NBC Universal to provide Unprecedented Coverage in US of Sochi 2014

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NBCUniversal to Provide Unprecedented Coverage of 2014 Sochi Olympics

NBCUniversal to set Winter Olympics record with 1,539+ hours of coverage including 539 televised hours on NBC, NBCSN, CNBC, MSNBC and USA Network and 1,000+ hours of live streaming coverage of all Winter Games competition on NBCOlympics.com via NBC Sports Live Extra. NBC begins 185 hours of coverage with primetime show on Thursday, Feb. 6.

Stamford, CT – WEBWIRE – Friday, December 27, 2013

The biggest Winter Olympics in history, set to take place in the biggest country in the world, will receive the most U.S. coverage in Winter Games history. NBCUniversal will present more than 1,539 hours of coverage of the XXII Olympic Winter Games from Sochi, Russia, across NBC, NBCSN, CNBC, MSNBC, USA Network and NBCOlympics.com. The 1,539+ hours are the most ever for a Winter Olympics and more than the coverage of the previous two Winter Olympics combined.

NBC’s coverage of the 2014 Sochi Games begins in primetime on Thursday, Feb. 6, at 8 p.m. ET, one night before the network’s traditional coverage of the Opening Ceremony on Friday, Feb. 7, and continues until the Closing Ceremony on Sunday, Feb. 23. NBC’s schedule is divided into three dayparts – daytime, primetime and late night – for a total of 185 hours over 18 days.

Following is a breakdown of NBCUniversal’s coverage of the XXII Olympic Winter Games:

· The six NBCUniversal platforms – NBC (185 hours), NBCSN (230), CNBC (36), MSNBC (45), USA Network (43) andNBCOlympics.com (1,000+) – will offer the most in-depth coverage in Winter Olympics history. The 1,539+ hours is more than Vancouver (835) and Torino (419) combined (1,254);

· NBCUniversal’s 539 hours of television coverage is the most ever for a Winter Olympics, eclipsing Vancouver (436) in 2010;

· Over the 18 days of the Sochi Games (Feb. 6 - 23), NBCUniversal’s coverage will average over 85 hours per day – nearly double the entire coverage of the 1976 Innsbruck Winter Olympics (43.5) on ABC;

· NBCUniversal is presenting its 14th Olympic Games and eighth consecutive, both the most by any U.S. media company. ABC is second with 10 and four (twice), respectively;

· Bob Costas will host primetime and late night for NBC’s Sochi Winter Olympics Coverage, becoming U.S. television’s first 10-time Olympic primetime host. Click http://nbcsportsgrouppressbox.com/shows/2014-sochi-olympics/ for additional commentator announcements;

· Sochi marks the first time NBC will air Olympic primetime coverage before the Opening Ceremony. The primetime broadcast on Thursday, Feb. 6, is scheduled to include competition in the Olympic debuts of snowboard slopestyle (men’s and women’s), in which two-time Olympic gold medalist Shaun White may compete, and team figure skating, where the U.S. is expected to contend for a medal, as well as women’s freestyle moguls, where defending U.S. Olympic Gold Medalist Hannah Kearney is scheduled to compete;

· NBCSN, the NBC Sports Group’s Emmy Award-winning 24/7 sports network, will present more than 230 hours of coverage, including live figure skating for the first time, and serve as the home for Team USA;

· MSNBC, NBCUniversal’s 24/7 cable news channel that is fully distributed in roughly 100 million homes, will telecast live hockey coverage on 11 of its 12 days, including medal round games;

· USA Network, the #1 network in all of basic cable for an unprecedented seven straight years and seen in more than 100 million U.S. homes, will present medal round coverage of hockey and curling and three men’s hockey games featuring Team Canada;

· CNBC, NBCUniversal’s fully distributed cable business channel, will serve as the home for curling during the 2014 Sochi Games, and present a daily curling program beginning on Feb. 10;

· NBCOlympics.com will serve as the preeminent digital destination for Olympic content and the exclusive home of Olympic video coverage, featuring, for the first time, live streaming of all Winter Games competition, plus event rewinds and extensive video highlights.

A breakdown of platform-by-platform coverage follows:

NBC TO AIR 185 HOURS OF WINTER OLYMPICS COVERAGE FROM SOCHI

NBC will present 185 hours of 2014 Olympic Winter Games coverage from Sochi over 18 days, beginning with primetime coverage on Thursday, Feb. 6 at 8 p.m. ET/PT, and concluding with the Closing Ceremony on Sunday, Feb. 23. Coverage of the Opening Ceremony begins on Friday, Feb. 7 in primetime.

NBC’s 2014 Sochi Games coverage highlights:

· NBC will begin its primetime coverage of the 2014 Sochi Olympics on Thursday, Feb. 6, one night before the broadcast network provides its traditional primetime coverage of the Opening Ceremony on Friday, Feb. 7;

· Primetime coverage will include figure skating, short track, speed skating, alpine skiing, snowboarding/freestyle, and more;

· Daytime coverage will include gold medal finals in 11 of the 15 Winter Olympic sports, including speed skating, short track, snowboarding and hockey;

· All 12 new Olympic events, including disciplines in freeskiing, snowboarding and figure skating, will air on NBC;

· NBC will present coverage of the men’s and women’s ice hockey gold medal games live across all time zones;

· o The women’s gold medal game airs on Thursday, Feb. 20 at Noon ET/9 am PT;

· o The men’s gold medal game airs on Sunday, Feb. 23, with coverage beginning at 6:30 a.m. ET/3:30 a.m. PT;

· NBC’s coverage of the Sochi Games concludes with the Closing Ceremony, preceded by Sochi Gold, on Sunday, Feb. 23, beginning at 7 p.m. ET/PT.

In alpine skiing, reigning Olympic champion Lindsey Vonn, the most decorated skier in American history, is looking to recover from knee injuries suffered in 2013 and repeat her performance at the 2010 Vancouver Games, where she became the first American woman to take Olympic gold in the downhill. Olympic gold medalist Ted Ligety, who won three world titles in 2013, is expected to make his debut in primetime on Sunday, Feb. 9. Eighteen-year-old Mikaela Shiffrin has the makings of the next great American ski racer. She won the world and World Cup titles in the slalom last season to establish herself as the Sochi favorite, and she is also rising fast in her other event, the giant slalom.

In snowboarding, Shaun White looks to become the first American man to win the same Winter Olympic event three times with a gold medal in the men’s halfpipe. White earned the gold medal in the halfpipe in Torino (2006) and Vancouver (2010). He should also contend for a medal in the new slopestyle event. American Jamie Anderson is a favorite to win the gold medal in women’s slopestyle.

NBC’s coverage of figure skating at the 2014 Sochi Games begins with the Olympic debut of team figure skating on Thursday, Feb. 6. The new event will include men, ladies, pairs and ice dance teams for each of 10 qualified countries, including the U.S., Canada, and host Russia. Reigning U.S. champion Ashley Wagner and 18-year-old Gracie Gold could challenge for medals in ladies’ singles, while two-time world champions and 2010 Olympic silver medalists Meryl Davis and Charlie White have a slight edge over reigning Olympic champions Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir in ice dancing after defeating their Canadian counterparts at the 2013-14 Grand Prix Final.

In speed skating, Shani Davis looks to become the first American man to win titles in the same event at three Olympic Winter Games after earning gold in the 1000m in Torino (2006) and Vancouver (2010). Davis also took home silver medals in the 1500m in Torino (2006) and Vancouver (2010), and is the current world-record holder in both of those distances. Medals in both the 1000m and 1500m in Sochi would tie Davis with Bonnie Blair for the most Olympic medals by a U.S. speed skater. Davis became the first African-American athlete to win a Winter Games gold medal in an individual event, and is expected to make his primetime debut on NBC on Wednesday, Feb. 12.

In short track, J.R. Celski aims to build off of his double bronze medal performance in the 1500m and 5000m men’s relay at the Vancouver Winter Games. Celski should compete in all three individual men’s short track events – 500m, 1000m, and 1500m – and lead the U.S. men in the 5000m relay. Celski is the world record holder in the 500m, is the only skater to ever break the 40-second barrier in that event, and will debut on NBC in primetime on Monday, Feb. 10.

NBC will present live coverage of the men’s and women’s hockey gold medal games across all time zones. Live coverage of the women’s gold medal game will air on Thursday, Feb. 20 at Noon ET/9 a.m. PT, with coverage of the men’s gold medal game scheduled to begin on Sunday, Feb. 23 at 6:30 a.m. ET/3:30 a.m. PT. Team USA looks to build off of silver medals in men’s and women’s hockey at the 2010 Vancouver Games, after both teams fell to Canada in the gold medal contests. The U.S. men are expected to be led by numerous Stanley Cup champions. The women are led by Vancouver veteran and team captain Meghan Duggan.

NBCSN TO AIR MORE THAN 230 HOURS OF OLYMPIC WINTER GAMES COVERAGE

NBC Olympics will utilize NBCSN, the NBC Sports Group’s Emmy Award-winning 24/7 sports network that is distributed in more than 80 million homes, to present more than 230 hours of coverage of the XXII Olympic Winter Games from Sochi, Russia, this February. It will be the most Winter Olympic coverage ever on a cable network.

NBCSN’s 2014 Sochi Games coverage highlights include:

· The most comprehensive live coverage of the Sochi competition day;

· The network serving as the cable home for Team USA;

· Starting Saturday, February 8, when NBCSN’s Olympic coverage begins, the network will feature complete, live coverage of figure skating;

· In addition to its extensive figure skating coverage, the network will feature live coverage of 10 more sports, including speed skating, bobsled, ski jumping, Nordic combined, and more;

· Team USA vs. Russia in men’s hockey on Saturday, Feb. 15.

NBCSN’s Olympic coverage begins Saturday, February 8 at 3 a.m. ET/Midnight PT, when Team USA faces Finland in women’s hockey, and concludes Sunday, February 23, the final day of the Sochi Games. NBCSN will air at least one gold medal final live each day through its 16 days of coverage. Most days, live coverage on NBCSN will begin at 3 a.m. ET and continue for 12 hours.

LIVE FIGURE SKATING

NBCSN’s complete live figure skating coverage begins Saturday, February 8 at 9:30 a.m. ET with the team event, which makes its Olympic debut in Sochi. The event will be featured prominently in NBCSN’s first weekend of coverage and pits countries against each other in every figure skating discipline.

Following coverage of the team event, NBCSN will show every performance and every skater of the pairs, men’s, ice dancing and ladies competitions. Reigning ice dancing world champions and 2010 Olympic silver medalists Meryl Davis and Charlie White are expected to compete for Team USA in Sochi in the team event as well as ice dancing.

LIVE MEN’S HOCKEY

NBCSN will present 16 men’s live hockey games through the bronze medal game, including qualifying, playoff, quarterfinal and semifinal games. Live men’s hockey medal-round coverage begins Tuesday, February 18 at 3 a.m. ET. The network will air three Team USA qualifying-round games, including Team USA vs. Russia on Saturday, February 15 at 7:30 a.m. ET.

Russia’s Olympic hockey rivalry with the United States dates to the Soviet Union’s first appearance at the Winter Games in 1956, when the Soviets defeated the Americans en route to their first gold. From 1956-92, the Soviet Union and Unified Team won eight of the 10 Olympic hockey tournaments, with U.S. upsets of the Soviets in 1960 and 1980 the lone exceptions. Since competing as Russia, however, Olympic hockey’s most successful nation has yet to win a gold medal. Team USA games beyond the qualifying round are TBD.

LIVE WOMEN’S HOCKEY

NBCSN’s women’s hockey coverage features seven live games through the semifinal round and the bronze medal game. Qualifying-round coverage is highlighted by three Team USA games, including Team USA vs. Canada on Wednesday, February 12 at 7:30 a.m. ET.

Since women’s hockey was added to the Olympic program at the 1998 Nagano Games, Team USA and Canada have won all four gold medals, with Canada winning three times (2002, 2006, 2010) and the U.S. once (1998). The rivals have met in the gold medal game at every tournament except 2006.

NBCSN’s Olympic coverage begins with Team USA facing Finland in women’s hockey on Saturday, February 8 at 3 a.m. ET. Team USA games beyond the qualifying round are TBD.

ADDITIONAL OLYMPIC SPORTS

NBCSN will present live coverage of 11 Olympic sports throughout the Games, including live gold medal coverage of events in bobsled, Nordic combined, cross-country skiing, speed skating, and ski jumping, including women’s ski jumping, which debuts as an event in Sochi.

CNBC, MSNBC & USA NETWORK TO CARRY 124 HOURS OF OLYMPIC WINTER GAMES COVERAGE

NBC Olympics will again utilize fully-distributed NBCUniversal cable channels CNBC, MSNBC, and USA Network to serve as Olympic platforms when they combine to televise 124 hours of live coverage of the XXII Olympic Winter Games this February from Sochi, Russia.

CNBC will serve 36 hours of curling coverage through a daily weekday show. MSNBC will host 45 hours of live hockey and curling coverage. USA Network will air live curling and hockey, including three Team Canada men’s hockey games, as part of its 43 hours of live programming.

CNBC

CNBC will present a daily curling program during the Sochi Olympics. The channel will televise 36 hours of curling coverage, including the men’s and women’s finals, over 12 days, beginning Monday, Feb. 10 and concluding Friday, Feb. 21. CNBC’s curling show will air daily from 5-8 p.m. ET from Feb. 10-21, except for Sunday, Feb. 16, when coverage will air from 4-7 p.m. ET.

MSNBC

MSNBC will carry 45 hours of live Olympic hockey and curling programming over 12 days. MSNBC’s 2014 Olympic Winter Games coverage from Sochi begins on Saturday, Feb. 8 with live women’s hockey featuring Canada-Switzerland at 8 a.m. ET, and concludes on Wednesday, Feb. 19.

MSNBC will telecast live hockey on 11 of its 12 days, including medal round games. The network will also feature curling coverage, highlighted by men’s and women’s semifinals on Wednesday, Feb. 19.

USA NETWORK

USA Network will present live hockey and live curling during the 2014 Sochi Games, including medal rounds of both sports and three men’s hockey games featuring Team Canada.

The channel will televise 43 hours of live coverage over nine days starting on Monday, Feb. 10 with live women’s curling featuring U.S.-Switzerland. Men’s hockey coverage includes three games featuring Team Canada, including a matchup on Sunday Feb. 16 between Canada-Finland, the gold and bronze medal-winning teams at the 2010 Vancouver Winter Games.

Coverage will air on USA Network in the mornings and afternoons with exact times varying from day to day.

NBCOLYMPICS.COM

NBCOlympics.com will provide more than 1,000 hours of live event competition from Sochi. The site will serve as the preeminent destination for Olympic content and the exclusive home of Olympic video coverage, featuring, for the first time, live streaming coverage of all Winter Games competition, plus event rewinds and extensive video highlights. Like no other event to date, the Olympic Games have been, and continue to be, a watershed moment for “TV Everywhere” helping to drive awareness and usage. In addition, the site will offer more than 1,000 hours of on-demand access to full-event replays from broadcast and host-feed coverage of all 15 sports on the Winter Games program, as well as extensive highlights such as event recaps, best-of montages, commentator analysis and athlete-specific clips.

PRE-GAMES

Prior to the 2014 Sochi Games, NBCOlympics.com will provide in-depth coverage of Winter Olympic news, announcements and information. The site will profile key competitors, with a focus on many of the athletes likely to represent Team USA in Sochi, preview popular events across all 15 sports, and feature video highlights from memorable Winter Olympics moments. In addition, NBCOlympics.com will offer coverage of the U.S. Olympic Trials, and will feature a detailed viewing guide once those details are released.

IN-GAMES

During the Sochi Olympics, and for the first time in the history of the Winter Games, all competition across all 15 sports, including each medal-winning performance in all 98 events, will be live streamed on NBCOlympics.com and the NBC Sports Live Extra app. The vast majority of live streaming will only be available to authenticated cable, satellite or telco customers via “TV Everywhere,” the media industry’s effort to make quality content available to authenticated customers both in and out of the home, and on multiple platforms. NBCOlympics.com and the NBC Sports Live Extra app are the exclusive places to consume Olympic live streaming. The site will also feature exclusive content, real-time results, medal standings, event highlights and analysis, athlete interviews and profiles, and rewinds of all event coverage.

ABOUT NBC OLYMPICS

A division of the NBC Sports Group, NBC Olympics is responsible for producing, programming and promoting NBCUniversal’s Olympic coverage. It is renowned for its unsurpassed Olympic heritage, award-winning production, and ability to aggregate the largest audiences in U.S. television history. For more information on NBC Olympics’ coverage of the Sochi Olympics, please visit: http://nbcsportsgrouppressbox.com/

Cut Day

This 2013-14 Olympic season brings with it a new element for me to become associated with and that is being cut by your national team and ending the athlete's Olympic journey. No Games, No Opportunity to Medal, No Opening Ceremonies, No Olympic clothing, No biographical statement - 2014 Olympian.

Honestly, for me, the perspective that I have with these 2014 Olympic hopefuls is personal.  I know their story, I know what struggles and what they have overcome and given up for the opportunity to complete their journey.

Thankfully for me in 2006, 2010 and 2012 this is something that I have not had to face before because honestly it is heart wrenching.  As luck would have it, 2013 brought with it a cut that was unexpected and still I cannot make heads or tails on.  

The job of an agent though is to support these athletes on their journey.  Should the journey end, it is at that time that you need to become reactionary and advise immediately.  From an athlete perspective, Do you do media?  Do you skip media?  Do you try and take 24-48 hours off and then answer everything?  Do you issue a statement?  

In my case, the athlete I work for was the consummate professional.  No regrets, answer each and all questions, be as helpful as she could be and do it then for everyone.  This is not the same way that everyone would handle what is truly a heartbreaking time, but in her case it was the way she wanted to do it.

At the same time, when one door closes, another door would open.  This door would be broadcasting opportunities that she had left to pursue the 2014 Olympic Games.

While her next journey is beginning now, what shows me that she is a leader beyond what you might imagine, her team made their final cuts just a few days before Christmas from what has been posted on social media, she has been their to care for those who will not be able to complete their own journey.  She understands this better then most because she was one of those cuts before the 2006 Olympic Games and ultimately worked extremely hard to make the 2010 Olympic Games in her native land.  I consider this to be the ultimate level of leadership to nurture knowing that this occurred with you just 6 weeks earlier.  I am in awe and know that the person will always be ahead in life having these qualities in them.

Cut Day - Not for the faint hearted and not for anyone who is invested in an athlete's journey, but you be there for them at the greatest hour of pain and help them get to the next place in the life journey.

You are better for knowing them and helping them get to where they will go next, you just don't have to be happy about their pain.

brant

From World Cup highs to a Wacky travel schedule

I wanted to get this out a few weeks back after the FIBT World Cup tour stop in Park City, but honestly have just had no time.  At the same time, knowing client Steven Holcomb's schedule before that event and then afterwards I thought to illustrate how much of a whirlwind his life is during this Olympic campaign

Steven has recently concluded the first half of the season in the lead up to Sochi and had a tremendously successful start.  A start that honestly was not on folks radar at the level he put up.  In fact, it has never been done in the history of the sport.  But his on track success while tremendous is accompanied with a dizzying schedule.

Here is a sample of this since just prior to the World Cup season beginning.

Fly to Germany (2 day stay)

Fly to Sochi

Have International Training Week at the Bobsled track (he went with some developmental athletes and left his push team in North America to train, this was a driving week)

Fly to Germany (1/2 day layover)

Fly to Calgary via Chicago

World Cup season begins in Calgary (6 days in CGY) 3 practice days, meet up with his team race on the weekend.  Have a chance during this week in Calgary to catch up with Tessa Bonhomme (an Olympic gold medalist from Canada who is in town) who he met in London at the Summer Olympics.  Normally on the road you only see the other bobsled and skeleton athletes, so this is a nice one for him in a foreign country.  

WIN in 1st race ever in the latest prototype of the BMW 2-man Bobsled, WIN in 1st race ever in the 2nd version of the Night Train Squared.  After medal ceremonies, go and pack up the sleds to prep them and get them ready to go to Park City.  Clean up the house, pack and prepare to get on flights the next morning.

Fly to Salt Lake City via San Francisco then drive to Park City

World Cup 2 in Park City (6 days in PC) 3 practice days, have a lot of US media and sponsor obligations for the USBSF and personal, training is canceled one day due to bad ice conditions, family in town and races on Friday and Saturday.  WIN in the BMW 2-man and WIN in the Night Train Squared on your hometown track.  

On Saturday after the win, Steven has to still go to medal ceremonies, USADA for drug testing, pack sleds, go to a USBSF Lululemon event, see his family, clean the house with his teammates, pack and then get to airport first thing in the morning.  Steven falls asleep on the couch at 1030 pm.

Fly to Chicago (get delayed for 8 hours), then fly to Albany, then drive on bus to Lake Placid (normally this takes 2+ hours, it took almost 4 due to bad road conditions)

Pull into US Olympic Training Center - Lake Placid (OTC) at nearly 6 am EST then go to bed, training would be delayed because the bobsleds had not arrived yet from Park City.  Have training 2 practice days and then have two 2-man races as well as another 4-man race.  WIN in the BMW 2-man day 1, WIN in the BMW 2-man day 2 and win in the Night Train Squared on day 3.

Wrap the first half of the bobsled season 7 for 7, but the party doesn't begin because you have to prep the sleds before they are put in the crates before everything goes to Europe.  For Steven this night did not end at the track until 11 pm and to see everyone at Zig Zags before all goes off for the holidays.

Dec 16 Monday - DeVry University commercial shoot at 8 am (goes until 4pm)

Home to start doing 3 weeks worth of laundry.  No time to go out with DeVry because he has so much to catch up on before he leaves on Wednesday morning.

Dec 17 Tuesday - DeVry University commercial shoot at 8 am (goes until 430 pm)

Begin to pack up for a 3 month road trip and clean up his athlete residence at OTC Lake Placid.

Dec 18 Wednesday - Leave OTC at 4 am, get a ride from a developmental athlete to Albany for a 715 flight to Baltimore via Philadelphia.  Get picked up by town car and go to a commercial shoot for UnderArmour immediately.  Shoot this from 11 am - 5 pm.  Get his workout in at UnderArmour, go to the hotel and eat with some UA staff.

Dec 19 Thursday - Take the train to NYC (AMTRAK announces the wrong track & he gets on the wrong train), this delays his arrival to NYC to go to a BMW Press Junket.  Be with the media until 6 pm.  Go to the hotel and take care of a few more interviews, get dinner and go to bed.

Dec 20 Friday - Take car to NBC and appear on the TODAY SHOW at 836 am.  Have additional interviews with NBC Nightly News to air later and NBC Sports Network / Yahoo! Sports - Sports Dash at 1045 am.  Go to LGA and then head to ORD.  Get picked up and head to hotel.  Go get his workout in and an additional media interview with the Chicago Tribune.

Four different beds in four different days

Dec 21 Saturday - Wedding

Dec 22 Sunday - Day off, but still has his workout to get in

Dec 23 Monday - Fly ORD to COS and be picked up by Yahoo! Sports (at 11:15am) who is doing a long form feature on Steven.  They take him home, to OTC for his workout and to capture it behind the scenes with him and then interview him, his mom, his sister and nephews at the house.  Yahoo departs at 730pm

Dec 24 Tuesday - COS Home

Dec 25 Wednesday - COS Home and at sister's house

Dec 26 Thursday - COS Interview with Deseret News at 9 am, HOPE AND PRAY FedEx delivers his new Olympic helmets at 1030 am like what has been paid for to happen. LAST FULL DAY in the United States until March.

Dec 27 Friday - COS to gateway city and then depart for Munich to pickup his BMW 7 Series courtesy of BMW Germany for the second half of the season that was reserved in March of 2013.

As you can see, there is no rest for the weary, you can celebrate your season in March.  In Steven's case their will be light reflection on what he has done, because in his mind he has one goal and that is to not only defend his Gold in 4-man, but to capture an elusive medal in 2-man as well.  The US has not won a medal in 2-man since the 50's and a Gold in 72 years.

THIS IS THE LIFE OF AN OLYMPIC ATHLETE.  NOT THE ONE THAT NBC ADVERTISES IN THE PROMOS, YOU BUST YOUR ASS AND TRY TO DO WHAT YOU CAN TO GET IT DONE.

My level of respect, understanding and knowing how incredible this life is for these athletes is tremendous.

brant

Thanksgiving from our founder's perspective

Thanksgiving to me is a time to really reflect upon what you have, what you get to do and put into words what you love.  For me this I take very personally.  I know that this does get the best of me at times, but you want to do so much for whom you work with.

2013 honestly has been a great year, but it has also been one of the most trying years that I have ever had in this profession.  Deals have come together for the athletes I work for about how I expected that they would which ultimately helps each person's bottom line at the same time, one of the most disappointing things happened to me by being dismissed by a client that had been with me for about 3 years.  

When you are terminated you have to reflect on that situation personally to try and dissect how something went wrong, what you could have done differently and while you may have been let go, see if the strategy that you put into the athlete ultimately works.  In this particular athlete's case, it certainly did.  Others might want to take credit for it after the fact, but that doesn't diminish what you have done.

Our journey with each athlete as we begin to get to know them becomes a part of what we live every day.  The highs, the lows, the wins, the losses, the injuries.  At the same time, we learn about them and what they are doing to try and be the best in the world.

That's what we are thankful for, to be a part of that journey and support them.

American Thanksgiving from an athlete's perspective

Thanksgiving is truly a North American holiday.  In Canada it is celebrated in October, while in the United States it is the last Thursday in November.

For athletes that are from the US, Thanksgiving is a holiday that one rarely gets to celebrate with at home because if your a winter sport athlete most likely your World Cup season has begun.  If your a summer sport athlete their is a chance that you have a meet outside of the US, but you do have a greater likelihood that you might be at home.

With that being said your national team is in a sense your family and any American traditions are somewhat spent with the men and women that are in the same shoes as yours.  Far from home, but you have a job to do.

This Thanksgiving weekend in Calgary, AB, the US Bobsled and Skeleton team took part in the first of 8 World Cup events.  At the same time, other US teams that are competing domestically and on the road include US Ski Team (Alpine), US Speedskating and US Biathlon.

In day 1 of the the FIBT World Cup Women's Skeleton and Men's 2-man bobsled competed.  In what could have been a banner day for the US, Noelle Pikus-Pace and Steven Holcomb / Steven Langton all picked up victories.  

An hour after Noelle's win, she was disqualified because of a rules violation challenged by the team that finished 2nd.  I cannot tell you what or how this rule violation affected the race because it was deemed that though she did everything correct on the course and her sled that was legal just a few days ago now, was now illegal for having tape on the handle.  Her win became a DQ which instead of earning her 225 points, now became a zero.  Why this matters is after the 8 World Cup events are over, whomever earns the most points has the position to go first at the Olympics when ice conditions are considered to be optimal.  You have to somehow put this behind you because you have a job to do next week in Park City, the week after that in Lake Placid, off for the holidays and then go to Europe on December 27, 2013.

On the flip side, Steven Holcomb and Steven Langton raced in the 4th generation, new 2-man BMW bobsled in their first official competition.  Holcomb and Langton did some amazing things in the sled, they not only won the races, they also broke the track record twice in two heats that had stood since 2005.  Now while Holcomb has piloted 5 consecutive 2-man victories in North America doing so in different technology is very impressive.

At the end of the day, missing a treasured holiday by 99.9% of Americans is another day at the office, 69 days from the start of the Winter Olympic games in Sochi.  These athletes will do whatever it takes to not only want to make an Olympic team, but to try and win an Olympic medal.  They would rather celebrate Thanksgiving in March then worry about a great turkey dinner today.

To those on their journey to try and become a member of any Olympic team, I thank you for all that you do to represent your country and wish you best of luck in achieving your ultimate goal.

Sponsors versus your Sport commitment

The job of an agent is to try and procure endorsement work for your client the athlete.  

The premise of this is simple, the procurement of the right fit and the execution of this is long and hard while having the balance of the equation is tricky. 

I am in the middle of this right now.  We are less then 106 days before the Olympics and their is a tremendous amount of activation of partnerships going on in North America.  Fortunately, the athletes I work for have had the great fortune to have signed endorsement deals or editorial paid content with: 

P&G USA

P&G Canada

Coca Cola Canada

Citi

BP

UnderArmour

Ralph Lauren

Highmark Blue Cross/Blue Shield

Panini

NIke Canada

Easton Hockey

Topps

BMW USA

BMW Canada

DeVry University

Graf Hockey

RBK / CCM Hockey

Hilton HHonors Canada

Hudson Bay Company

Scotiabank

McDonald's Canada

Canadian Automobile Association

USG / CGC

Bausch +  Lomb Canada

While this list is damn impressive, now is crunch time for many of them and they want their pound of flesh to make sure that their activation goes off to pay for their campaigns that they have sunk a lot of money into.  The athletes need to honor their deals, but they also have to make their teams so that they can go and make it to the Olympic Games and hopefully fulfill their ultimate dreams, an Olympic medal or an Olympic Gold medal. 

Teams don't want to lose their athletes for sponsorship reasons to miss practice, each day is precious.  At the same time, athletes need these dollars to support their journey.  It is a balance and as you get closer to the Games, the focus needs to be with the team and corporate partners just have to stick to utilizing these ambassadors in a social media context and that has to be good enough.

Athlete ambassadors are authentic, but they have to give 110% to their teams as well.   Every 4 years you have the opportunity to represent your nation and give it your all, at the same time, you have to make it first.

Trust me when I say this that it is a balance and the answers that the agent has to provide to keep everyone happy is not always the easy one. 

Thanks

brant

How do you watch events with clients playing on Opposite Sides

This is a question that comes up a lot.  How do you feel when you have clients compete on opposite sides of the field of play? 

For me this is not simple, but I try not over think it at the same time.   

The simple answer to this is you root for your clients success.  You know before every game that their will be a winner and a loser, but if all play their position very well, you work with that when you speak with them and take it from there. 

In the case of the 2010 Winter Olympics as well as the 2009, 2011, 2012 and 2013 IIHF Women's World Championship, I have had this exact issue occur where I have had clients on both Hockey Canada and USA Hockey competing versus one another.  At times, it is more important to support the family members and show that your their for their daughter above all else. 

From the Fall of 2010 until the Spring of 2013, I had another situation occur which was a female in bobsled for Canada and a male in bobsled for the US.  In that situation, on race days when she was competing for Canada you are squarely on her side and going for Canada over the United States and when the male is racing, you flip sides.  That one is more of a challenge because one day your in red, the next in blue.  Sometimes it happens hours apart.  At the same time though you are their for your clients plain and simple.  The optical nature of it might not groove right, but at the end of the day, you are hired to support your athletes. 

I am American.  Born in Washington, DC.  At the same time, when it comes down to it, you are hired by a foreign athlete or an American, you have their back.  

The Olympics are every 4 years (2 for alternate seasons) and you have 1 chance to shine.  This can be a touchy situation if you make it that way, I try not to.  At the same time, every year in the Super Bowl, World Series, Stanley Cup Final, NBA Championship series, Daytona 500, Wimbledon, Kentucky Derby, Premiership, Champions League and special events like FIFA World Cup, Rugby Worlds, F1 this sort of thing goes on all the time.

Be respectful, support your clients and let the best individual win. 

NBC - Sochi TV Schedule

HI All, 

i hope you use this as a guide when your trying to figure out when events are happening.  Sochi is going to be 12 hours ahead of the clock to the Pacific Time Zone and 9 hours ahead of the Eastern Time Zone.

http://www.nbcolympics.com/viewers-guide  

The remainder of this blog comes from NBCOlympics.com and I hope it is helpful for you in the United States.  When this same detail comes out from CBC Olympics, I will post that as well for Canada.

The 2014 Sochi Games will be the largest Winter Olympics ever held with 18 days of competition and 98 medal events.  The expanded Olympic program in 2014 will offer more opportunities for medals as 12 events will debut across six sports in Sochi:

• figure skating - team event
• snowboarding- men's and women's slopestyle; men's and women's parallel special slalom
• freestyle skiing - men's and women's slopestyle; men's and women's halfpipe
• ski jumping - women's normal hill
• biathlon - mixed relay
• luge - team relay

Mark your calendars as competition in Sochi kicks off on Thursday, Feb. 6 with figure skating, snowboarding and freestyle skiing events.  A day later on Friday, Feb. 7, enjoy the pageantry of the Opening Ceremony, traditionally the start of the Olympics.  Coverage of the 2014 Sochi Olympics will conclude on Sunday, Feb. 23 with the Closing Ceremony.

At the start of the Olympics, Sochi will be nine hours ahead of the Eastern Time Zone of the United States.  On most days, competition will begin just after midnight in New York and conclude by 2:30 pm, ET.  

Below is brief schedule overview for all 15 sports and linking through to a more detailed schedule.

Alpine Skiing  
The men’s downhill will be the first Alpine skiing event to be contested on Day 2 in Sochi.  American Bode Miller looks to improve on his bronze-medal finish in the event at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics.  Lindsey Vonn will likely see her first competition on Monday, Feb. 10 (2 am, ET) during the women’s super combined.  
First event: Men’s downhill  (Feb. 9 at 2 am, ET)
See full Alpine schedule

Biathlon
The United States has never won an Olympic medal in biathlon.  American hopes rest with Tim Burke, silver medalist at the 2013 World Championships in the 20km individual event.   The debut of the mixed relay will take place on Wednesday, Feb. 19 (9:30 am, ET).
First event: Men’s 10km sprint (Feb. 8 at 9:30 am, ET)
See full biathlon schedule

Bobsled
American Steven Holcomb piloted the United States to its first Olympic bobsled gold medal since 1948 in Vancouver.  He will once again be in the lead seat of “Night Train” to defend the men’s  four-man Olympic title in Sochi.
First event: Men’s two-man (Feb. 16 at 11:15 am, ET)
See full bobsled schedule

Cross-Country
The United States has only one Olympic medal in cross-country and that came during the 1976 Innsbruck Games by Bill Koch.  The best chance for the U.S. to grab a second medal will come in the women’s team sprint (Wednesday, Feb. 19 at 4:15 am, ET) where Jessica Diggins and Kikkan Randall are the defending world champions.
First event: Women’s skiathlon (Feb. 8 at 5 am, ET)
See full cross-country schedule

Curling
Canada is the two-time defending Olympic champion in men’s curling while the Swedish women have won the last two Olympic gold medals.  The U.S. men have yet to qualify for the 2014 Sochi Olympics with their final chance coming in December while the American women will be in Sochi but have never won a medal.  
First event: Men’s/Women’s round robin (Monday, Feb. 10 at 12 am, ET)
See full curling schedule

Figure Skating
Added to the Olympic figure skating program in 2014 is the team competition, which kicks off on day before Opening Ceremony on Thursday, Feb. 6 at 10:30 am, ET.  The best American hopes for a figure skating medal comes in ice dancing with defending world champions Meryl Davis and Charlie White (Sunday, Feb. 16 at 10:00 am, ET).
First event: Team (Feb. 6 at 10:30 am, ET)
See full figure skating schedule

Freestyle Skiing
Four new events have been added to the freestyle skiing program for Sochi:  Men’s and women’s slopestyle and halfpipe.   Defending Olympic and world champion Hannah Kearney goes for her second consecutive gold medal in women’s moguls.  
First event: Women’s moguls qualification (Feb. 6 at 9:00 am, ET)
See full freestyle skiing schedule

Hockey
If history is any indication Canada and the United States will likely vie for the gold medal in the women’s hockey competition.  On the men’s side, defending Olympic champions Canada is a strong contender as are the United States and host Russia, led by Washington Capitals star Alex Ovechkin.
First event: Women’s group phase (Feb. 8 at 3:00 am, ET)
See full hockey schedule

Luge 
Germany’s dominance in luge is expected to continue in Sochi.  During the 2013 World Luge Championships, Germany took gold and silver in men's and women’s singles and men’s doubles, and was crowned champion in the team relay, new to the Olympic program for 2014.
First event: Men’s singles (Feb. 8 at 9:30 am, ET)
See full luge schedule

Nordic Combined
An American-born athlete dominated the headlines at the 2013 Nordic World Ski Championships in Val di Fiemme, Italy.    Jason Lamy Chappuis, born in Missoula, Montana, took the gold medal in the individual normal hill event and guided his French squad to the team relay title.    
First event: Men’s normal hill (Feb. 12 at 4:30 am, ET)
See full Nordic combined schedule

Short Track
The question surrounding the U.S. team is who will replace Apolo Ohno and Katherine Reutter, who both announced their retirements from short track competition following outstanding performances during the Vancouver Olympics.  J.R. Celski, double bronze medalist in 2010, could be the next Apolo Ohno.  
First event: Men’s 1500m final (4:45 am, ET)
See full short track schedule

Skeleton
After announcing her retirement following a fourth-place finish in Vancouver, Noelle Pikus-Pace is on the comeback trail.  The 2004-05 World Cup champion won two of the final three races of the 2012-13 season and looks poised to capture her first Olympic medal.
First event: Women’s (Feb. 13 at 2:30 am, ET)
See full skeleton schedule

Ski Jumping
One of the more intriguing storylines heading into Sochi is the rivalry between American Sarah Hendrickson and Sara Takanashi of Japan.  Hendrickson won the 2013 World Championship while Takanashi claimed the overall World Cup crown.  Sochi marks the first time there has been a women’s competition in ski jumping.  
First event: Men’s individual normal hill (Feb. 8 at 11:30 am, ET)
See full ski jumping schedule

Snowboarding
Action sport icon Shaun White is  back to continue his dominance in the halfpipe event.  The American has taken the gold medal in 2010 and 2006, the first year snowboarding was included in the Olympic program.  White can add to his medal total in slopestyle, one of 12 new events for Sochi.
First event: Men’s and women’s slopestyle qualifying (Feb. 8 at 3:45 am, ET)
See full snowboarding schedule

Speed Skating
Coming into the Vancouver Olympics, no athlete had repeated as champion at the 1000m distance until American Shani Davis claimed his second consecutive gold medal in 2010.  Davis has a chance to win his third straight Olympic championship on Wednesday, Feb. 12 at 9:00 am, ET.
First event: Men’s 5000m (Feb. 8 at 8:30 am, ET)
See full speed skating schedule

What does an Olympic hopeful do on their day off?

Honestly, days off exist because you have to rest up your body, your not a robot you need to do this.  At the same time, how often are you doing something that will make a difference in your community with strangers and just by your presence, your helping with that. 

A new client of AGM is Meghan Duggan.  She is a native of Danvers, MA and along with teammate Molly Schaus, they brought all of their teammates to Special Olympics Massachusetts.  It wasn't a true day off, the team did go to strength and conditioning in the morning but when you decide to lend a hand instead of taking time to take care of yourself, it shows the character and leadership that you have when your going to wear the national colors in competition it extends well beyond that. 

I applaud not only Meghan and Molly, but all of the members of the US Women's Ice Hockey Team for making a difference in their new community on their Road to Sochi, recognizing along the way that their is a message to share and that is to be a good neighbor in the grand landscape of their own Olympic journey. 

Here is a link to a video that captured some of what they saw today in Saugus shot by another US WNT teammate: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F4p7OZuR5w8&feature=youtu.be  

145 Days to Sochi 2014. 

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