NBC Shrouds Itself in Olympic Glory

For reasons best known to NBC (they claim it was to protect their $1.2BN Olympic rights) they decided not to show Usain Bolt's 100M victory on 5th August live on TV, instead saving it for precious "primetime".

NBC of course do have a live web stream that, in theory, should have shown the race.

Can you guess what happened children?

Yes, that's right, it didn't work.

Well done NBC, $1.2BN well spent on denying other US networks the chance to broadcast the Olympics professionally and in real time!

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Will The Owners of The Empty Olympics Seat Please Stand Up

Atos, BA, Coca Cola, McDonalds, EDF and Thomas Cook have all denied that they own the empty Olympics seats.

That being the case, who does own these seats, and why have the tickets not been given to someone else who actually wants to see the Games?


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Lord Coe Trending on Twitter

Lord Coe has made rather a fool of himself and exposed the Olympics to even more ridicule and contempt (if that were possible), by stating on Radio 4 this morning that spectators would not be allowed to wear clothing with logos of non sponsoring organisations (eg a Pepsi T-shirts are banned).

Suffice to say his comments went down like a lead balloon, and "Lord Coe" is currently trending on Twitter as he and the Games are being subjected to derisive abuse and ridicule.

The furore has prompted Locog (an organisation that has not covered itself in glory) to issue a hasty retraction, saying that people can wear what they like and claiming Coe was confusing "spectators" with those who work at the Games.

All very well, except that Locog have also publicly stated (on their list of banned items) the following:

"Any objects or clothing bearing political statements or overt commercial identification intended for ‘ambush marketing’"

The phrase "clusterfuck" springs to mind!

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Coke To Pay Tax

Coca-Cola have followed McDonald's, GE and Visa and waived the Olympic tax exemption:

"Coca‑Cola has never intended to, and will not be making, any corporate or income tax exemption claim with respect to any activity concerning our involvement with the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

More than 90% of the Coca‑Cola employees working at the Olympic and Paralympic Games are UK nationals. Those from abroad will be paid by their respective home countries.

As one of the longest, continuous sponsors of the Olympic Movement, we are proud that we are able to use our sponsorship to enable millions of people to experience the Games and believe we have a valid role to play. As well as sharing expertise, our financial support will help to stage London 2012. We have also built on our experience as an Olympic and Paralympic sponsor to help LOCOG deliver the most sustainable Games possible."

Apparently they always intended to pay tax, the statement is one merely of clarification.

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Haringey's Olympic Hypocrisy

Haringey Council is gushing forth a veritable tsunami of enthusiasm and support for the forthcoming Olympics (pass the sickbag someone):

"Soon the Olympic Games will take place on our doorstep.

London will be alive with colour, drama and anticipation as visitors from around the world descend on the city to watch athletes from more than 200 countries compete for the greatest sporting prizes.

In Haringey we can all get involved in this once in a lifetime event by lining the streets during the Torch Relay which sees the Olympic Flame transported across the borough by inspirational torchbearers on July 25^th - two days before the opening ceremony.

The council is working with Games organisers to make this a fantastic spectacle and a safe, family occasion to remember forever.

Also that day will be an early evening celebration at Alexandra Palace which is where the Olympic Flame will end its Haringey journey.

During the Games themselves, Haringey will also host many cultural and community events to celebrate the spirit of the Olympics.

But it’s not only about spectacle and sporting excellence: the Games will create a lasting legacy for London and the council will do all it can to share in that legacy and secure benefits for our community.

Some of these will be obvious such as the regeneration of the area around the stadium, which will bring jobs and homes for all. Others may be more subtle, such as attracting worldwide investment and trade, as London is showcased as an efficient and inspiring base for business to flourish.

But the greatest legacy will be if the Olympics fortifies the spirit of our community in these challenging times, providing a beacon of excellence through endeavour."

Haringey Council likes to portray itself as looking after the best interests and welfare of its residents; eg Haringey Council is set to become the first in the UK to limit the number of pizza, burger and kebab shops on its streets, in an attempt to improve the health of its poorest residents.

A draft scheme is in place for the restrictions which would see planning applications for venues considered alongside the need to keep the number of takeaways strictly limited. New outlets may also be banned from within 400 metres of schools, youth clubs and parks.

Aside from the fact that it is not the state's role to stop us eating what we want, I find their dislike of fast food to be at variance with their gushing enthusiasm for the Olympics.

For why?

“The Olympics will be the biggest single catering event in the UK since the Second World War.” 

Who said this?

None other than Jon Woods, the general manager for Coca-Cola UK & Ireland, whose company plans to use the Olympics Park as a test bed for new products and methods.

Additionally, McDonald's (a fast food company) plans to build the world's largest McDonald's at the London Olympics Games site in Stratford. The two storey 3,000 sq metre leviathan will seat up to 1,500 people, and will be one of the four McDonald's restaurants built in and near the Olympics Park.

Given Haringey Council's antipathy towards fast food, will it be urging its residents who attend the Olympics to boycott the catering?

Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics

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The Olympics - The World's Largest Catering Event!

Those of you who thought that the Olympics are about sport are sorely misguided, they are not about sport according to Jon Woods the general manager for Coca-Cola UK & Ireland.

What then are the Olympics about, if not sport?

“The Olympics will be the biggest single catering event in the UK since the Second World War.” 

All clear now?

Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics

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British Beers Banned

How ironic that at this summer’s London Olympics, a celebration of all that’s great about Britain, British beer is banned.

For why?

Dutch brewer Heineken has a £10M sponsorship agreement million for ‘sole pouring rights’ at all Olympic venues!

British branded beers are persona non grata.


Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics

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A Nice Little Earner - Torchbearers Charged For Torch

People who have volunteered to carry the Olympic torch around the UK, have received an email from the powers that be (London 2012) telling them that they will have to pay £199 if they want to keep the torch as a souvenir.

However, not everyone will have to pay the charge (if they want to keep the torch). Some sponsors of the torchbearers (eg Coca-Cola) have stated that the torchbearers it nominates will not have to pay.

Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics

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Three Cheers For The Blue White and Blue

The official outfits of Team GB for the London Olympics have been revealed today on Facebook.

For reasons best known to the designer (Stella McCartney) she has used the Union Jack but removed the red from it and replaced it with blue.

She claims that she wants the athletes to be "proud of their identity".

That being the case, why bastardise the Union flag?

Result: Loser!

Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics

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Sponsorship Stupidity - The True Olympic's Spirit

The paranoia of Olympics sponsors (when it comes to protecting their "investment" in the London Olympics) knows no bounds.

Last month I wrote:

"There seems to be something of a hissy fit going on between the BOA and the agents of one of the sponsors of the London 2012 Olympics.

The agents of some competitors, who are sponsored by Nike, have told the BOA that athletes would be in breach of contracts if they are forced to wear Team GB’s official ”presentation outfit” which is sponsored by Adidas.

The agents have told the BOA that athletes might have to take off their shoes before mounting the presentation dais.

The BOA have hit back, and said that the rules mean that the athletes must wear the sponsor's (Adidas) footwear at all times."

The issue over footwear won't die down, the Telegraph reports that Aidan Kirkwood (a soldier injured in Afghanistan) was required to cover up the Raebok logo on his trainers with white tape when he appeared at an Olympic torch relay event this week.

There's the true "Olympic spirit" for you, money before sport or community spirit!

Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics

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Dow - It's Still Not A Wrap!

The ongoing controversy over Dow's sponsorship of the London 2012 Olympics continues, as Indian officials and politicians have stepped up the pressure to boycott the opening and closing ceremonies and other Games events.

Despite the fact that Dow did not own the chemical company involved in the Bhopal disaster at the time of the disaster (it bought Union Carbide 16 years after the disaster), many people want Dow to be stripped of its sponsorship rights.

Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics

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Barefoot Athletes

There seems to be something of a hissy fit going on between the BOA and the agents of one of the sponsors of the London 2012 Olympics.

The agents of some competitors, who are sponsored by Nike, have told the BOA that athletes would be in breach of contracts if they are forced to wear Team GB’s official ”presentation outfit” which is sponsored by Adidas.

The agents have told the BOA that athletes might have to take off their shoes before mounting the presentation dais.

The BOA have hit back, and said that the rules mean that the athletes must wear the sponsor's (Adidas) footwear at all times.

What a complete load of old bollocks and fuss over a matter of footwear.

There seems to be too much money and too many corporate egos involved with these games.

As noted many times before, the Olympics are about money not sport!

Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics

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Dow Sponsorship Criticised

The row over the sponsorship of the London Olympics by Dow Chemicals rumbles on.


India's Olympic body is to demand that the sponsorship deal is axed, because of its ties to the Bhopal disaster in 1984 (Dow purchased Union Carbide 16 years after the disaster).

Reuters quotes the Indian Olympic Association's acting president, Vijay Malhotra, who said:
 

"We are proposing to write to the IOC London Olympics that this sponsor should be out of it.

Since these games are for friendship it should not be one of the sponsors."

It is not clear what action the body would take if its request was rejected, as India has already ruled out a boycott.

Barry Gardiner MP has backed India's campaign to have Dow dropped as a sponsor. He has called for an inquiry into the tender process, that led to the company being granted the deal to sponsor a temporary wrap to decorate the Olympic stadium.


Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics

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Thomas Cook

 Given that Thomas Cook is the "Official Provider of Short Breaks to The Olympics", its possible demise (see "The Thomas Cook Affair") will negatively impact the London 2012 games.

Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics

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Streakers Face £20K Fines

In case people haven't yet realised it yet, the Olympics are purely about money and corporate sponsorship deals (sport is but a mere backdrop to the money deals).

The proof of how money focused the Olympics are, can be seen in the stringent rules that will be enforced during next year's London 2012 games.

An amendment to the London Olympic Games and Paralympic Games Act 2006 aims to target unofficial, or ambush, marketing and could cover anyone who tries to use their bodies to flash an advert for a company.

This means that if a streaker were to run across the track with a logo painted on his/her body, he/she could be fined £20K.

That sounds almost like a challenge to some brave souls!


Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics

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Red Neck Olympics Threatened

I am sorry to hear that the "Redneck Olympics" in Maine, which features event such as beer-swilling, pie eating and wife-carrying, has been threatened with legal action by the US Olympic Committee.

For why?

The US Olympic Committee believes that it owns the word "Olympics".

However, as Harold Brooks (the organiser of the Red Neck Olympics) quite rightly pointed out to Fox News:

"It’s a word that was used the ancient Greeks.

This is just a bunch of rich people looking out for other rich people.

It’s sickening that if you own a lot of money, you can own everything – even a word."

As noted many times before on this site, the Olympics (not the Red Neck one) are about money not sport.

Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics

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The Real Legacy of The Games

McDonald's plans to build the world's largest McDonald's at the London Olympics Games site in Stratford.

The two storey 3,000 sq metre leviathan will seat up to 1,500 people, and will be one of the four McDonald's restaurants built in and near the Olympics park.

Now that's the true "legacy" of the games.

Makes you proud to be British doesn't it?!

Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics

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Don't Believe The Hype

The Guardian reports that a new economic study of the British economy predicts that consumer spending will rise by £750M during London's Olympic Games in 2012, and that there will be a sustained boost to the economy over the next 4 years of £5.1BN.

Hoozah!

Well, before you pop the champagne corks, you may care to bear in the mind the following:

1 The "economic study" was published by Visa (one of the main sponsors of the event, who have a vested interests in people maxing out their credit cards).

2 During the the Beijing Games overseas visitors spent a mere £93M during the whole of the games.

£ The games are "budgeted" to cost around £12BN (including £2BN running costs).

Don't believe the hype!

Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics

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Snouts In The Trough

It would seem that some people involved with the London Olympics 2012 simply cannot resist sticking their snouts in the trough.

The Telegraph recently reported that some of London's leading hotel groups (including Intercontinental, Hilton and Thistle) are taking legal advice following their discovery that some of the rooms that they have supplied to Locog (at preferential rates) are being resold by Thomas Cook at "grossly inflated prices".

One premium three-night ticket and accommodation package is on offer at the Hyatt Regency Churchill for £6,499 per person, including meals and transfers (the face value of the tickets is a "mere" £1,740).

Locog has taken 56,000 rooms, and has given Thomas Cook (a sponsor of the games) access to 8% of the rooms.

As I have noted many times before on this site, the Olympics is not about sport it's about money!

Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics

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Picnics and Mobiles Banned

Organisers of the London 2012 Olympics, on the pretext of "security", are considering banning spectators from bringing mobile phones and picnics to Olympics events.

Flasks, thermoses and larger quantities of food will all be banned.

Liquids of more than 100ml, camera tripods, phones, flags of countries not involved in the Games along with umbrellas (no rain predicted then?) are also all banned.

"Security" may well be the fig leaf excuse used by organisers for this ban. However, the real reason lies with the money being generated by sponsors from their marketing campaigns and food/drink etc concessions at the Olympic venues.

The Olympics is not about sport, but about money!

Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics

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