Summer Olympics… Wait That’s This Year?

Around the world the Olympic games have retained their status as one of the most popular sporting events, but in the United States things are a bit different. In the past it seemed that most everyone in the U.S. knew the dates of the Olympics, the location, the stars to look for; but it seems, in this age, traditional events like the Olympics have lost their luster. I have talked to children who don’t even know about the Olympics. The Olympics used to be an event that united the nation, all of us coming together to support our athletes and show that we are the best. However, in a country of everyone for his/her self, is there still a place for these Olympic events? The athletes are not even as willing to win for their country. Will tradition weigh out technology?

One deterrent is the difficulty to attend the event. Other traditional events like the Final Four, the Super Bowl, and the World Series are all accessible to everyday people. If you can’t buy a ticket, there are contests for tickets that keep a buzz about the event. People are excited to possibly attend these events, but how many Americans are attending the Olympics unless the games are in the US.  While the tickets are relatively inexpensive at £20 (≈$40) there is still the price of airfare; and what average American citizen can afford to take time off of work to go to another country for the Olympics, especially in a time of economic uncertainty? Another deterrent is the little known athletes. Unlike the other traditional events mentioned, we only hear about the majority of the Olympic competitors once every four years. We need to keep interest in these Olympic athletes all year round to make people want to see them compete.

Older generations will not let the Olympics die, which means that American media needs to find a new way to market the events to these younger people. The marketing of the games needs to become more technological and social. Olympic video games, Olympic trial webisodes, incorporating the Olympics in our TV series and reality shows: these are all viable options to keep the dream alive. Just like any other major event, it is time for the Olympic games to keep up with the times or get left behind.

Briana Scales