Has Anyone Else Found These Games to be Just...Off?

[Name Nameless]

Time zone and work didn't help me, but I think these Games were just fine. the Winter Olympics are just not like the Summer ones. Looking forward to Tokyo!

Should be. I've mentioned it in the thread, and more people have mentioned it.

The empty stands has looked ridiculous.

 

[Albatros]

The winter games could be downsized a bit and brought closer to the people for sure, but making them more like the summer games is just not realistic already because no one would be ready to host such an event.

 

[Fighter]

Should be. I've mentioned it in the thread, and more people have mentioned it.

The empty stands has looked ridiculous.

You can only wish. How many countries do have actual snow, ice and sport INFRASTRUCTURES to be relevant in the Winter Olympics? That's just ONE of the problems.

 

[Daisy Jane]

Should be. I've mentioned it in the thread, and more people have mentioned it.

The empty stands has looked ridiculous.

that quite frankly was on the IOC/NBC a lot of these events were smack middle of the day, so it would be "primetime" for north america.I've lived in Korea - you simply do not "miss work" - and even using the reasoning "but it's the Olympics" won't jive.

having events at 10 through 1pm in the day was stupid, and the only reason why the IOC did it was because NBC's billion dollar investment spoke volumes.

I firmly believe had these been later afternoon/evening there would have been more attendance.

 

[Daisy Jane]

You can only wish. How many countries do have actual snow, ice and sport INFRASTRUCTURES to be relevant in the Winter Olympics? That's just ONE of the problems.

how many countries have MOUNTAINS (kinda important for downhill, this is why Montreal/Toronto can't bid - no mountain), snow, ice, and want to host the Games. I think we are forgetting a loooooooot of countries are doing the "eh, you know what, catch you later." to the Olympics because it costs so much, especially the security factor. Asia has no issues spending that kinda dough (because they have it) .

I think honestly the games are going to settle towards having a go to Summer location and a go to winter location. sooner or later. (either that, or the Olympics are gonna be less 'spectacle' and more. "Okay so here is where the event is." )

 

[Hesher]

The time difference and the lack of spectators didn't help but I still enjoyed them. But the gold standard for me will probably forever be Lillehammer 1994.

 

[Name Nameless]

that quite frankly was on the IOC/NBC a lot of these events were smack middle of the day, so it would be "primetime" for north america.I've lived in Korea - you simply do not "miss work" - and even using the reasoning "but it's the Olympics" won't jive.

having events at 10 through 1pm in the day was stupid, and the only reason why the IOC did it was because NBC's billion dollar investment spoke volumes.

I firmly believe had these been later afternoon/evening there would have been more attendance.

So, you don't have vacations to spend when you host an Olympic? Yeah, asians don't like taking vacation. I have heard that.

When we had the Olympics at Lillehammer in 94, the events were in the middle of the day. They used the local trains in the Oslo - area to drive more people up. Started 3 or 4 am in the night, two and a half hours on trains (without bathrooms. "Plan this, people".). And back again in the evening. Of course, also a large number of busses. But most events were in the middle of the day.

This games: It was weird how incredibly expensive it was when the tickets were not in short supply. People here checked the prices, and not many went. Normally, there are thousands of Norwegian tourists to big events, I noticed the TV-cameras managed to find a couple. But it wasn't many.

Awkward to want to host the Olympics and then not going to them.

This may come out a bit harsh. We are not that bitter. World is what it is. But the "it should have been in the evening" didn't crack it.

 

[Daisy Jane]

So, you don't have vacations to spend when you host an Olympic? Yeah, asians don't like taking vacation. I have heard that.

When we had the Olympics at Lillehammer in 94, the events were in the middle of the day. They used the local trains in the Oslo - area to drive more people up. Started 3 or 4 am in the night, two and a half hours on trains (without bathrooms. "Plan this, people".). And back again in the evening. Of course, also a large number of busses. But most events were in the middle of the day.

This games: It was weird how incredibly expensive it was when the tickets were not in short supply. People here checked the prices, and not many went. Normally, there are thousands of Norwegian tourists to big events, I noticed the TV-cameras managed to find a couple. But it wasn't many.

Awkward to want to host the Olympics and then not going to them.

This may come out a bit harsh. We are not that bitter. World is what it is. But the "it should have been in the evening" didn't crack it.

Hey. i was totally, team Norway to get the games. Lillehammer is where is where i first truly fell in love with the Olympics. (I can remember- vaguely - Albertville and Barcelona, but i don't know if that was all because i Olympic binge on events from that time so I don't know what's youtube induced and what's literal memories).

I'm just telling you from my experience living there venue times (and ticket prices prob), was a massive factor. it always is, and always will be. I mean I adore the Olympics, but if I didn't have vacation time (because I was stupid and didn't plan for it), i wouldn't be missing work to go see events I probably couldnt afford. (okay to be honest, if i had vacation time, i'd probably still be watching at home. I had the chance to be in Vancouver for 2010, and I declined. i don't do crowds + people at all )

also remember, Olympics are v. political.
politicians want the games. the general populous tend not to.

 

[JackSlater]

I didn't like the coverage in Canada. Seemed like multiple channels often showed the same events and they struggled to cut to big events like a Canadian making a gold medal run. Having the host pretend that something is live when it isn't comes off poorly.

 

[Soliloquy of a Dogge]

De Grasse yes, but I would caution having too many expectations for Penny. She has been inconsistent and injured since the Olympics.

My Sister swam competitively and was close to making the Canadian Olympic team back in 2008 along with her good friend Annamay Pierse so I'm well aware of how volatile a sport it can be.

Swimmers bodies change rapidly at her age and it can throw everything out of wack. Plus the sport constantly has waves, no pun intended, of top notch talent coming up through the ranks and breaking onto the scene on an annual basis. These kids are shredding world records or coming close to them younger and younger.

I do think Penny is going to find her form before Tokyo and she'll excel once again. Too gifted and too smart of a swimmer not to.

 

[Cloned]

My Sister swam competitively and was close to making the Canadian Olympic team back in 2008 along with her good friend Annamay Pierse so I'm well aware of how volatile a sport it can be.

Swimmers bodies change rapidly at her age and it can throw everything out of wack. Plus the sport constantly has waves, no pun intended, of top notch talent coming up through the ranks and breaking onto the scene on an annual basis. These kids are shredding world records or coming close to them younger and younger.

I do think Penny is going to find her form before Tokyo and she'll excel once again. Too gifted and too smart of a swimmer not to.

Hope you’re right.

On a side note it sucks that Pierse peaked literally right after the Olympics ended.

 

[Kyle McMahon]

Could it be the further proliferation of new judged events that once-every-4-years spectators really have no means to accurately gauge?

Slopestyle ski/snowboard and the halfpipe and big air events were mainly what was on in prime time in North America. These events can lack drama in a sense, since most of us watching really have no idea if Competitor A was better than Competitor B (unless somebody falls or very clearly did way easier tricks). We need to wait for the judges to tell us. Where as in a speed skating or skiing race, you can see the medalists charging to the finish line with each other or right up against the time clock. Everybody watching knows exactly what is going on and who the winner is as it happens.

All of the speed skating was on during the worst possible time in North America. And many of the alpine events got pushed back and ended up overlapping with the ski cross and snowboard cross races, among other things. Those are of course new events, but the difference is they are races, not judgement calls. I could be wrong, but I get the sense people would much prefer those events to halfpipe/big air/slopestyle.

 

[BlueBull]

I was focused on Pyeongchang 2018 quite alot over the last 2 weeks. To be honest the Commonwealth games is a good similarity to how much i was hyped on this, and then some. Probably the 2nd lowest focus on the games in my life (for 2004 and 2006 i was too young, the beijing games were a little boring for me but i was like 5 back then). Vancouver, London and Rio I was hyperfocused on it. Tokyo is the first games I am going to go see since i saw the olympic torch in Vancouver 2010 since it was just 100-150km away from where i lived.

 

[sr edler]

That might be the word I was looking for. They’ve been clinically cold to me. No warmth, no spectacle. Just by the book and in and out.

And the snow didn't even look white but grey or yellow. Iron Curtain throwback!

 

[GQS]

The time difference and the lack of spectators didn't help but I still enjoyed them. But the gold standard for me will probably forever be Lillehammer 1994.

For me the time difference wasn't as big a deal, but it really sucked to see the majority of venues be sparsely populated. That really sucked alot of the ambience and excitement out of these games when so many events were so empty except for a few like short track speed skating.

Reading a couple of articles, it seems like part of the reason was that there was alot of restrictions and barriers to buying and reselling tickets for events and that greatly affected filling the stands with people.

I've had no desire to watch these Games (nor have I since the NHL didn't participate), but yeah things have felt a bit....strange.

In 2014 and 2010 there was more of a definite how can I say....buzz in the air?? I.E. When the new year arrived we knew it was Olympic time, or most of us couldn't wait for them to start. With these Olympics I don't know anyone who'se watched any of the coverage.

****ty time zones and no NHL players being there doesn't help either.

Most definitely the NHL not being there killed some of the excitement for me and I barely watched any hockey the whole games and timezone affected alot of people and their ability to catch the games, although at least they put all the figure skating events on prime time for North America and Koreans had to watch those events in the morning/afternoon.

As for best winter games I'd say definitely Vancouver takes it with Calgary and a few others being a close second, but most definitely nothing will beat Vancouver for me because it not only was it in Canada, but it had so many great Canadian moments all topped off by that best olympic hockey game OF ALL TIME and the celebrations that it sparked afterwards, yeah nothing will ever beat that for me.

I didn't like the coverage in Canada. Seemed like multiple channels often showed the same events and they struggled to cut to big events like a Canadian making a gold medal run. Having the host pretend that something is live when it isn't comes off poorly.

I think they did a pretty decent job of it mostly this time around. For me it sucked that Ron Maclean didn't make it there to host the games since he always does a great job, especially when he interviews Canada's medal winners.

As for coverage, between CBC channel, TSN and Sportnet channels they pretty much covered almost every event live, especially when Canadians were involved and for those things that weren't on TV like watching other non-Canadian curling or hockey teams play, you could just go to their website and watch it there.

I don't remember them missing much when it comes to covering all the events. So overall it was another good job by Canadian broadcasters on covering the olympics.