The International Olympic Committee (IOC) is infamous at this point for being very, very tight-fisted with any and all things Olympic. And it makes sense, to a point: they literally have one job (Olympics) and companies sign contracts worth billions of dollars for exclusive rights to air and share the Games. Even using gifs of Olympic events is banned, a harsh rule in our visual and image-based era. So you can imagine how well the IOC takes to having anyone live-streaming the events on the sly. (Spoiler: not well at all.) [More]
olympics
McDonald’s Limiting The Amount Of Free Food Olympians Can Order In Rio
By 8.16.16
Since the Rio Olympics opened, calorie-seeking athletes have been gorging themselves on free food from McDonald’s, but there’s only so much gratis grub the Golden Arches is willing to give away. [More]
Rio Olympics Selling Knockoff Versions Of Its Own Merchandise
By 8.2.16
In an effort to circumvent efforts by counterfeiters, organizers of the Rio Olympics have created a line of products that are, well, knockoffs of the Games’ official merchandise. [More]
Rio Drug Dealers Peddling Olympic-Themed Cocaine
By 7.27.16
Tourists in Rio de Janeiro will no doubt have their pick of Olympic merchandise to bring home as souvenirs — whether it’s an officially licensed product, or sold out of the back of someone’s truck. But amid the plethora of hats, T-shirts, and sporty knick-knacks, there are other, more dangerous offerings for sale. [More]
Olympic Athletes Complain Of Blocked Toilets, Exposed Wiring In Rio Dorms
By 7.25.16
Two years ago, athletes and reporters arriving in Sochi, Russia for the 2014 Olympic Winter Games were greeted with less-than-finished room accommodations that led at least one bobsled team to have a very rough weekend. Fast forward to 2016, as Olympic athletes descend on Rio and it seems like history may be repeating itself — leaky faucets, exposed wiring, and all. [More]
Russian Track And Field Athletes Will Stay Banned From Rio Olympics After Appeal Fails
By 7.21.16
Russia’s track and field athletes will have to sit out the Rio Olympics this summer, after the Court of Arbitration for Sport denied the country’s appeal, upholding a ban instated by the worldwide governing body for track and field sports, the International Association of Athletics Federations, amid a widespread doping controversy. [More]
Pizza Hut Pushing Patriotism By Way Of A 2-Foot-Long Pizza In A “Go USA” Box
By 7.18.16
Pizza Hut knows that many Americans will be glued to various screens this summer, watching their team compete in the Rio Olympics. All that cheering and patriotism can be hungry work, so Pizza Hut has come up with an answer: a two-foot long pizza in a patriotic box. [More]
Russia’s Track And Field Team Barred From Rio Olympics Amid Doping Controversy
By 6.17.16
Bad news for fans of Russia’s track and field who were hoping to watch the team in the Rio Olympics this August, whether in person or on TV: amid a far-reaching doping conspiracy, the global governing body of the games has banned the country’s team from the summer games. [More]
WHO: Risk That The Olympics Will Further Spread Zika Virus Is “Very Low”
By 6.15.16
After convening a panel of experts to discuss the continuing spread of Zika, the World Health Organization reaffirmed that the virus is a public health emergency, but added that there’s a “low risk” of it spreading further if the Rio Olympic games go ahead as planned. [More]
Here’s What’s Going On With The Rio Olympics & The Zika Virus
By 6.9.16
If you haven’t been living under a rock for the last few months, you’ve likely heard the words “Zika virus” and “Rio Olympics” paired together often, both in the media and everyday conversations. With the 2016 Summer Olympics set to start in August, you may be wondering what’s going on — is Zika a threat to tourists and athletes in Brazil? Will the games be postponed or moved? [More]
World Cup Champ Women’s Soccer Players Accuse U.S. Soccer Federation Of Wage Discrimination
By 3.31.16
While the women on the U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team have outshone the men’s team — winning three World Cup championships since 1991 and gold medals in all but one of the Summer Olympics since 1994 — they remain significantly underpaid than their underperforming male counterparts. Today, five members of that championship team filed an action with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, alleging that the U.S. Soccer Federation is unfairly discriminating against female players. [More]
Comcast Signs $7.75B Deal To Broadcast Olympics Through 2032
By 5.7.14
Bob Costas fans rejoice! The International Olympic Committee has only chosen venues for its summer games through 2020, but that hasn’t stopped the IOC from quietly striking a nearly $8 billion deal with Comcast to grant NBC exclusive U.S. rights to Olympics broadcasts through 2032, meaning children conceived in the afterglow of Team Canada’s dual Curling wins at Sochi will be adults before they even have the chance to see the games broadcast on another network. [More]
Busting Through Broken Doors, Empty Elevator Shafts: Sochi Bobsledders Had A Tough Weekend
By 2.10.14
We’ve been hearing reports back from the Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, from reporters saying their hotel rooms have been, well, less than finished or those that came with beers already under the bed. But it seems athletes aren’t immune from the shoddy shenanigans: over the weekend two different bobsledders had a bit of a close call with malfunctioning parts in the Olympic Village. [More]
Russian Official To Hotel Critics: We Have Surveillance Videos Of You In The Bathroom
By 2.6.14
What’s that, Olympic Games attendee? You’ve got a dirty hotel room with beers under the bed in Sochi? Your room has no hot water, or no water at all? Well, your complaints are aimed at trying to sabotage Sochi’s shining moment, said one official in response to Western critics. [More]
Should NBC Leave Schmaltzy Olympic Profiles To The Advertisers?
By 8.7.12
Long before anyone could get mad at NBC for its glitchy Olympic webcasts, the network was padding out its tape-delayed broadcasts with overlong pre-taped video profiles of various competitors from the U.S. and around the world. But here’s an idea — rather than irritate viewers by interrupting the diving competition for a 10-minute bio of a 16-year-old and then going to commercial, why not just leave these stories to the people who specialize in heartstring-tugging schmatltz: advertisers. [More]
Reminder: Even If Michael Phelps Says He Pees In The Pool Doesn't Mean You Should Let Loose
By 8.6.12
It turns out Michael Phelps is one of those 20% of adults who pees in the pool — but that doesn’t mean you should go relieving yourself at the public swimming facilities on your way to emulating Olympic legends. After all, you probably aren’t on the road to athletic glory and can probably find the time to jump out and find a toilet in between games of Marco Polo. [More]
McDonald's Equates Support For Team USA With Chowing Down On Egg McMuffins
By 8.6.12
Did you know that in addition to an angel getting its wings every time a child sings, an American Olympic athlete gets a boost every time you eat a McDonald’s breakfast? While we won’t presume to know anything about angels, we’re pretty sure the latter isn’t true. That hasn’t stopped one McDonald’s franchise from linking support for Team USA to eating Egg McMuffins. [More]
Dr. Dre Gets Beats Headphones On Olympians' Ears, Annoys Actual Sponsor Panasonic
By 8.6.12
Pairs of Beats by Dre headphones have showed up on many of the coolest ears on the planet, because it’s good for the brand to put them there. Lady Gaga and Justin Bieber have even had their own branded earbuds. (You might not think Bieber is cool, but his name does sell stuff to tween girls.) Getting the cans on to the heads of pro athletes is also key, which is why a wonderfully sneaky guerilla campaign began with the company slipping headphones to some highly visible Olympic athletes off-campus…despite Panasonic spending nine figures to be an official electronics sponsor of the Games. The International Olympic Committee is not thrilled with the good doctor. [More]
