The Olympics — Does Multisport Business Hold the Key to Their (Non-) Future?

This morning’s New York Times offered up a very thought-provoking Op-Ed piece by Buzz Bissinger, entltled Faster, Higher, Stronger, No Longer. Briefly, the gist of the commentary was that the crescendo of negative events and counter-events/actions in the runup to the Beijing Games serve to point out the increasing frequency and magnitude of trials, tribulations, and geopolitical catastrophies that have beset the Olympics for the past generation or more.

The conclusion offered is that perhaps it is time to call it quits and retire the Olympic movement.

While each of the cited failings of the movement, and the world community, seems to be addressable and remediable, together they invite the reader to consider whether things can only get worse. Should the Games be ended?

Well, here’s the thought that struck MultisportBiz: Bissinger offered an alternative, namely holding world championship contests annually in diverse venues worldwide. This is not quite a remedy often considered — a single site for the Olympics in a well-designed and reachable location (thus neutralizing the angst engendered by certain host locations) — but it is one worth considering.

And we offer up the model of Triathlon as a pilot and exemplar. Other sports do this in various ways, but the World Triathlon Corporation’s franchise is well designed and wildly successful. The venue of Hawaii for the full race is magical, the marketing is first class, the competition is excellent, and the legal battles are fought by pros, and are invariably won.

WTC has expanded this to the 70.3 series, with its own World Championship in Clearwater, Florida, and the results seem to be positive (notwithstanding the thoroughly forgettable NBC coverage of the event — a pale echo of the Kona show, and no grass skirts).

This is a business activity that uses sport to make lots of money. But then, so is the Olympics. The difference is that WTC doesn’t deny this and hide behind “the sanctity of sport,” worldwide bonding, and the importance of team competitions (i.e., medal counts).

WTC is certainly on to something that can grow as the Olympics sink under their own weight.

The Times piece is highly recommended.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/13/opinion/13bissinger.html?_r=1&oref=slogin