and those in charge of the IOC are making plenty of money and have no incentive to change).

Did you even read this ****? 820-700/650 is between 120 M and 170 M in the hole. How is that making bank? That's losing your shirt.

What is this evidence? That you don't know what you are talking about?

Fact is Olympics aren't really making that much. The problem with the Olympics is they cost so ****ing much. NBC paid for those rights and they normally don't even recoup their losses. Even if they do, they probably aren't making the killing you guys are making it out to be.

lol at rolled on a regular basis. since nba players were allowed the only olympics in which they lost games was 2004 with duncan, marbury, iverson, labronze, wade, anthony, stoudemire, etc.

CLEARLY ALL REVENUE IS PROFIT AND PEOPLE ARE POCKETING HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS

This is the core question. But, I'd say it's also close to the core question in the college athletics case, too. Clearly coaches rake in a lot of money, but beyond that I'd imagine that there's a really good analogy: in college athletics, the moneymakers probably subsidize a lot of other losing sports more than anything else. Whether this is seen as a worthwhile charitable endeavor (and whether it's actually framed that way, which it typically isn't) seems like it would shape a lot of the opinion on this stuff.

The USOC is a non-profit charity. Athletes are essentially donating their time like any other charity worker.

The main difference between the USOC and other charities is that because there are so many people wanting to donate their time, and because there is value gained by the participants for that donation, the USOC can be more particular and require that participants donate their name and likeness. Athletes often give their names to charities for no compensation.

It's essentially a supply/demand problem. USOC can get more for the spots they offer (higher price). Other charities are similar in that if they are very popular at some times they only look for people with skills that add value rather than any schlub off the street who wishes to volunteer. If I don't like how the charity uses me, I can stop helping them.

Nice post cornboy

They have sold 900 million worth of advertisments to date for London alone and they payed 4.4 billion for 4 x summer + 4 x winter olympics. Sounds like they might turn a profit.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/13/sp...-olympics.html


Not really.

4 Olympics include 2 winter games which aren't anywhere near as profitable. I doubt they really re-coup their money but will see. Again you guys keep exaggerating how much is really being made here.

and thats all ignoring that there are other expenses to broadcasting the olympics than the rights fee

Pretty sure the 1.18 billion also includes the next winter games and not just the summer games. All I remember is the 4.4 billion or whatever it was for 4x+4x

My estimation is the cost of broadcasting both events is roughly half the total revenue of one winter games. Could be way off ldo

I guess you're not aware that the US mens national team is more than a once every 4 year commitment. Look back at some world championship results.

Your wrong my friend.

Who cares about NBC?

People kept saying TV people are making a killing with the Olympics. There really isn't anyone that is rolling in money when it comes to the Olympics maybe other than the construction people putting up stadiums in these countries.

when you are making the argument "NBC makes bank filming these athletes" in the thread then showing that is a blatant lie is pretty relevant.

where is the money coming from to pay the 11000 athletes that participate in the summer olympics?

I did?

Mmmm the 4.38 billion might indeed only be for summer Olympics in which case they'd do well to break even.
Edit: Oh lol it's even worse it's 2x+2x .. yeah it'll be pretty hard to break even. I wonder how much our bid was for the German rights, will research that.
Edit2: German rights are supposed to have gone for a little over 100 million Euro for the next winter+summer bundled. Looks like NBC simply massively overpays. For comparison Germany has roughly 82 million people, USA roughly 310 million I think? That's about a factor of 3.8x

The argument I made was not "it's unfair because NBC turns huge profits" it was "the IOC gets huge sums of money which they should kickback to the athletes"

case closed did, capone made a response, then you decided to jump in the middle and say his response was useless

They are generating revenue in hundreds of millions of dollars. Another expense should be the athletes they use to generate that revenue.

Also, lol @ the USOC being a charity. I get that it legally is. But what is their cause? Nationalism?

It was case closed. He said TV networks were making bank and then posted some links which he either didn't read or understand b/c that basically said how ****ty the TV networks were doing.

their cause is to provide all of the training and give athletes the ability to participate in the olympics

They are trying to pay for their huge bill. That money that they paid goes to the IOC which pays for the games which doesn't normally turn much of a profit either. Do you want coverage going forward? Do you want the games?

TV + Ticket Sales + Sponsorship pay for the ridiculously expensive games, stadiums, housing all the athletes, training all the athletes, etc. But obviously it's all free--right. You guys are just clueless to how expensive the Olympics actually are. I'm pretty sure the countries are clueless as well or they would never allow them in their country. The London Olympics might break revenue #s but they are spending so much $$$ that they are probably going to lose a ton of money.

It really blows my mind that our station pays 100 million Euro (roughly 131 million $) for 82 million people and NBC pays
Roughly 2 billion $ for 310 million people.

That's 6.45 per person vs 1.6 per person. Or in other words NBC pays over 4x as much
(no wonder they are the worst of the major US networks)