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Tag: olympics

Going for the Gold: The Olympics Are Raising Standards and Growing Their Roster

Posted on by Athelo Group

By Claire Devine

Athelo Group

Whether you’re watching from the couch with your family or experiencing the games in person, you can’t get away from the energy that surrounds the Olympics. Within the next two cycles, 2024 and 2028, that energy is set to be amplified. Not only are the games growing in size, but the International Olympic Committee (IOC) is working to guarantee positive socioeconomic outcomes for the hosting countries. As the games grow, their impact on the surrounding community and beyond grows in tandem. From adding sports to increasing opportunities, the IOC is committed to making the Olympics larger and more equitable inside the events and out. 

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Why the Olympics Are Growing Their Sporting Roster

The Olympic Games have been a growing, beloved world event since 1896. With the inclusion of more sports in 2028, they’re gearing up to expand even more. Cricket, baseball, softball, and lacrosse are returning to the Olympic roster, while flag football and squash will join for the first time. These sports were welcomed with open arms as only two people of the 90 IOC members voted “no” to their addition. The IOC voted on the sports as one package, and lots of big enterprises had their hands on the deal. 

The NFL and MLB were particularly huge players in adding these sports to the lineup. Their goal in this development is to propel their players to the world stage. Such an expansive move is a huge jump for the NFL and MLB because it brings two American sports to the international level and taps into a whole new market and fanbase. This, no doubt, will do the same for the Olympic brand. In the U.S., the NFL and the MLB are two of the most popular, successful sports brands. By tapping into the world of baseball and football, the Olympics have made a strategic move into two very powerful fanbases. Americans who were not interested in watching the prior cycles now have their favorite games to watch on on-screen.

The Commercial & Brand Implications of New Sports

In addition to garnering more engagement, the inclusion of new sports is sure to draw in more sponsorships and brand deals. It’s likely that football and softball/baseball-centric companies will want to join in on the action. With the inclusion of flag football, we can also expect more sports betting partnerships to emerge. This comes as over 30 states have now moved towards the legalization of sports betting and a record 73M Americans plan to bet on football this year alone. As a result, brands like DraftKings, FanDuel, and Ceasars could find it beneficial to expand into the Olympics. 

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Hosting the Games: Legacy, Economy and Infrastructure

The appeal of the Olympics isn’t just brand and industry-exclusive, either. Each cycle, there is a bidding war against countries to decide who will host. Originally, the Olympics were hosted in developed countries able to sustain themselves after such an costly event. Post-1988 cycle held in Los Angeles, when the Olympics saw a $198M increase in revenue, many countries fought to host. However, there is now a debate about whether the Olympics help or hurt the economy of the hosting city. Tokyo, for example, spent $150M to bid in 2016 and didn’t win. In the case of the 2004 Athens Olympics, the city invested substantial financial and material resources to construct venues in record time. While their aspiration to host the event was realized, the huge costs associated with these venues posed significant issues. Unfortunately, after the games concluded, many of these facilities remained largely unused. Despite their aesthetic appeal, the financial losses incurred in the process ultimately played a part in the Greek Debt Crisis that Greece continues to grapple with today.

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To address these challenges, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) is actively working to shift the debate by introducing financial opportunities and benefits that accompany hosting the Olympic Games. The primary objective of the IOC in the current cycle is to foster a range of opportunities not only during the events but also extending beyond them. As an example, Paris 2024 is projected to create approximately 150,000 employment opportunities across various sectors. According to the IOC, these job prospects will span event organization, construction, tourism, catering, and more. The IOC also aims to sustain post-Olympic opportunities by establishing permanent community fixtures. Notably, the Paris Olympic Village, currently under construction, will remain as a residential area after the games, providing employment for Parisians through its shops and public facilities. Additionally, the 2024 games will leave a lasting aquatic facility, serving as a versatile multi-sport facility and local gym, ensuring ongoing employment opportunities for Paris residents.

What This Means for the Future of the Olympic Movement

If all goes according to plan, the Olympic Games won’t just be about sports this cycle and the next. The IOC has paid close attention to the gaps that past games have left unfilled and their goal now is to close them. Adding popular sports with financial benefits is a large part of their strategy, and if the IOC can replicate what they are doing for Paris in future cycles, the Olympic Games will become an international financial asset. 

Sources:

  1. https://olympics.com/ioc/news/paris-2024-strives-to-maximise-the-socio-economic-impact-of-sport
  2. https://olympics.com/ioc/news/ioc-session-approves-la28-s-proposal-for-five-additional-sports
  3. https://www.espn.com/olympics/story/_/id/38670676/cricket-flag-football-5-sports-added-2028-olympics
  4. https://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local/new-olympic-sports-2028-la-games/3244566/#:~:text=The%20International%20Olympic%20Committee%20announced,to%20the%20event’s%20sports%20program.
  5. https://www.cfr.org/backgrounder/economics-hosting-olympic-games https://www.cnbc.com/id/37484301

Scoring into the Olympics: Surfing

Posted on by Athelo Group

By Clair Baker

Athelo Group

How is surfing scored? In recent years, surfing has grabbed a foothold in the Summer Olympics. Though it is not an Olympic year, the sport of surfing is heavily on our minds during this week of the WSL finals, and we are going to get into the nitty-gritty of how athletes in such a niche sport score their way into the Olympics, as well as why the International Olympics Committee fulfilled the long overdue request of adding surf to the Games.

How Surfing is Scored in the Olympics

Surfing is scored by a panel that consists of five judges who score on a scale of 1-10. Every wave that is surfed by the athlete in their given heat, varying between 20 and 35 minutes, receives a score. The judge’s highest and lowest scores are thrown out on each wave and the surfer receives an average score of the three remainings. At the end of the heat, the surfers’ two highest scores from every wave surfed are combined to give them a total score – 20 points being the highest; a perfect ride.

As viewers, we are always in awe of what these athletes are capable of doing on the water, but the judges have a more critical eye and a variety of what they are looking for on the water. This includes, commitment and degree of difficulty, innovative and progressive maneuvers, variety of maneuvers, a combination of major maneuvers, as well as speed, power, and flow with a range of scores from 0.00 to 1.90 > Poor Wave Ride to 8.00 to 10.00 > Excellent wave ride. International Surfing Association technical director Erik Krammer says, ”Everything is really connected, together all the elements of the criteria just reflect what the general public thinks is good surfing. That’s what the judges want to see, what the athletes want to see and that’s what the contest wants to see.” Qualifying for the Olympics is determined by The World Athletics Rankings which are based on the average of the best five results for the athlete over the qualifying period.

Why Is Surfing Now in the Olympics?

The topic of introducing surfing into the Olympics has been in the conversation for over 100 years. Duke Kahanamoku, a Hawaiian swimmer, and Olympic gold medalist was a big advocate for the sport to be added to the Olympic program. In 2016, the International Olympic Committee voted to add surfing to the program for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games as a way of appealing to younger viewers and fulfilling a long overdue request, and it did just that; making up 5 of the top 10 most viewed Olympic programs in Brazil during the first week of the Games. Becoming a part of the Olympics took the sport to a new level and upped the talent, drive, and exposure of these athletes; also bringing on the pressure for surfers who are now fighting for a top 20 spot in the Olympics. 

As a result of the adding surfing to the Olympics and the pandemic-inspired outdoor boom all occurring at once, outdoor activities, especially water sports, struck an interest in those wanting a way to remain active during the pandemic, and in the surf world, board sales rose a sharp 113%. 

WSL (World Surf League) surfer and Athelo Group Athlete, Brisa Hennessy, has first-hand experience with the pressures of scoring into the Olympics as she competed in the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games. Clenching her spot in the WSL women’s final five, Brisa is sitting at a #4 ranking in the world. Placing in the WSL is part of the journey for surfers with sights set on the Olympics, and though It is not yet an Olympic year, time doesn’t mean downtime. Big waves or small, these niche athletes are on the water, working toward that gold goal. 

Surfing and the Olympics: What the Future Wave Holds

Becoming an Olympian is one of the top goals for many professional surfers, and after 100 years of fighting for a spot, they are facing their next opportunity in Tahiti; surfing at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games. This next round of games means large opportunities for athletes to develop and spotlight their personal brand. As surfing in the Olympics debuted, the new Olympians made their mark in the media. These Games were referred to by some as “the most inclusive Olympics ever” and the “TikTok Games.” Major sharing platforms where athletes could give their audience a behind-the-scenes look into the Games initiated a huge spark in viewers, pulling them into the content and feeling as if they were a part of the experience. The Olympic year is the window in which these surfers have all eyes on them and they can share their personal brand and their story with the whole world. With two more years of social media evolution between now and then, we can’t wait to see what the next Olympic Games will bring.

Sources:

  1. https://olympics.com/en/news/surfing-explained-how-the-new-olympic-sport-is-judged
  2. https://www.surfertoday.com/surfing/how-surfing-is-scored
  3. https://kooksonlysurf.com/how-surfing-is-scored-in-competitions/
  4. https://olympics.com/en/news/miguel-pupo-courtney-conlogue-wsl-tahiti-pro-brisa-hennessy-finals
  5. https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/olympics/2021/07/21/surfing-new-sport-tokyo-summer-olympics/5263423001/
  6. https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/olympics-surfing-skating-boosts-viewership-lack-of-fans-has-zero-impact-says-ioc
  7. https://www.edelman.com/insights/olympics-firsts-what-brands-can-learn-tokyo-games

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