Olympics, a way to make money?

Originally posted by dryhump
Without the athletes there is no need for a nation to host the olympics. The people doing all the work to set the stage for the athletes are all paid. Yet the people providing the product the IOC has sold are not paid.

Most of them will get a free trip abroad. And the vast majority will be nowhere close to the medal stand. I've personally known a few people that have participated in the Olympics, and none have felt cheated.

London had to spend a few billion to build the facilities, provide security, etc. That money is recouped by selling rights to NBC and other country's networks. NBC recoups its money in advertising. The advertisers recoup their money by increased sales. The viewers are not forced to watch, and of those who do watch, none are forced to by the products advertised. The athletes are not forced to participate.

Although London recoups some money, most of the time it is a money losing endeavor for the host nation. And NBC may not break even.

Even though the athletes are not forced to participate, most are still very eager to be there (even those that have virtually no chance of winning a medal).

Can't we find real problems to gripe about?

Originally posted by AThousandYoung
Why do you want free access to entertainment?

Do you think you have a right to free access to the RHP forums?

That's it, the Olympics are simply entertainment, nothing more! That's my entire point of the thread. There is no greater Olympic spirit, any attempt to say otherwise is simply trying to mask the real reason: Entertainment and profits for the rich.

Originally posted by Eladar
That's it, the Olympics are simply entertainment, nothing more! That's my entire point of the thread. There is no greater Olympic spirit, any attempt to say otherwise is simply trying to mask the real reason: Entertainment and profits for the rich.

And athletes from many places will show up, wear their countries colors, give it their best on the court/track/pool, and come in dead last... and feel both honor and joy for having been there. They'll treasure the memory for the rest of their lives.

I hope I never learn to hate those wealthier than me enough to be this cynical.

Originally posted by Eladar
That's it, the Olympics are simply entertainment, nothing more! That's my entire point of the thread. There is no greater Olympic spirit, any attempt to say otherwise is simply trying to mask the real reason: Entertainment and profits for the rich.

You get NBC for free. You get to watch and you don't have to pay. What exactly are you complaining about? Why are you bothered by the fact that one corporation charges other corporations for advertising?

Originally posted by Eladar
That's it, the Olympics are simply entertainment, nothing more! That's my entire point of the thread. There is no greater Olympic spirit, any attempt to say otherwise is simply trying to mask the real reason: Entertainment and profits for the rich.

Bah Humbug!

Originally posted by quackquack
You get NBC for free. You get to watch and you don't have to pay. What exactly are you complaining about? Why are you bothered by the fact that one corporation charges other corporations for advertising?

I'm complaining that NBC gets to determine my olympic experience. If other stations could air the games I could choose which games to watch and which commentators to listen to.

Originally posted by techsouth
And athletes from many places will show up, wear their countries colors, give it their best on the court/track/pool, and come in dead last... and feel both honor and joy for having been there. They'll treasure the memory for the rest of their lives.

I hope I never learn to hate those wealthier than me enough to be this cynical.

I don't have those wealthier than me. My eyes have simply been opened.

Originally posted by Eladar
I'm complaining that NBC gets to determine my olympic experience. If other stations could air the games I could choose which games to watch and which commentators to listen to.

The people who broadcast games want to get paid and they can best do so by having exclusive right. In fact it is not any different than any other sporting event that you have ever seen.

Originally posted by quackquack
The people who broadcast games want to get paid and they can best do so by having exclusive right. In fact it is not any different than any other sporting event that you have ever seen.

Other sporting events are purely entertainiment. The olympics are supposed to be different. My point is that it is not. The olympics is nothing more than just another way for those who have money to exert its power over those who do not. They do it by trying to tell you that the olympics are something different, that they are a way of all people meeting together for a greater global community.

Total bs.

It is nothing more than another way to suck money out of the common man. It is just over hyped entertainment marketed in a deceiving manner.

Originally posted by Eladar
Other sporting events are purely entertainiment. The olympics are supposed to be different. My point is that it is not. The olympics is nothing more than just another way for those who have money to exert its power over those who do not. They do it by trying to tell you that the olympics are something different, that they are a way of all people meeting t ...[text shortened]... oney out of the common man. It is just over hyped entertainment marketed in a deceiving manner.

How do they suck money out of you?
(1) you can choose to not watch
(2) you can watch for free

Originally posted by quackquack
How do they suck money out of you?
(1) you can choose to not watch
(2) you can watch for free

Anyone can choose not the watch, that means that you are being kept from watching the world celebration.

If you want to watch something better than women's road cycling (Men's basketball?) then you have to get one of the pay channels.

You don't watch tv for free, you still get bombarded with their politically slanted interviews, politically slanted television show advertisements, you still have to put up with their crap because there is no other choice.

Originally posted by Eladar
Anyone can choose not the watch, that means that you are being kept from watching the world celebration.

If you want to watch something better than women's road cycling (Men's basketball?) then you have to get one of the pay channels.

You don't watch tv for free, you still get bombarded with their politically slanted interviews, politically slanted tele ...[text shortened]... ow advertisements, you still have to put up with their crap because there is no other choice.

All TV bombards you with comercials. Its how they make money. Why exactly do you feel that you have a right to see free programming without commercials?

Originally posted by quackquack
All TV bombards you with comercials. Its how they make money. Why exactly do you feel that you have a right to see free programming without commercials?

Go back and read what I said. I didn't say anything about commercials that raise money.

Originally posted by Eladar
Go back and read what I said. I didn't say anything about commercials that raise money.

You haven't explained why you think that watching the Olympics on TV should be any different than watching anyhing else on TV. You merely complained about features of TV like you can't pick what event they put on and whether they try to sell ancillary products.

Originally posted by Eladar
Why do only certain stations get to air the olympics? Why not open coverage to all stations? Why do I have to watch NBC to watch the olympics? Why can't I have choice?

It's because NBC paid for the rights, which means people are making money off the television coverage. The olympics are little more than a money making scheme and just another way to milk the little guy. Pretty pathetic if you ask me.

Everybody all up and down the line from the athlete on one end, to the couch potato on the other, is engaged in give-and-take transactions that can be summed up as "I'll give you this if you'll give me that."

Identify all of the givers and takers between each athlete and each couch potato and we may find many transactions we think are unfair. The American who doesn't want cable/satellite (and has a TV and internet access) and so has to rely on OTA transissions from a local NBC affiliate, won't be high on my list of unfairly treated people. And I am one of that type.