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.