Rio Wins Bid for Olympics 2016

[Logan]

It was really interesting to see the American TV reaction to Chicago's elimination. The reporters on CNN were like "How is it possible that we lost?". We sent Obama! We sent Oprah! How is this possible? Chicago is in a Central time zone! We sent Obama!

I swear, Americans think so regionally. Obama? Who cares. Spain sent their King and newsflash, there is a world outside Central time zone.

I don't understand why people think just because Obama was sent, that's an automatic shoe in. I think a lot of Americans fail to realize that outside the US, having a black head of state (or woman or whatever colour) is really not a big deal so I don't see how this presence would have helped.

Anyway, reading the comments on various newsites, i'm surprised they haven't announced a bombing campaign on the IOC HQ. Do people remember Toronto's reaction when we lost the bid? We didn't go around saying FU IOC, F the Olympics, I'm boycotting etc. Americans can be very sore losers.

NYC lost their bid to London. How come this is more of a shock? Obama! Right. Right. Futhermore, I'm sure the Sports Federations of Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, North Korea, Libya, Cuba, etc etc were shitting in their pants at the thought of going through US Customs and the "Department of Homeland Security."

 

[scarberiankhatru]

Speaking of Iran, I almost expect Tehran to host an Olympics (summer *or* winter) before Toronto. With Beijing and Rio cracking open 'risky' regions, anything's possible in future decades.

 

[jn_12]

^ Well, as someone else said, the IOC might want to go with a "safe" choice after going "risky" with Rio. London was considered pretty safe after Beijing and I think they'd be seriously concerned about the Olympic brand if they were to go from Rio to Tehran or Cape Town. We also have to remember that the IOC wants to make money. To ignore North America in a situation where American TV rights make up 60% of the IOC's television rights revenue is absurd.

Also, look at what happened with the World Cup. They went with the crazy idea of rotating through the continents which resulted in South Africa and Brazil hosting in succession, and there have been significant headaches in both cases. It was such a bad idea that FIFA changed it's policy so any country, except those belonging to confederations that hosted the two preceding tournaments can bid. The IOC would hopefully learn from FIFA's mistake of holding back to back risky games.

 

[scarberiankhatru]

^ Well, as someone else said, the IOC might want to go with a "safe" choice after going "risky" with Rio. London was considered pretty safe after Beijing and I think they'd be seriously concerned about the Olympic brand if they were to go from Rio to Tehran or Cape Town. We also have to remember that the IOC wants to make money. To ignore North America in a situation where American TV rights make up 60% of the IOC's television rights revenue is absurd.

Also, look at what happened with the World Cup. They went with the crazy idea of rotating through the continents which resulted in South Africa and Brazil hosting in succession, and there have been significant headaches in both cases. It was such a bad idea that FIFA changed it's policy so any country, except those belonging to confederations that hosted the two preceding tournaments can bid. The IOC would hopefully learn from FIFA's mistake of holding back to back risky games.

Note that I said "anything's possible in future decades," not 2020.

'Risky' changes over time and has more than one definition. If some members voted for London assuming Beijing would be 'risky,' remember that they did so before the 2008 games took place (with Beijing ending up less 'risky' in some ways than Atlanta or Athens...or, potentially, London).

 

[gabe]

Do people remember Toronto's reaction when we lost the bid? We didn't go around saying FU IOC, F the Olympics, I'm boycotting etc. Americans can be very sore losers."

Yeah people in Toronto did go around saying that but for good reason, Lots of people not just in Toronto but around the world wanted the Olympics anywhere but in communist China. Beijing Olympics turned out to be a complete failure which looks good on those commies.

 

[Whoaccio]

^
Beijing was a "complete failure"? Since when? Granted I have no idea how people decide wether Olympics are failures or successes (it involves way to many qualitative effects), but I thought Beijing '08 went as well as could be expected. Nobody protested at the podium, there were no anti-government protests (in China..), no logistical failures, things were ready in time and so forth. I'm pretty sure most Chinese considered it to be a success.

 

[Whoaccio]

Which Olympics are generally considered success/failures anyways? Is there an official list? I always thought it would break down like:

Successes:
'96 Atlanta
'00 Sydney
'08 Beijing

Failures:
'66 Mexico
'76 Montreal
'80 Moscow
'84 Los Angeles

Mediocre:
'88 Seoul
'92 Barcelona
'04 Athens

 

[Northern Light]

A couple of thoughts:

1) Let's not overplay or underplay the importance of the Olympics. I can name countless great cities that have either never held an Olympics or not done so in 50+ years. From Sanfrancisco or Vienna or Paris (which hasn't held the gams in over 80 years, and frankly it has no impact on the place).

Equally there are Cities that have held the Olympics and it hasn't done that much for them, St. Louis comes to mind; and even Atlanta, while it did benefit from the games, is not at the top of anyone's 'Great Cities' list.

The advantage of holding a Games, is really one that is up to the City in question to create. Its a branding/marketing opportunity to be sure, a potential tourism boost; and offers the chance to co-ordinate and bring forward worthwhile infrastructure projects that probably should come forward anyway; but often don't; because of the aforementioned marketing moment.

Beijing produced a benefit in that the Chinese made a conscious effort to reduce pollution, get new subways ready, pretty-up the City and so on.

Whether the benefit is worth the expense is always debatable, but done properly, it can be.

**********

Now onto who gets what.

The U.S. didn't win simply because it would be bad optics; against superior bids; particularly in light of having hosted 2 Summer Games and 1 Winter Games in the last 25 years (32 by the time 2016 rolls around)..

While North America will probably be in play for 2020, the preceding summer games having gone to Europe (Athens); Asia (Beijing); Europe (London); and South America (Rio); its not a hand me.

It is obvious to everyone there is a push to share the games w/every major region of the world, if the bid is up to spec.

South Africa is the logical country in Africa, but probably still needs some more economic progress to put up the kind of bid necessary to win.

But India ...... I would be shocked not see a large bid made for either Delhi or Mumbai; and even more surprised it it didn't win.

But if North America doesn't get it in 2020, then it will in 2024.

That doesn't mean Toronto is a shoe-in. We would need a great bid, but I think we are the only bid likely out of Canada; The U.S. ...we will have to see.

In the meantime, Toronto is very logical City to host a World Cup of Soccer, I think this place would go nuts. That's a bid we should be making.

 

[Irishmonk]

Which Olympics are generally considered success/failures anyways? Is there an official list? I always thought it would break down like:

Successes:
'96 Atlanta
'00 Sydney
'08 Beijing

Failures:
'66 Mexico
'76 Montreal
'80 Moscow
'84 Los Angeles

Mediocre:
'88 Seoul
'92 Barcelona
'04 Athens

Some corrections:
Add Munich 1972 to the failure list
Mexico City was in 1968
Montreal could be considered mediocre rather than an outright failure as some great Olympic moments occurred there.

Also, switch Atlanta and Barcelona. Atlanta was such a dud (a bombing, terrible transportation, hot humid weather, over-commercialization, uninspiring city) that it may have contributed to Chicago's quick exit.

OTOH Barcelona is considered to be one of the greatest Olympics ever held, and helped brand that city as one of Europe's prime tourist destinations.

 

[jn_12]

Which Olympics are generally considered success/failures anyways? Is there an official list? I always thought it would break down like:

Successes:
'96 Atlanta
'00 Sydney
'08 Beijing

Failures:
'66 Mexico
'76 Montreal
'80 Moscow
'84 Los Angeles

Mediocre:
'88 Seoul
'92 Barcelona
'04 Athens

whoa you have some of those a bit backwards (Barcelona was successful and transformed that city significantly). The Olympics even helped put Seoul on the map. However, Atlanta is known for being one of the (if not THE) worst Olympics ever held. Mind you, it depends entirely on what your definition of success, failure and mediocre are.

Some people would argue LA wasn't a failure because it made money. But it's the only Olympics in history that didn't have public funding/support and it was home to a boycott, which is never good.

I don't think anyone would consider the Beijing games a failure though. And I wouldn't put a lot of merit in profitability. I've outlined this in the Pan-Am thread, but profitability and the economic spin-offs of an Olympic games are near impossible to measure.

 

[jn_12]

I was with you until you said this:

In the meantime, Toronto is very logical City to host a World Cup of Soccer, I think this place would go nuts. That's a bid we should be making.

Toronto/Canada is probably the most far-fetched choice for a world cup. We don't have the stadia (quantity, size and quality). That alone is enough to squash that argument.

 

[nfitz]

When they make the decision on the 2020 games in 2013, we'll likely be 2-years before hosting the Pan-Am games. My guess is that our best bet is the 2024 games, awarded in 2017; when the success of the Pan-Am games will help the bid.

Though I'd think that bidding in 2020, but with the plan of also bidding in 2024 would be the best advertising for a 2024 bid.

The downside though, is that somewhere like Chicago or New York wins 2020, which would make a 2024 bid difficult. On the upside one might even win in 2020.

Though that's assuming that we really want the games here ...

 

[Whoaccio]

Found these on Foreign Policy:

 

[gabe]

^
Beijing was a "complete failure"? Since when? Granted I have no idea how people decide wether Olympics are failures or successes (it involves way to many qualitative effects), but I thought Beijing '08 went as well as could be expected. Nobody protested at the podium, there were no anti-government protests (in China..), no logistical failures, things were ready in time and so forth. I'm pretty sure most Chinese considered it to be a success.

Lots of athletes boycotted Beijing Olympics for political reasons. Hotels weren't booked, there was protests around Beijing, low attendance at some of the events, Beijing had to get volunteers to fill in the empty seats, Smog was also a huge issue causing athletes to drop out, I highly doubt any of that would have happened in Toronto.

I'm glad South America gets the Olympics, It's not like they can get the winter and summer Olympics like the USA.

 

[adma]

At worst, Beijing would have been a "failure" like Mexico City was a "failure".

And count me in with those puzzled at how Atlanta was a success...