I've always felt like it was the reality show and dancing with the Stars crowd that really got into watching the Olympics, at least among people I know.
Our best in every Olympic sport will be there, accept for the famous multi-100 million. I look forward to the events that aren't pro.
Massive scandal with the Russian government and doping with the Russians making positive results "disappear" and negative results to appear. Look at this chart. Check out the fourth highest number of tampered samples. I mean, really? https://twitter.com/ringsau/status/755028477317787648/photo/1?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
The news just keeps getting worse for NBC and the withdrawals are accumulating as the date nears. Rio is a disaster. but honestly, who believed that there wasn't a state sponsored doping program in Russia? who believes that China doesn't have something similar?
China's table tennis team is suspect, in my opinion. Seriously, though, they've been busted before doing the East German women's swimming medical experiments. I have no doubt some Americans are doing something, as well. No one gives a shit about a Russian high jumper, as far as the competition and viewership goes. When the five cute little American girls run out in the gymnastics arena, the swimming events are rolling or the 100m final is going, millions will watch, as usual. Otherwise, who's dropping out? Mostly golfers, I've seen.
I think that's probably true, but I don't think it's state sponsored. They're doing it for the money as individuals. State sponsors are typically authoritarian and doing it for control message type stuff.
the dropouts continue to expand, but the Russian audience is gone. Millions will watch. NBC will lose money, because it isn't enough millions to get them into the profitable ratings numbers. I like it because Comcast owns NBC and they get to take a bath.
Does NBC own the rights to Russian coverage of the Games? Why would it matter to them if the Russians aren't there? Who is going to dropout now? No one in the traditional Olympic events that people watch. You think some guy like Usain Bolt or Michael Phelps is going to skip the only time in four years that people pay attention to them? Not a chance. People will watch and people will watch in the same numbers as they always have, perhaps even more. Stories and athletes will emerge, as usual, and Americans will watch obscure sports like rowing simply because it's the Olympics and there's a Team USA competing.
I assume NBC bought worldwide rights and resells them to the different countries. I don't think they'll watch in historical numbers, even though the timing works better for the US audiences.
I'm not saying that at all. I'm saying the resale of their production won't happen in Russia. I believe they produce the video and resell it internationally.
