No softball at London 2012!

[Antonella]

It's a very sad moment for softball community worldwide: IOC Summit in Turin decided (yesterday? Just an hour ago? I don't know) softball remains out of the programme of Summer Games 'London 2012'.

[IRISHMAFIA]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060209/...N5bnN1YmNhdA--

[bkbjones]

As someone who derives his living from politics, let me say it realllllllly pi$$es me off to see politics take center stage when it comes to sports.

That is what happened here, in spades. And the repercussions will echo throughout our sport.

I hope Don Porter and others do everything possible to establish a wonderful alternative to the 2012 Olympics with softball.

And...will the sport be reinstated for 2016? Not holding my breath. Jacques Rogge could care less about softball (and apparently his Netherlands neighbor cares even less).

[Mike Walsh]

Originally posted by Antonella
It's a very sad moment for softball community worldwide: IOC Summit in Turin decided (yesterday? Just an hour ago? I don't know) softball remains out of the programme of Summer Games 'London 2012'.

It's really a shame that the best chance softball had was if the Americans had lost in competition. I was tempted to look up the other 26 sports that will be in the Olympics, but decided against it. It wouldn't take long to get past the major sports, and I don't want to think about some of the others that are in when a great sport like softball is not considered worthy.

Mike

[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!

[Mike Walsh]

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!

That is an excellent idea.

Mike

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally posted by Mike Walsh

That is an excellent idea.

Mike

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]

[MA Softball Ump]

I just posted a new thread regarding some info I just received, but I believe Mike Rowe has it absolutely correct!!
TJ

[Mike Walsh]

Originally posted by IRISHMAFIA

I disagree. Do you really think these political appointees actually give a damn about Coca Cola?

(snip)

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.

(snip)

[Edited by IRISHMAFIA on Feb 11th, 2006 at 10:40 AM]

Not bad. But money talks. How about a combination of the two? With corporate sponsorships' help, an alternative competition could work. The AFC never would have made it to the NFL if they didn't have enough money to last long enough to be noticed.

Mike