The BBC and its utter obsession with the Olympics.
Discussion
I'm slowly picking up a bit of interest.
It's interesting.
Singapore pay their athletes $1 million for a gold.
US reward their athletes $25,000 for a gold.
UK gives them didly squat.
Now I suspect that we pay a grant to support them in their training, some will get sponsors as a result etc. but it seem's a bit harsh for no reward at all for success - other than the medal itself.
It's interesting.
Singapore pay their athletes $1 million for a gold.
US reward their athletes $25,000 for a gold.
UK gives them didly squat.
Now I suspect that we pay a grant to support them in their training, some will get sponsors as a result etc. but it seem's a bit harsh for no reward at all for success - other than the medal itself.
Eric Mc said:
They've been pretty much funded by the state for most of their careers through the National Lottery - and they know it. I haven't seen or heard one British athlete complain about lack of funding or lack of monetary rewards for winning.
The successes of past games guarantee funding for future games.Many sports have minimal funding, unless they've been identified as one in which we can succeed - cycling used to be under-funded with no resources in the UK. Boardman was successful, funding started to be made available. Although I believe Sky have had a massive part of play in funding UK cycling, too.
The horsey types seem to be self-funded - although it could be claimed they can afford to do it, as most horsey sports are only pursued by the more affluent classes.
Even if funding is available, being an Olympian doesn't guarantee large salaries - additionally, when your career is only around a decade long, it can be a very harsh reality check when the funding and sponsorship is pulled.
eccles said:
p1stonhead said:
How can some of you lot be so miserable!
After the utter embarrasment of the Euro 16, its great to see us do well at other things!
Im loving the coverage and im not even remotely into sports.
I thought we did rather well at Euro16.After the utter embarrasment of the Euro 16, its great to see us do well at other things!
Im loving the coverage and im not even remotely into sports.
Eric Mc said:
After yesterday evening and this morning - how can any Brit feel disinterested?
With great ease. I'm not interested in sport in the slightest. I don't even know (truthfully) what happened yesterday evening and this morning, but I assume Team GB won some medals. I know you will tell me it's all over the news, but I just turn over/off when the coverage starts.
Though the compilation video above made me, erm, semi-interested.
Eric Mc said:
After yesterday evening and this morning - how can any Brit feel disinterested?
Indeed - Good to have something to be proud about on the world stage instead of being seen as an irrelevant, xenophobic island...Shame we can't make any money out of Olympians!
M.
PS What's the obsession with Beach Volleyball? The female players are undoubtedly fit (in the literal sense), but most are far too skinny to be sexy (the level of interest is clearly not related to their sporting prowess
)Edited by marcosgt on Monday 15th August 09:38
Eric Mc said:
Fair enough.
But I would guess most of the British public will have an interest level slightly higher than yours.
As I said before, why pick out the BBC for special treatment. Most other mainstream media outlets are also leading with Olympic stories.
Sky News aren't. They have a short roundup of the games during their news programme whilst reporting on other events in the world. But I would guess most of the British public will have an interest level slightly higher than yours.
As I said before, why pick out the BBC for special treatment. Most other mainstream media outlets are also leading with Olympic stories.
eccles said:
p1stonhead said:
How can some of you lot be so miserable!
After the utter embarrasment of the Euro 16, its great to see us do well at other things!
Im loving the coverage and im not even remotely into sports.
I thought we did rather well at Euro16.After the utter embarrasment of the Euro 16, its great to see us do well at other things!
Im loving the coverage and im not even remotely into sports.
p1stonhead said:
eccles said:
p1stonhead said:
How can some of you lot be so miserable!
After the utter embarrasment of the Euro 16, its great to see us do well at other things!
Im loving the coverage and im not even remotely into sports.
I thought we did rather well at Euro16.After the utter embarrasment of the Euro 16, its great to see us do well at other things!
Im loving the coverage and im not even remotely into sports.
Smollet said:
Sky News aren't. They have a short roundup of the games during their news programme whilst reporting on other events in the world.
They were the other day.Now that football has started I suppose Sky can OD on that instead.
Newspapers have largely given themselves over to the Olympics.
http://www.express.co.uk/ourpaper
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/
http://en.kiosko.net/uk/np/daily_mail.html
https://www.thesun.co.uk/
eccles said:
p1stonhead said:
eccles said:
p1stonhead said:
How can some of you lot be so miserable!
After the utter embarrasment of the Euro 16, its great to see us do well at other things!
Im loving the coverage and im not even remotely into sports.
I thought we did rather well at Euro16.After the utter embarrasment of the Euro 16, its great to see us do well at other things!
Im loving the coverage and im not even remotely into sports.
SilverSpur said:
And some of them make a fortune doing it to.
The vast, vast majority of Team GB don't. Unless you have exceptional success and/or the personality to maintain the publicity into a media career most will be back in day jobs before they're 30 years old. A footballer 3 or 4 divisions down will be enjoying a significantly richer lifestyle than the 'average' silver medalist.On the positive side this is at least recognised now, most at my workplace (and we've been incredibly successful with Olympic medals), will be working towards a degree to prepare for a career in sport alongside their training.
surveyor said:
I'm slowly picking up a bit of interest.
It's interesting.
Singapore pay their athletes $1 million for a gold.
US reward their athletes $25,000 for a gold.
UK gives them didly squat.
Now I suspect that we pay a grant to support them in their training, some will get sponsors as a result etc. but it seem's a bit harsh for no reward at all for success - other than the medal itself.
For the biggies like athletics, swimming, cycling, sailing and rowing, there's money which is effectively their wage while actively training, access to state-of-of-the-art equipment, pretty much the best sports science available and hot and cold running coaching staff. It's a mix of the corinthian expectation that people want to excel in whatever their field is for its own merits, and that olympic medal success means you can get commercial endorsements and jobs readily enough if filthy lucre beckons, although it's really only the likes of Ennis, Redgrave etc who end up in adverts or whatnot.It's interesting.
Singapore pay their athletes $1 million for a gold.
US reward their athletes $25,000 for a gold.
UK gives them didly squat.
Now I suspect that we pay a grant to support them in their training, some will get sponsors as a result etc. but it seem's a bit harsh for no reward at all for success - other than the medal itself.
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