# Are the Olympics outdated? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [August 11, 2004, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-olympics-outdated/259447 "2004-08-11T22:50:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2004, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-olympics-outdated/259447/1 "2004-08-11T22:50:11Z")
I’m sure by now you’ve seen the nightmare that has become the 2004 Summer Olympics. Construction up to the last minute, security nightmares, athletes on drugs, the ungodly costs, etc. Do we really need them anymore? ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2004, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-olympics-outdated/259447/2 "2004-08-11T22:56:17Z")
Yes, we do. Its a chance for the world to come together and compete against each other in a non violent (well, mostly :)) way…to interact if you will. Its sad that such a thing has to be spoiled by the realities of the world of course, but I still think more good than bad comes of it. Just my opinion of course…YMMV. -XT ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2004, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-olympics-outdated/259447/3 "2004-08-11T23:09:37Z")
Personally, I’d like to see a special non-restricted parallel Olympics without drug regulations of any kind. That’ll be amusing. ---
**Author:** ![Burnt\_Sugar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ee59a6/32.png) [@Burnt\_Sugar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Burnt_Sugar)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2004, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-olympics-outdated/259447/4 "2004-08-12T01:01:14Z")
Keep in mind that the Olympics brings a country and specifically the host city a lot of attention from the rest of the world, which is likely to result in the host country ending up in the black with regard to costs. ---
**Author:** ![Burnt\_Sugar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ee59a6/32.png) [@Burnt\_Sugar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Burnt_Sugar)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2004, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-olympics-outdated/259447/5 "2004-08-12T01:02:53Z")
Oh, and I don’t see that Athens 2004 has become a nightmare. Drugs cheats are outed before every games, and you should be glad the Greeks are very serious about providing security for the games. ---
**Author:** ![emekthian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ecae2f/32.png) [@emekthian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/emekthian)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2004, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-olympics-outdated/259447/6 "2004-08-12T02:22:19Z")
> [@](#): > > Personally, I’d like to see a special non-restricted parallel Olympics without drug regulations of any kind. That’ll be amusing. Or better yet just make steroids mandatory 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![nonpolar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/3da27b/32.png) [@nonpolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nonpolar)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2004, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-olympics-outdated/259447/7 "2004-08-12T02:44:10Z")
Olympics provides some disttraction from the mess around the World plus huge benefit to the construction companies. ---
**Author:** ![spingears](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ebca7d/32.png) [@spingears](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spingears)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2004, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-olympics-outdated/259447/8 "2004-08-12T19:08:50Z")
> [@Burnt Sugar](#): > > Keep in mind that the Olympics brings a country and specifically the host city a lot of attention from the rest of the world, which is likely to result in the host country ending up in the black with regard to costs. In view of the excessive cost of security they should at least be postponed until the world wide situation has stabilized. ---
**Author:** ![Dog80](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/6bbea6/32.png) [@Dog80](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dog80)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2004, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-olympics-outdated/259447/9 "2004-08-12T19:42:41Z")
> [@spingears](#): > > In view of the excessive cost of security they should at least be postponed until the world wide situation has stabilized. So the next Olympics will be held on…never? The olympic idea is that every war stops for the duration of the games. If everyone played by the rules, no security at all would be needed. Of course, there were times when the ancient Greeks broke that sacred truce, why wouldn’t the same happen in the modern Olympics? ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2004, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-olympics-outdated/259447/10 "2004-08-12T21:57:36Z")
I didn’t mean to dwell on the security aspect. I was really aiming for the competition angle. ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2004, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-olympics-outdated/259447/11 "2004-08-12T22:34:29Z")
I have been meaning to start a poll to see if anyone is interested anymore. I remember as a youth it was a big deal, but now, I wonder who really cares? ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2004, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-olympics-outdated/259447/12 "2004-08-12T22:51:10Z")
> [@Khadaji](#): > > I have been meaning to start a poll to see if anyone is interested anymore. I remember as a youth it was a big deal, but now, I wonder who really cares? In a world of multi-millionaire base-foot-basket-ball players, it seems that no one cares who can run the 100 meter the fastest. ---
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2004, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-olympics-outdated/259447/13 "2004-08-12T23:17:18Z")
> [@Khadaji](#): > > I have been meaning to start a poll to see if anyone is interested anymore. I remember as a youth it was a big deal, but now, I wonder who really cares? I think a lot of people still care, but, IMO, much of the grandeur of the event was lost when they decided to hold the Winter Olympics on their own schedule of years. I’m still scratching my head over that one. ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2004, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-olympics-outdated/259447/14 "2004-08-12T23:50:06Z")
I agree with **Spectre**. It lost interest when it started coming every 2 years. It no longer seems like an _event._ ---
**Author:** ![suranyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@suranyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/suranyi)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2004, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-olympics-outdated/259447/15 "2004-08-12T23:58:34Z")
> [@Spectre of Pithecanthropus](#): > > I think a lot of people still care, but, IMO, much of the grandeur of the event was lost when they decided to hold the Winter Olympics on their own schedule of years. I’m still scratching my head over that one. I don’t see what’s so hard to understand. It was getting to be too much of a burden on the IOC, the national Olympic committes, and the broadcasters to oversee or attend two Olympic games in the same year. Hence, the split of the Winter Games into its separate schedule. And I don’t see how this affects the “grandeur” of the event one way or another. Before, there was a gap of only six months or so between the winter games and the summer games. Did that make the summer games less glamorous? Ed ---
**Author:** ![suranyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@suranyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/suranyi)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2004, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-olympics-outdated/259447/16 "2004-08-13T00:00:06Z")
> [@Mr. Blue Sky](#): > > I’m sure by now you’ve seen the nightmare that has become the 2004 Summer Olympics. Construction up to the last minute, security nightmares, athletes on drugs, the ungodly costs, etc. > > Do we really need them anymore? I’m a huge, HUGE fan of the Olympics, and I’ve been watching them religiously since 1972. This year will be no different. Ed ---
**Author:** ![artemis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/91b2a8/32.png) [@artemis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/artemis)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2004, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-olympics-outdated/259447/17 "2004-08-13T00:25:50Z")
> [@suranyi](#): > > And I don’t see how this affects the “grandeur” of the event one way or another. Before, there was a gap of only six months or so between the winter games and the summer games. Did that make the summer games less glamorous? Well, speaking for myself, when the winter and summer games were still held in the same year, they felt like ONE set of games (with a brief intermission in the middle). One enormous set of games, that came only once every four years - a special year, an Olympic year. And it was easy to remember when the next set of Games would be held. Now, with the two different seasonal games staggered, each set of games feels diminished. Olympic years staggered only two years apart don’t feel as special, either. An Olympic year that comes every other year feels a lot more like a World Series year, or a World Cup year - in other words, it doesn’t feel rare anymore. And I have trouble remembering when the next set of games wil be, now that there are two different sets of dates to keep track of. The IOC may have had excellent logistical reasons for making the switch, but I’ve become far less interested in the Olympic Games since they began staggering the summer and winter events. And I suspect I’m not unique in this. ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2004, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-olympics-outdated/259447/18 "2004-08-13T00:29:12Z")
Well said **artemis** I agree. ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2004, 10:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-olympics-outdated/259447/19 "2004-08-13T10:46:22Z")
I think one of the reasons the Olympics may not hold as much as appeal is that the sports themselves receive much more coverage outside of the Olympics. With the proliferation of sports channels desperate for programming, many of the Olympic sports are shown regularly on television. However, I still enjoy the Olympics and I’ll be watching a great deal of the cable coverage. I’ve already enjoyed the Spanish language Telemundo football coverage. ---
**Author:** ![BwanaBob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bwanabob/32/2985_2.png) [@BwanaBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BwanaBob)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2004, 11:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-olympics-outdated/259447/20 "2004-08-13T11:33:05Z")
I don’t know how the coverage has changed over the years in nations other than the USA, but here it’s become “lets find a human interest /hero for every damn sport”. The networks now purposely gear coverage towards women viewers. Sorry I don’t have a cite for that but I have seen and heard this on numerous occasions and the point is rarely argued. Personally, I couldn’t give a rats ass about how some guy in Podunk, Slobovia managed to train despite working 4 jobs to feed his 18 siblings and rise to Olympic calibre. Just compete. Correction - I might care if he/she won. I’d rather have info back-fill on the winners. They try to suck you in and have personal interest in these athletes before they have Olympic success. I don’t buy it. Also, they refuse to carry the events live, except their ridiculous “sports-center” type anchor show that proceeds to show you predigested tapes. Different time-zone? Deal with it. Your ratings won’t be the same (they tend to suck anyway), and perhaps you shouldn’t be charging the sponsors $100M’s. I want the ability to see it live. I was in Canada Feb '92 and the CBC had practically 24-7 coverage. On “Free” TV! It’s also way too commercialized! The IOC are no angels either. Those arrogant schmucks now consider it a privilege for a nation to issue stamps commemorating the Olympics. Instead of treating it as free advertising, they turn around and demand a licensing fee to put the Olympic rings on a stamp and insist on the right to tell a country what postage rate they can charge on said Olympic stamp. And countries put up with this shit! Hell, the more I think about it, the more pissed I get about the whole thing. Fuck the Olympics. Let the fat-cat IOC and networks starve for a couple of decades, and let them come crawling back in 20 years with a more reasonable mind-set! [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-olympics-outdated/259447.md?page=2)