Japan loses Olympic swimming final tug-of-war with American TV networks

You win the rights to host you should be able to name the event times I would think. Screw american TV!

You win the rights to host you should be able to name the event times I would think. Screw american TV!

Sadly while the Japanese audience would be happy, the folks who actually pay the bills for the IOC wont, and those sponsors have a huge say.

This also means that Europe misses out completely as the swimming will be in the middle of the night.

Anyway, it's a pretty dull event so it doesn't bother me much.

Anyway, it's a pretty dull event so it doesn't bother me much.

But for the Japanese it's major, as their swimming team is world class and their swimmers are some of the best chances they have for getting a medal at the Olympics. It's a huge disappointment for the organizers.

Morning finals will reduce the world-records. Muscles take time to warm up over the day. Plus, many of the best competitors are teens and have that "not awake before 10am" problem.

OTOH, the Golden Rule still applies, it seems.

The company pushing for these times is Comcast/NBC. Probably the single most hated company in the USA. They will carry every competition, but most will only be available through their sub-channels that are only carried by Comcast cable. Last summer Olympics, there wasn't any way to see the preliminaries unless you had CATV through Comcast. Zero streaming possible. Hopefully, that will be better.

Sponsors - Sponsors pay the big bills. Oh sure, some might say "Screw American TV" but the reality is that most posters don't say that when NHK comes knocking at your door. I'm confident there are many who don't whip out their wallets when the NHK man comes around.

At least American TV, doesn't force you to sign up when your families relocate to the U.S. for work.

So yeah, change the time so that sponsors like NIke, ( the shoes on your feet ), Coke, ( you know you drink it ), and McDonalds ( the junk food you eat ) can put out commercials during prime time Olympic events so you don't have to pay for your TV.

Give it a try! The alternative is "You don't pay NHK, you don't get to watch Olympic Events".

The highest reason Japan loses Olympic swimming final tug-of-war with American TV networks to be televised in USA prime time hours and not of Japan. The best swimming athletes at final are guessed to be Americans, plus American TV networks pay a lot of money to IOC...

Sponsors - Sponsors pay the big bills. Oh sure, some might say "Screw American TV" but the reality is that most posters don't say that when NHK comes knocking at your door. I'm confident there are many who don't whip out their wallets when the NHK man comes around.

I imagine most of us say screw American TV and NHK (aka ABC, Abe Broadcasting Company).

So yeah, change the time so that sponsors like NIke, ( the shoes on your feet ), Coke, ( you know you drink it ), and McDonalds ( the junk food you eat ) can put out commercials during prime time Olympic events so you don't have to pay for your TV.

Imagine waking up in the morning to defend vile corporations that are actively destroying the health of billions of people, or the notion that the Olympic Games (Chariots of Fire music starting up in the background) should turn on what rapacious advertising companies think is best. Is it the reality, yes, but don't assume we're all drooling couch surfers out of Wall-E. I don't even watch the Olympics. Your prolefeed may vary.

It is not huge issue. Many Japanese companies will grant special olympic holidays for 2 weeks. Or at least allow workers to watch major telecast finals with many Japanese athlete like swimming, in the office.

85% of income doesn’t go to the host country, it goes to just two American media companies who own all rights.

Gambare Japan, what world do you live in? Like a company is going to allow people to wheel in a TV and sit there and watch Olympic events while there is work to be done? Never.

I don't have a big issue with commercial interests determining which country gets to view events in prime time.

I do have a big issue with the money from commercial interests going to the IOC and not to the host country who has to pay a fortune for the facilities and security and then host events in the middle of the morning.

@Ganbare Japan!

It is not huge issue. Many Japanese companies will grant special olympic holidays for 2 weeks. Or at least allow workers to watch major telecast finals with many Japanese athlete like swimming, in the office.

I love your optimism. It's refreshing but more and likely far from the reality. The 2020 Olympic Games is a once in a life time opportunity for families to experience the games. Quote me on that....."experience" the games. I believe some people will watch some events but I'm doubtful that most Japanese companies will allow their employees to go and experience it.

In fact, it's such a major issue that people may leave their companies before the Olympics for fear of missing such an opportunity. Other posters are correct when they say this about making big money. Just because your company isn't an official sponsor doesn't mean that they will not try to make money off it. People will be working harder than ever before.

With that said, changing the times of major events on TV may actually be to our benefit. If Olympic Swimming is in the morning....during work hours....there may be a slim chance that someone with a heart in the company will adjust the work day.

Sponsors - Sponsors pay the big bills. Oh sure, some might say "Screw American TV" but the reality is that most posters don't say that when NHK comes knocking at your door. I'm confident there are many who don't whip out their wallets when the NHK man comes around.

At least American TV, doesn't force you to sign up when your families relocate to the U.S. for work.

So yeah, change the time so that sponsors like NIke, ( the shoes on your feet ), Coke, ( you know you drink it ), and McDonalds ( the junk food you eat ) can put out commercials during prime time Olympic events so you don't have to pay for your TV.

Give it a try! The alternative is "You don't pay NHK, you don't get to watch Olympic Events".

Umm, the sponsors will still be able to advertise regardless of time. Caving in to pressures from because another country is annoyed by the time slot. Funny how many fans in Japan could watch a football match at 23:00 and 03:00. You don't need to point out what shoes you think I wear, what I eat or drink for me to know what sponsors are. Just because I might buy their products doesn't mean I am beholden to them in any form! Last i checked the 2020 Olympics will be held in Japan and sponsors will still be able to be....sponsors regardless.

Ah_so

Anyway, it's a pretty dull event so it doesn't bother me much.

Maybe for you, not for others. For me, who once swam at national level, it's pretty exciting stuff. I would love to be there for the 50, 100 free and 100, 200 breaststroke. As Yubaru said, Japan is world class when it comes to swimming and they would love to see it live on the box. There are a lot of sports I consider dull, so I don't watch them.

I have no sympathy for any country that fights for the rights to host the Olympics and makes all sorts of promises (and pays bribes) to the IOC to win the bid.... to then get screwed over by the very IOC.

Until countries stop selling their souls to the IOC to win the games, the IOC will keep doing what they have been doing for the last few decades!

Japan, welcome to omotenashi... IOC style!

The moral of the story is don't bother hosting the five ringed circus.

Awwww... and after Japan has promised the world to stage the Olympics in the dead of summer and endanger the lives of thousands for the sake of NPB broadcasts.

The highest reason Japan loses Olympic swimming final tug-of-war with American TV networks to be televised in USA prime time hours and not of Japan. The best swimming athletes at final are guessed to be Americans, plus American TV networks pay a lot of money to IOC...

Let's take it another step...the marathon runners from Ethopia are on top of the world, so the marathon should be run to coincide with prime time there right?

I mean hell the Olympics are a world wide event right?

The US has enough sports on TV at the time, and I hardly doubt all that many care anyway.

The hosts should decide the timing of events. The US only shows events featuring US athletes anyway.

Look, the same thing happened with the Pyongyang Olympics. All the figure skating competitions were done early in the morning so they could be on in prime time in the good old USof A. Why? Because NBC was paying the biggest amount and they get to call the shots. If Japan doesn't like it, then when the World Cup is in Qatar in 2022, they should outbid everyone and have the games played in the wee hours of the morning so they will be broadcast in prime time here!

Like a company is going to allow people to wheel in a TV and sit there and watch Olympic events while there is work to be done? Never.

I must admit, our company that did for the London Olympics in 2012. But it was more of a background thing - it wasn't affecting work output. And it did big up morale.

Considering the amount of money Japan Consortium pays to broadcast the Olympics and the cost Japan as a whole spend to host this Olympic games, it is not unreasonable to hope the event would be held in the prime time here.

As one of avid swimmers, I'm disappointed at hearing this news.

I've yet to see an office in Japan w/o a TV..

Which should be absolutely no surprised when the country depends upon NHK for news and more importantly information in case of a disaster.

Like a company is going to allow people to wheel in a TV and sit there and watch Olympic events while there is work to be done? Never.

Down here in Okinawa, in summer, when the summer Koshien tournament is on, if the team representing Okinawa gets to the quarter-finals or better you would be surprised how many offices do in fact sit and watch the baseball game.

In fact the best time to get anything done is during the games. A few years back when the team from Okinawa won the summer tournament the roads were nearly deserted, and people actually got pissed off if they were interrupted by a phone call or annoyance at work during the game.

But I totally agree, two weeks to watch the Olympics....aint ever gonna happen, the poster who made that comment lives in lala land!

If Japan's work ethic was realistic, many people just might stay home to watch a final event in the morning. But, as we all know, that won't happen. So, they'll watch it as a 'rerun' when they get home after their ten- or twelve-hour workday and commute. It'll all be forgotten a week after the Olympics close out. Not a big issue.

Let's take it another step...the marathon runners from Ethopia are on top of the world, so the marathon should be run to coincide with prime time there right?

If the Ethiopian TV network pays the IOC large sums of money, sure