The Chicago snub, was more about the rift between the USOC and the IOC... - New England Patriots Forums

***DarrylS*** · 10-04-2009, 06:06 AM

Mentioned this yesterday, that the reason that the US lost out on the olympics was more about the USOC than about the efforts or Obama et al...
this article provides some veracity to the article.. from the Chicago Tribune..

Chicago's loss shows bitter rivalry between USOC and IOC -- chicagotribune.com

Quote:

That Chicago was eliminated in the first round, as shocking as it seemed, also was surprisingly understandable, given the IOC's Byzantine internal politics, its fractious relationship with the country whose companies have been its cash cow and the way the host-city election system is structured.

Since the IOC narrowed the 2016 field from seven to four finalists 16 months ago, it has been apparent that Chicago's biggest challenge would be surviving the first round in what was expected to be a very close election.

Chicago was the only candidate without a significant regional constituency. And it was working to overcome years of IOC members' ill feeling toward the U.S. Olympic Committee, which intensified in the past year.

NBC Sports chairman Dick Ebersol, whose company paid $5.7 billion for Olympic TV rights from 2000 through 2012, placed the blame squarely on the USOC.

"This was the IOC membership saying to the USOC there will be no more domestic Olympics until you join the Olympic movement," Ebersol told me early Saturday morning, after he had talked with many leading members. "Chicago never had a chance, it turns out."

sdaniels7114 · 10-04-2009, 06:49 AM

I think the biggest factor working against Chicago is the fact that the USA has hosted 8 games while the entire continent of South America has hosted none. If the evidence suggested Rio was up to the task of hosting, then it was a no brainer IMO. You can't really say its an international thing if it skips huge regions of the world. The important thing is that Rio's not 14 time zones away.

Don't forget, America gets all the Superbowls.

wistahpatsfan · 10-04-2009, 07:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sdaniels7114

I think the biggest factor working against Chicago is the fact that the USA has hosted 8 games while the entire continent of South America has hosted none. If the evidence suggested Rio was up to the task of hosting, then it was a no brainer IMO. You can't really say its an international thing if it skips huge regions of the world. The important thing is that Rio's not 14 time zones away.

Don't forget, America gets all the Superbowls.

I agree with your take.

Just because Dick Ebersol says it doesn't make it so. His interests were not taken care of so he's pissed. He thinks NBC's money should be the deciding factor, but it wasn't. Neither was politics of the IOC. It was just simply time to give an Olympics to S. America.

Mrs.PatsFanInVa · 10-04-2009, 07:04 AM

The thing that annoyed me most about the whole Olympic bidding last week was the absolute insistance of the right that Obama should not have shown up - that Obama "lost it" for Chicago, that a president of a country had no business "lowering" himself to appeal to a committee to pick "his" country, completely ignoring the fact that if he had NOT shown up he would have been the only leader who didn't.

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva was there.

King Juan Carlos of Spain was there.

Japan's new prime minister, Yukio Hatoyama, was there.

I guess ole Juan and Yukio were greeting as losers when they went home, too, huh?

wistahpatsfan · 10-04-2009, 07:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mrs.PatsFanInVa

...I guess ole Juan and Yukio were greeting as losers when they went home, too, huh?

Makes me want to listen to some Beatles.

mcgraw_wv · 10-04-2009, 07:24 AM

The main reason why the Southern Hemisphere rarely if ever gets a Summer Olympics, is becuase it's Winter down there during our summer...

But yeah, I agree, Atlanta just had the games, there are many many countries int he world, we shouldn't expect a return to the games for at least another 20 years...

scout · 10-04-2009, 07:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mrs.PatsFanInVa

The thing that annoyed me most about the whole Olympic bidding last week was the absolute insistance of the right that Obama should not have shown up - that Obama "lost it" for Chicago, that a president of a country had no business "lowering" himself to appeal to a committee to pick "his" country, completely ignoring the fact that if he had NOT shown up he would have been the only leader who didn't.

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva was there.

King Juan Carlos of Spain was there.

Japan's new prime minister, Yukio Hatoyama, was there.

I guess ole Juan and Yukio were greeting as losers when they went home, too, huh?

If Obama did not make an appearance, he would have been blamed for not being there.

***Harry Boy*** · 10-04-2009, 07:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scout

If Obama did not make an appearance, he would have been blamed for not being there.

Not from me, he should be busy doing what Hollywood and the Pelosi Gang were all blubbering about for 8 years (bringing home the troops and closing gitmo)

What the hell did he drag Queen Oprah over there with him for, what did he think she was going do she's nothing more than a show biz Clown.........

sdaniels7114 · 10-04-2009, 09:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mcgraw_wv

The main reason why the Southern Hemisphere rarely if ever gets a Summer Olympics, is becuase it's Winter down there during our summer...

But yeah, I agree, Atlanta just had the games, there are many many countries int he world, we shouldn't expect a return to the games for at least another 20 years...

I doubt we'll have to wait as long as everyone else. US broadcasting revenue still makes up more than 1/2 of the money the IOC takes in. Money still equals power, and you can bet NBC's giant pile of money is the main reason Chicago got as close as it did.

Real World · 10-04-2009, 10:51 AM

Brazil probably greased more palms too. The IOC is as corrupt as the UN. Maybe worse even. Either way, who cares. We need to focus our resources on more important endeavors.