2012 Olympic trial will be more able to be seen than in 2008
EUGENE, Ore. - The 2012 Olympic Track & Field Trials start June 22 at Hayward Field. The local organize committee educated some lessons from 2008 that should make 2012 even better and more noticeable.
NBC is the broadcast rights holder for the 2012 trials and was so as well in 2008.
Due to NBC's tight limits on the 2008 Olympic Trials in Eugene, many people who were not able to go to the trials in person miss a lot of the action.
KVAL Sports has learned, however, that 2012 will be a much dissimilar story. "With our work with NBC, we try to make it as fan welcoming as likely to the most number of people," said 2012 organize Committee Co-chair Greg Irwin. "So, moving up the plan a little bit and making it more obtainable to everyone across the country, we want everybody to have the advantage of watching the spectacular events at Hayward Field."
In 2008, the men's 800 meter final was the most unforgettable event of the trials, but it was seen only once on television.
"It is trying when you turn on KVAL and you can't of necessity watch the races you want to watch because somebody else has the rights to them," said 2008 men's 800 champion Nick Symmonds.
NBC's system in '08 not only excluded anyone else from shooting any video of the trials, but NBC also prohibited any other media outlet from airing their video of events on certain days.
"NBC pays billions with a 'b', billions of dollars to own the rights not just to the Olympics, but to the Olympic Trials." said USA Track & Field spokesperson Jill Geer. "I can tell you that I've been on calls with NBC officials where we've worked on them loosen their guidelines."
But they were anything but loose in '08 and KVAL was required to use immobile pictures to tell the story of the days' events. The main reason for that was because on most days NBC chose to air its boradcasts awaiting midnight when KVAL's newcasts were previously over. However, that won't be the case in 2012.
"We haven't announced the broadcast schedule yet, but the time slots are not going to be 11 to midnight," said Geer.
"All the TV coverage of the US Track & Field Championships will be held at prime time," said 2012 Organizing Committee Co-chair VIN Lananna. "So, it will be a much better schedule." That will be good for everyone, as well as local media outlets.
