Brand New View

Drug Testing for London 2012

The BBC reports that there will be 5,000 random drug tests conducted at the 2012 London Olympics to detect for banned substances, nearly half of the 11,000 athletes expected. The number of tests has risen in recent years, from over 3,600 tests at the 2004 Athens Olympics and nearly 4,800 tests in Beijing in 2008. 26 positive tests were discovered in Athens and 20 in Beijing, suggesting that athletes are either cleaning up or they are finding clever ways to get around the tests. The answer is probably a combination of the two. In The Olympic Games Effect I discuss athlete controveries, including the use of banned substances to enhance athletic performance. Athletes seeking advantage over competitors by using performancing enhancing substances are not unique to the Modern Olympics. There were athletes in the Ancient Greek world that used hallucinogens, wines, herbal compounds, and even ground rhinocerous testicles in the hope that these substances would give them an edge. Scientific testing did not exist in the Ancient Greek world, but if cheaters were discovered, they would be subjected to beatings, or fines, or both. They would also have to pay for a statue that lined the pathways leading to Olympic venues, inscribed with a description of what they did wrong. This was a visible way to shame the transgressor particularly since it was a permanent reminder of that athlete's character, or more accurately their character flaws, sending a powerful message at a time when virtue and honor were considered society's most important qualities. Today's drug tests, as imperfect as they are, help reinforce society's expectations that the Olympics are supposed to represent the very highest levels of athletic integrity. Any victories earned through the use of banned substances diminishes the athlete's accomplishments and forever places an asterisk next to their names and also tarnishes the reputation of the Olympics. Such performances are not authentic, and authenticity is one of the vital ingredients required to create a truly valuable brand.

MPs Are Fans of London 2012 Beach Volleyball?

Last week a blog in the Guardian called 'What's the allure of beach volleyball for politicians and civil servants?' questioned the actual interest of MPs (Members of Parliament) in the sport. With 410 tickets purchased for the beach volleyball matches commencing on July 28 versus only 246 tickets purchased for athletics the MPs appear to have voted with their pounds for their favorite Olympics sport. The article suggests indirectly that the MPs real interest is due to the minimal outfits beach volleyball athletes wear. An alternative explanation is that most of the volleyball matches fall on a weekend, a far more convenient time that does not interfere with their weekday governmental responsibilities. The article pointed out that former President George W. Bush watched some of the beach volleyball in Beijing in 2008, even gently slapping Misty May-Treanor across her lower back (she had offered him to slap her backside-a traditional way beach volleyballers congratulate one another after a successful point, but he wisely declined...). Whatever the reason for beach volleyball's popularity, it is great to see the sport garnering so much attention. With the 15,000 seats nearly sold out for London 2012, it is clear the sport has developed a fan following after being introduced to the Olympics in 1996. The athletes are remarkably talented, the sport is exciting, and the physical challenge is clear (anyone who has run on loose sand, let alone jumped around on it for a few minutes will quickly understand why beach volleyball is physically very demanding). As I discuss in my new book, The Olympic Games Effect, the IOC (International Olympic Committee) regularly reviews the entire program after each Olympiad, determining which sports to drop or add. By updating the Games incrementally to stay on top of sports trends, the IOC is able to help keep the Olympics fresh and relevant with new offerings while also maintaining the fan interest in core sports like athletics, swimming and gymnastics. I will give the benefit of the doubt to the MPs and assume they doing their best to support their home Olympics by viewing whatever sports they can while still attending to the affairs of government.

Winter YOG 2012

It has now been 1 week since the Winter Youth Olympic Games in Innsbruck ended. A quick web search will reveal many wonderful performances from young athlete's around the world, including women's half-pipe gold medalist Hikaru Ohe of Japan. Yet how many of you were even aware the Winter YOG took place at all? As I discuss in my new book, The Olympic Games Effect, the YOG is designed to bring the youth of the world together to participate in sport, education and culture while living by Olympic values. This is an admirable ambition, but not enough people know about it. Granted, the YOG is a new mega-sports event, leveraging off the success of the regular Olympics, so there may be confusion about what makes it unique. Also, new sports brands are not built overnight. But a more aggressive marketing plan needs to be developed to build awareness about the YOG overall, and to clearly describe the factors that make it unique as compared to the regular Olympics. The winter sports TV, social media, and print coverage in the U.S. discussed the just concluded Winter X Games. While the Winter X Games were established in 1995 and therefore have had time to grow, the YOG has its work cut out for it in the years ahead if it wants to craft a compelling event worthy of Olympic stature while building a global fan base.

UPDATE: The Olympic Games Effect, 2012 edition now available!

My latest book, The Olympic Games Effect (2012 edition), is now available for downloadable purchase at Amazon.com and Apple's iBook Store. The Barnes and Noble Nook version will be ready shortly.  

Anybody watching the Youth Olympic Games? More information on this in The Olympic Games Effect.

What Does YOG Mean to You?

How many of you are aware that an event called the Youth Olympic Games (YOG) exists? Were you also aware that the YOG are part of the International Olympic Committee's (IOC) efforts to build the Olympic brand? And did you also know that there is a Winter YOG taking place right now, this week, in Innsbruck featuring the world's top teen athletes? Do you know how many YOG events have been held in their history? Where was the first YOG? If you are aware of any of these things, are you also paying attention to the results? How are you getting your information?

I am curious how many of you know about this at all. I discuss the Youth Olympic Games in my new book, The Olympic Games Effect, which is going to be available in stores and online in just a few days. Of course, the YOG are not the only Olympics topic I discuss, but there is interesting information within that brings readers up to speed on the IOC's YOG efforts. Let me know whether you are following the YOG at all...

The Olympics' Role in Fostering National Pride

One of the points I discuss in my forthcoming book, The Olympic Games Effect (2nd edition), is that the Olympics spur national pride, an intangible benefit that reinforces the prestige and allure of the Games. A recent BBCNews article echoes this same point, based on a poll by Globescan of over 20,000 from countries around the world. Interestingly, despite being the host of the forthcoming Olymics in London, 50% of UK respondents said the Olympics were important to their national pride, whereas more than 70% of Peruvians, and over 80% of Chinese, believed the Olympics affected national pride. Poll findings in other countries also indicate that the Olympics positively affect national pride,  suggesting that the Olympics are alive and still very well received around the world, an inspiring result in an era of economic, environmental and political turmoil.