Quote:
Originally posted by Mike Walsh
Quote:
Originally posted by ASA/NYSSOBLUE
The REAL pressure should be put on the major SPONSORS of the Olympics - especially Coca-Cola - the Olympics gets more $$ (or Euros if you want) from Coke than any one source - letting THEM know this is unacceptable. If Coke and a couple of the other major US sponsors had put more pressure on the IOC,MAYBE they would have listened!
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That is an excellent idea.
Mike
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I disagree. Do you really think these political appointees actually give a damn about Coca Cola?
I was stunned the ignorance shown by the softball people in this country that actually believed petitions and letter-writing campaigns would sway a decision.
Come on, folks. We are talking about a group of people who punish the US for their arrogance by displaying their's.
The vote to just bring it to the floor was worse than the vote to keep it in at the Singapore meeting. You don't think the whining following the last vote had anything to do with this vote that could very well have been as much in spite of the U.S. as it was in support of that socialist putz, Rogge.
Commercial pressure would be minimal as the consumer they are attempting to reach will still watch the games, but even that money doesn't go to the IOC, but the network carrying the games.
Local venue sponsorship would be more effective, but even that is probably based on advertisement and product placement and usage as anything else.
I believe the only way to influence the IOC is to hold a World Cup Championship Tournament in London at the same time as the Olympics and draw off the international attention given the games. If the IOC believes softball is not a worthy, international sport, how can they complain? Any network not contracted to cover the Olympics (I'm thinking the Mouse with an ABC/ESPN connection), would grab this opportunity in a heart beat.
Show the IOC what they are missing. Make them jealous of the tournament. Irritate them by the attention drawn away from their games. I'm pretty sure the ISF would get support from most European countries.
[Edited by IRISHMAFIA on Feb 11th, 2006 at 10:40 AM]