Are The Olympics Relevant?

Originally written 8/1/08

When I was young, I loved the Olympics...especially the Summer Games. There was something very authentic about the games, despite the fact that the East German women had more facial hair than I did.

Maybe it was that athletes weren't as revered (or despised in some cases) as those of today's generation. Maybe it was because there was this US/USSR, "us vs them" drama that seemed to serve as the foundation of the games. Maybe it was before 24 hours, global sports and news coverage.

I think my disenchantment with the Olympics started with The Dream Team and the hype surrounding their dominance of the first games to allows pro athletes.

Nonetheless, the Olympic Brand still is strong based on a recent study of the major sporting events. I just wonder if this is residual equity that is driven by those old enough to remember the games when they were interesting. The TV ratings continue to decline and are expected to contiune as such this year.

I'll watch certain events out of curiousity...but not with the same level of interest as years past.

How important are the Olympics to you?