Next Olympic Stop... Vancouver 2010

535 days from now the world will be in Vancouver and Whistler and those not here will have their televisions tuned to the city and the biggest sport party the region has ever seen.

Vancouver and VANOC will have their work cut out for them as the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics were truly impressive. Human rights protests and terrorist attacts were not the problem many thought they could be, the air was relatively clear (for China), and athletes broke many Olympic and World Records in their quest for gold.

The Beijing Organizing Committee put on the most impressive Opening and Closing Ceremonies ever witnessed, complete with genuine and simulated fireworks, thousands of performers, and many top celebrities both from China and abroad.

On top of that the London Organizing Committee put on the most impressive "taste of the next games" number I have ever seen. Their performance was very hip, creative, and historical all at once. Performances by Leona Lewis, Jimmy Page, David Beckham and the coolest double-decker bus ever seen put the show over the top.

Hopefully Vancouver 2010 will answer the call and not put something too cliche together for the Opening and Closing Ceremonies and Vancouver. Some great Canadian acts should be available including Cirque de Soliel, Bryan Adams, Nelly Furtado and more.

Photos courtesy of London 2012 Blog.

Beijing 2008 Comes to a Close

16 days of amazing athletic performances have now come to a close in Beijing. As always, the athletic performances were wrapped up with the Closing Ceremonies held once again in the Bird's Nest stadium for some 90,000 spectators.

More than 43 new world records were set during the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing. 7 by American Michael Phelps who once again dominated the pool. Some other unique occurrences unfolded as well, including the Tae Kwon Do athlete from Cuba who was not impressed with his disqualification after taking more than the allowed for 1-minute and promptly kicked the referee in the head leaving him with a bloodied lip and most certainly a significant headache. The Swedish wrestler also stunned onlookers when he threw an Olympic hissy fit and threw his bronze medal to the ground in protest of the judging.

The Closing Ceremonies were one last opportunity for China to wow the world. Fireworks, upon fireworks, led the way and of course concluded the show. Star performances from Jimmy Page and David Beckham were somehow mixed into the performance. Lip-syncing again reined supreme, although the lip-syncers could have maybe used a bit more practice for this ancient art. Jacques Rogge of course deemed Beijing 2008 "truly exceptional".

All Olympic ceremonies to follow... Vancouver 2010, London 2012, and Sochi 2014 ...truly are now in a tough spot with a very tough act to follow. Hopefully with creativity they can also put on some great shows because the other cities almost surely won't have the funds or manpower that the People's Republic of China was able to throw at the 2008 Olympics.

Photo Credit: Martin Dougiamas.

VANOC Missing Chinese TV Rights Deal

Last year VANOC secured an unprecedented broadcasting rights payments deal with the IOC. The IOC had told VANOC that they would receive approx. $450M US in television rights payments, but Dave Cobb, VP of Marketing, and John Furlong, VANOC's CEO, negotiated that up to a figure reaching almost $600M CDN.

However, a deal between the IOC and China has just been signed for the 2010 and 2012 Olympic Broadcasting Rights reportedly in the three-figure multi-million dollar region. Prior to this China has been broadcasting under an existing licensing arrangement for a reported $18.5M.

This late rights deal may not benefit Vancouver 2010 though, in terms of contribution to the budget in light of the previously negotiated contract with the IOC. The contract could potentially be renegotiated though or at the very least the payment VANOC has to make to the IOC for the rights of nearly $200M could possibly be reduced or the one-time payment from the IOC of $35M to the $100M VANOC Contingency could possibly be increased.

The IOC negotiates rights broadcasting for 2 Olympic sets at a time. The previous set which included the 2006 Turin Winter Olympics and the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics has generated approximately $2.6B in revenue. The 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics and 2012 London Summer Olympics are expected to fetch close to $4B.

More from the Calgary Harald.

Sullivan to Wheel Again

Vancouver Mayor Sam Sullivan first made headlines when receiving the Olympic flag in Turin in 2006 as he wheeled and waved the banner using a specially made mount attached to his motorized wheel chair. The mayor will get a free wheelin' opportunity again next month, this time on the other side of the Pacific.

The mayor, who was injured in a skiing accident at 19 years of age, is one of 10 Canadians that will be a part of a torch relay in China for the 2008 Beijing Paralympic Games.

The mayor will not be the sitting Vancouver mayor in during the 2010 Olympic Games in Vancouver & Whistler.

VANOCs Cure for Empty Seats

If you've paid any attention to the current games in Beijing or previous games in Turin, Athens, or Sydney, you've no doubt seen an epidemic of empty seats despite supposed "sell outs".

The problem stems largely from the large number of seats given to the IOC and individual NOCs. The number given to them is typically 30% for every event. But, as IOC members are very important they have better things to do than attend early rounds of competition, especially in some of the less popular events. Despite many empty seats inside the venues, people are still unable to acquire tickets.

VANOC wants to cure this empty seat epidemic and is going to use some novel methods to do so. First and foremost they plan to automatically cancel all tickets given to an individual countries NOC if they are found to have sold their tickets to ticket brokers. This is an often practised underhanded revenue practice that will not be tolerated. Barcode technology will allow VANOC to stem this problem.

Secondly, VANOC is pushing hard to minimize the number of tickets IOC members receive, especially in early round competition and to less popular events.

Third, VANOC will be trying to relocate IOC seats at events to less desirable locations to allow the paying customers to purchase the choice seats.

Fourth, VANOC plans to try to limit Press seats, at least in prime locations, as every press table will take up at least 3 paying seats.

Lastlyl, VANOC will be working towards allowing last minute purchase of un-used seats. Not sure how this will work, but it would be great if they could liquidate empty seats, sort of like Tickets Tonight, to those that want to fill them instead of just leaving have the venues empty like in early round Beijing competition.

The ticket sales process starts October 3, 2008.

The Look of 2010

Steve Lange's job is to 'brand' the 2010 Olympics. He's studied Athens & Turin and right now he's doing some hands-on research in Beijing.

He's researching not only how the Beijing Olympic Committee has branded their games but what technology and methodologies their using. He's looking at lighting, building wraps, and more.

In addition to Vancouver's plans for fence wrappings and extensive signage the International Olympic Committee insists that the organizing committee buy out or control the space of billboards along major Olympic routes to limit the amount of "ambush" advertising by competitors of Olympic sponsors.

In Vancouver's case, Vanoc has acquired all of the rights to major sources of outdoor advertising, from billboards to bus shelters throughout the area.


More from the Vancouver Sun.

Beijing 2008 Begins

This blog isn't focused on the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympic Games but I do post the odd interesting Beijing-related item. Today, that item is the start of the Games, 08.08.08.

Approximately 91,000 people gathered in the Chinese National Stadium, affectionately known as the Bird's Nest. The Opening Ceremonies of the XXIX Games started with a single drum beat that grew to 2008, filling the stadium and beyond with the classic beats of a past dynasty.

The questions remain regarding Chinese human rights record and whether or not it will have been a positive move granting the People's Republic of China the world's most altruistic sporting competition. But at least for a few moments the decision was positive when Sarah Brightman and Lui Huan took the stage in Beijing.

More details of the astounding Opening Ceremonies and Athletes Procession from Canada.com.

Beijing : The View China Wants You to Have

REAL 2010

With less than two months to go until the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics are underway the organizers of the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympic Games are preparing for the counterfeiters to unleash their furry on this next event.

In anticipation of that furry they've launched a campaign called REAL 2010 encouraging fans, spectators, companies, etc. to quite simply buy real, genuine products.

In addition to this, VANOC held a three-day anti-counterfeiting training conference in Vancouver which was attended by businesses and law enforcement officers from Canada and the U.S..

The conference was run by Kestenberg Siegal Lipkus, a Toronto law firm, and co-sponsored by the Vancouver Police Department and the RCMP.

Beijing : Attending the Games

If your summer plans this year include attending the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympic Games than you should make sure you read the rules before setting off. There's only one problem, they're only in Mandarin.

But be advised they include items such as these:

• No prohibited drugs
• No pornography
  
• No persons suffering from a mental disorder or insanity
• No protesting
• No sleeping in public places such as airports, train stations, sidewalks, etc.
• No removal of state secrets... this one, the way its worded, is the scary one... be VERY careful
  

Some things you are allowed to do:

• One dog or cat per person is allowed into China
• Food for your consumption for the duration of your stay

More on this can be found here and you're also encouraged to do some extensive googling as if you do get in trouble finding a qualified human rights lawyer may be challenging since many of those involved in representing the protesters from Lhasa in March are having some 'challenges' with the government.

Beijing : Still Opportunities to Attend the Summer Games

If you're planning to head to the Beijing 2008 Summer Olympic Games you still have the chance. But don't wait too long or you'll miss the opportunity all together!

Single tickets are sold out... but packages ranging from multiple sporting event tickets, to tickets + accommodation, to completely all-inclusive 5-star luxury tours are still available. Cosport.ca Prices start at $6,295 per person based on double occupancy.

Here's a little guide to getting to the games.

Note: It's written from a Canadian perspective, there may be slightly different findings from your own country. Visit your home country's Olympic website for more info.

First Nations Build Business-Cultural Bridges

The four host nations of the 2010 Winter Olympics are determined to take full advantage of the economic and cultural opportunities the games present.

The nations of the Lil'wat, Musquem, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh people make up the Four Host First Nations Secretariat organization tasked with building cultural and business relationships in China.

"If we can help people understand we are diverse, in that we are modern as well as we know where we come from, I think that would be an incredible opportunity," said Tewanee Joseph, the secretartiat's CEO.

The group travelled to Beijing this week to open an exhibit of first nations art at Beijing's Central University of Nationalities and held a symposium for Chinese students.

The secretariat's number one priority for the games is to build a brand.

"We're trying to identify opportunities for aboriginal people in the Games and not miss an opportunity of a lifetime," said Joseph.

More from the Vancouver Sun.

Beijing : Torch Reaches Everest Summit

The Olympic torch has reached an amazing climax on it's journey around the world. Earlier today a Tibetan woman carried the torch the last few steps to the summit of Mount Everest, the highest mountain in the world, from the Chinese (Tibetan) base camp.

Once on top of the world, the team, outfitted in nationalistic red snow suits unfurled three flags. That of the People's Republic of China, Olympic Rings, and the Beijing 2008 logo flag.

Here's a video of the group celebrating at the summit. It's mostly in Chinese (not sure if its Mandarin or Cantonese) with some English at the end.

HBC Unveils Beijing 2008 Clothing

You can't please all of the people all of the time. That saying is especially true for the 2008 clothing unveiled for the Beijing 2008 Summer Olympics. The clothes unveiled by the Hudson's Bay Company definitely have some hits and misses.

The overall concept of the 'new sport camouflage' by designer Tu Ly is a good one, in the right doses. Pieces that have hints or accents of the Canadian-Chinese fusion design look great, items that are all sport-camo are quite abrasive to say the least.

The sport-camo hoodie could work. It's a little loud, but not that bad on the whole. The matching pants though are horrible. They're probably just far to reminiscent of 'jams' for their own good. At least they aren't fluorescent.

This Olympic line is available for purchase but is not the clothing that the Canadian Olympic Team members will wear at the various ceremonies in Beijing. That outfit will be unveiled as they enter the Opening Ceremonies.

More from The Province.

Beijing : Keep the Promise

With just under 100 days until the Beijing 2008 Summer Olympic Games begin Amnesty International is calling for China to "Keep the Promise".

When Chinese officials lobbied for the Games, they promised the world that the Beijing Olympics would be an opportunity to improve human rights in China. The International Olympic Committee awarded China the games in light of this promise. Now it's time for China to keep its promise to the world. Human Rights belong to all people, everywhere – including China. On this page you will find information on human rights concerns in China, opportunities for writing letters, conducting public protests, and learning about what others are doing to demand that China keep their promise to the world. -- Amnesty Blog

The Olympic Torch Relay will travel through Hong Kong tomorrow, May 2, and groups like Amnesty are urging the authorities there to allow peaceful protests to occur without incident. Several foreign persons have been denied access to the region without specific reason provided leading to speculation that these decisions are being made arbitrarily.

It will be very interesting to continue to monitor the human rights side of the Beijing 2008 games and also what will happen in Vancouver 2010 and the possible First Nations protests that they may see.

$14.7M Shows Off BC in Beijing

British Columbia is spending nearly $15M to show off at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Orca Creative Group was hired to transform the Beijing Planning Exhibition Hall into a little piece of BC and Canada away from home. The same group also designed the exhibit.

The pavilion will open next Saturday, April 26th, 2008 for a soft launch and will be officially opened by British Columbia Premier Gordon Campbell and David Emerson, the federal Olympics minister on May 22.

The Turino log cabin saw 100,000 visitors through it's ornately carved doors during and after the 2006 Winter Olympics. This new iteration of the British Columbia Pavilion is bigger and flashier, a token to it's new locale, and is merely a stone's throw away from Tienanmen Square in the heart of Beijing.

[Photo by A tea but no e]

13 steel rings covered in BC made waste-wood product Silva Panel frame the entrance to the building. Once inside a 4.5 tonne jade centrepiece called The Emperor's Sunrise carved by Vancouver's George Pratt and Syd Belzberg. The gem-quality stone was mined from Dease Lake.

The traditional Chinese elements of metal, wood, water, earth, and fire will guide the exhibit.

A 225 year old "Spirit Tree" will be a centrepiece, as in Turin, this one used to grace Prospect Point in Stanley Park before being blown down in 2006.

More from Jeff Lee.

Fakes Flood Beijing

That's probably the most shocking statement of the year! Okay, maybe not. It's not really a surprise that the kingdom of copies would be flooded with fake Olympic memorabilia.

In contrast, since November VANOC has encountered only a handful of stores that it has had to monitor and in turn had to hire legal counsel from firms specializing in trademark protection.

So far no one has tried to fake the holographic tags that infer the legitimacy of Vancouver 2010 Olympic items.

Surprisingly, Vancouver's most famous Olympic brand infringement case against Olympia Pizza, a long-time user of the rings in its signage on Denman Street in Vancouver's west side is still ongoing, after 5 years.

Back in Beijing, one of the few places you won't find Olympic knock-offs is the place that is historically most famous for its fakes - Silk Road Market. The market struck a deal with the Beijing Organizing Committee and as such as a booth on the main floor where one can get the real deal. But step outside and you'll be back to the fakes you came for.

More from VancouverSun.com.

VANOC Updates Virtually Unnoticed

To no surprise the issues surrounding the International Torch Relay for the Beijing 2008 Summer Olympics has consumed world media, the Beijing Organizing Committee, and of course the IOC.

In light of that when there was little dissection given to the reports given by VANOC at a conference of some 700 Olympic committee delegates in Beijing this past week.

VANOC CEO John Furlong and National Olympic committee services director Andreja McQuarrie gave a presentation to ANOC, the Association of National Olympic Committees, after which no questions were asked.

Later in the week, Furlong and Cathy Priestner Allinger gave a presentation to the IOC that again went without scrutiny.

The lack of questions could be merely due to members thoughts being focused on the torch relay and potential further issues that will come up as the Beijing Olympics approach, but it was also a sign of confidence in the steady, quiet progress of the Vancouver organizing committee.

Of further confidence in the Vancouver games is the high quality of not only the sports venues, 9 of which are now complete, but also in the Olympic Villages and other Venues. In the past, some athletes have refused to reside in Olympic Villages due to the sub-standard quality of housing.

More from Canada.com.

Beijing : Terror Plot Foiled

Officials in the People's Republic of China are claiming to have foiled a major terrorist plot aimed at the Beijing 2008 Summer Olympic Games.

45 people have been arrested in the Northwest region of the country, an area that is predominantly Muslim.

Officials claim the group was planning to kidnap athletes, journalists, and tourists. Some reports also claim that the group was planning suicide bombing attacks at the games.

More from the Telegraph.

Olympic Torch Leaves Athens Bound for Beijing

From A to B without mention of T. The Olympic Torch left Athens after a small ceremony to take the long journey to the capital city of the People's Republic of China, Beijing. From there the torch will take a 20 country tour before making its' way back to Beijing to mark the start of the 2008 Summer Olympic Games.

The 2008 Beijing Olympics and everything associated with them are becoming more and more of a lightning rod in light of recent uprisings by Buddhist monks in Tibet which has been occupied since being invaded in 1950 by the Chinese authorities. Protests along the torch route, leading up to the games, and throughout the competitions are highly anticipated.

More news on the torch's journey from Athens from the Toronto Star.