Which Network will get the Olympics?

On our system, that trick only worked on Spice. Or was it Playboy? I forget which.

 

Eh, that's because they overpriced the package. Doesn't mean the concept can't work: live events on cable during the odd hours, then a prime-time package on the NBC network that night. I remember adjusting my schedule so that I did watch a lot of live stuff in the morning and afternoon (Games were in Barcelona that year) and precious little of the replays.

 

NBC had better find a city that wants it, Elliotte, and pay it to want it, too. Chicago's not likely to try again. New York? LA again? U.S. cities are broke and by 2015 they'll be broker.

 

Houston and/or Dallas would want it, and could afford it.

They'd both be miserable, but they've bid before. They just never got very far with the USOC.

 

They hated the DNC Convention. I think they'd hate the idea of hosting an Olympics.

They've not made bids in recent past that I can remember.

There's also no suitable stadium.

 

Boston would be the perfect place in a lot of senses ... except for hellacious traffic, and no stadium -- unless you plan on renovating Gillette (haha).

 

What about Toronto? Aren't they circling the wagons for another bid?

Granted, it's not the US, but given its position in 3 1/2 of the four major sports leagues, isn't it good enough?

 

Elliotte. Aside from no stadium, wholly inadequate transportation, a lack of a large number of other venues, and the utter and complete inability of people in this community to cooperate on anything at all at any time, we'd be perfect.
After Barcelona, a group of boosters tried to get a bid going. They sank without a trace.

 

My crackpot theory: Any Boston bid would be contingent on the Red Sox. The only way an 80,000-seat stadium in Boston could happen would be if the Sox and the local Olympic organizing committee did what the Braves and ACOG did 15 years ago: Build the massive Olympic stadium, then downsize immediately into a baseball park. Not saying it's in any way a likely scenario, just the only way I see it ever happening. Gillette's a nonstarter as a main Olympic stadium.

If that happened, everything else could fall into place. Boston wouldn't have to build many venues because there are so many college and pro facilities within close proximity. Velodrome and pool would be the biggest things to build, but those can be largely temporary facilities, not white elephants. And the subway system's a hell of a lot more comprehensive than Atlanta's was.

But Michael's right about how difficult it is to make things happen here.

 

I always felt that from the IOC point of view, Toronto was perfect. It offers the Eastern time zone U.S. broadcasters want, and the IOC doesn't have to put up with us Americans to get it.