Comments on: Why The Olympics Don’t Matter Anymore http://weakonomics.com/2010/03/01/why-the-olympics-dont-matter-anymore/ Everything That's Wrong With You And Your Money Wed, 23 May 2012 01:09:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Thicken My Wallet http://weakonomics.com/2010/03/01/why-the-olympics-dont-matter-anymore/comment-page-1/#comment-3650 Thicken My Wallet Thu, 04 Mar 2010 02:35:47 +0000 http://weakonomics.com/?p=3898#comment-3650 16.6 million Canadians watched the Canada/U.S. Gold medal hockey game. Canada only has 33 million people. I am not sure any of the 16.6 million Canadians would agree with you or the thousands that took to the streets of cities across Canada in celebration afterwords. America exports soft power given it has let others make things for Americans to consume. Sitting at the seat of such power radiating out, it is hard to understand why other nations, developed or developing, show nationalistic pride as a reaction to the influence of such power on other nations. It is an insider/outsider issue. The Olympics do not matter more because of the greed of the IOC than what the average citizen believes (corporate funding may be winding down because IOC is asking for so much money now that it can never be recovered). What was surprising about this Olympics was that the people of Canada refused to let media cynicism or IOC corporatism overwhelm the fact that people wanted to have a good time and show the world they are proud to be Canadian. 16.6 million Canadians watched the Canada/U.S. Gold medal hockey game. Canada only has 33 million people. I am not sure any of the 16.6 million Canadians would agree with you or the thousands that took to the streets of cities across Canada in celebration afterwords.

America exports soft power given it has let others make things for Americans to consume. Sitting at the seat of such power radiating out, it is hard to understand why other nations, developed or developing, show nationalistic pride as a reaction to the influence of such power on other nations. It is an insider/outsider issue.

The Olympics do not matter more because of the greed of the IOC than what the average citizen believes (corporate funding may be winding down because IOC is asking for so much money now that it can never be recovered).

What was surprising about this Olympics was that the people of Canada refused to let media cynicism or IOC corporatism overwhelm the fact that people wanted to have a good time and show the world they are proud to be Canadian.

]]> By: the weakonomist http://weakonomics.com/2010/03/01/why-the-olympics-dont-matter-anymore/comment-page-1/#comment-3642 the weakonomist Tue, 02 Mar 2010 01:24:24 +0000 http://weakonomics.com/?p=3898#comment-3642 Actually, my understanding is the ratings were quite good. Especially the canada/usa hockey game. But if people watch just to see random sports every 4 years the ratings won't matter. Only if they watch for national pride. Actually, my understanding is the ratings were quite good. Especially the canada/usa hockey game. But if people watch just to see random sports every 4 years the ratings won’t matter. Only if they watch for national pride.

]]> By: Evan http://weakonomics.com/2010/03/01/why-the-olympics-dont-matter-anymore/comment-page-1/#comment-3641 Evan Tue, 02 Mar 2010 00:40:07 +0000 http://weakonomics.com/?p=3898#comment-3641 I'd be curious to know the tv ratings as a % of the population, that might prove/disprove your theory I’d be curious to know the tv ratings as a % of the population, that might prove/disprove your theory

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