Commercialising the Olympics
Published:Thursday | July 26, 2012 | 12:00 AM
THE EDITOR, Sir:
THE OLYMPICS are upon us and the country waits with bated breath and anticipation that our athletes will once again do us proud - not just in medals or world-leading performances but in promoting Jamaica to the world by showing high levels of professionalism, teamwork and sportsmanship.
The Olympics is one of the few instances in which the world comes together under one umbrella and celebrates. The traditions have largely remained intact since its modern revival. One very significant feature has been that the athletes perform for free and the pride of representing one's country on the world stage supersedes any monetary reward.
Call me paranoid, but I believe in order to ensure that the purity of the event remains the same, commercialisation must be kept at a minimum and active participation and openness must be promoted. We see the sprints being put at risk through the false-start rule, which has shifted the focus of the event from enjoying the performances of the runners to worrying about who will actually be in the race. The start of the races have now become more stressful for both participants, and spectators than the race itself.
exclusive rights
The other thorn I see is a local TV station, CVM, being given exclusive rights to broadcast the events live. An event in which our professional athletes chose to compete free of charge should never, in my opinion, be allowed to be ring-fenced and monopolised by any entity.
My concerns are based on the following:
The quality of the live feed and programmes may be affected, as a monopoly usually leads to lower-quality product.
Not everyone has access to CVM TV, hence some persons won't be able to watch without some discomfort or dislocation.
A technical difficulty at one station could lead to a national catastrophe. Putting all the eggs in one basket has never been a good idea.
Could exclusive rights be a precursor to PAID TV?
If the athletes are representing the country for free, their performance should be free to all and not owned by any entity.
My concerns for the Olympics also apply to the World Cup and all other 'free' events.
World Championships, the Diamond League and other events in which athletes are paid to perform, in my opinion, should be open for commercialisation and monopolisation as the event owners see fit.
Sports is one of the few things the world unites around, and keeping it free from over-commercialisation and external interest is one way to maintain its sanctity and attractiveness.
I believe the approach needs to be revisited as it's a step in the wrong direction.
RICHARD SMITH