Olympic Sports-centric Press Releases

We have some Olympics-related press releases whether they pertain to the Olympics themselves or to the sports we normally see during an Olympiad. So let’s get cracking. I still need to clear more releases tonight.

With the rumor that golf and rugby will be approved for men’s sports for the Olympics, Golf Channel will interrupt programming tomorrow for an announcement from Lausanne, Switzerland.

GOLF CHANNEL Covers Olympic Decision

Orlando, Fla. (Aug. 13, 2009) – GOLF CHANNEL will break into regular scheduled programming Thursday at 9 a.m. ET for a live news conference that will update the fate of golf in the 2016 Olympics. The news conference will include Joe Steranka, chief executive officer of The PGA of America, and Ty Votaw, executive vice president of international affairs and communications for the PGA TOUR.

At 11 a.m. ET, Votaw will join Live From the PGA Championship to discuss the decision of golf becoming an Olympic sport.

In a definite blow to the US Olympic Network, NBC and Universal Sports have renewed their media rights agreement with USA Gymnastics.

NEW YORK and INDIANAPOLIS, Ind., Aug. 12, 2009 - Leading up to the 2012 Olympic Games, gymnastics fans will have more ways to follow USA Gymnastics than ever before with coverage on broadcast and cable television and the Web.  USA Gymnastics has extended its partnership with NBC Sports for broadcast television coverage through 2012. In addition, USA Gymnastics has named Universal Sports as its official cable and digital media partner for this quadrennium. The 2009 Championships will feature live coverage across the broadcast, cable and digital platforms.

"Increasing exposure of USA Gymnastics on broadcast, cable and the Web is a cornerstone of our business plan for this quad," said Steve Penny, president of USA Gymnastics. "USA Gymnastics and NBC Sports have enjoyed a long and fruitful partnership, and our relationship with NBC Sports is fundamental to providing value to our sponsors. The addition of Universal Sports enables us to capitalize on the opportunities available through its digital, cable and Web assets. USA Gymnastics is now vertically integrated into the three media platforms, and our fans will have the opportunity to follow the USA's top gymnasts to a greater degree."

"Our relationship with USA Gymnastics is central to NBC Sports' and Universal Sports' long-term commitment to be the home for Olympic sports and America's exceptional Olympic athletes in between the Games." said Gary Zenkel, President NBC Olympics.   

NBC Sports will continue to cover USA Gymnastics' premier events, such as the American Cup and Visa Championships, along with the Pacific Rim Gymnastics Championships and the World Artistic Gymnastics Championships. Through its relationship with the International Gymnastics Federation, Universal Sports will carry extensive coverage of the World Championships and other international events, as well as expanded coverage of USA Gymnastics events and encore presentations of NBC Sports broadcasts. The agreement extends through 2012. 

"This partnership allows us to expand our existing coverage of gymnastics with the full season of USA Gymnastics offerings and deliver it on a multiplatform basis, providing fans the opportunity to see these events whenever and wherever they want all year long," said Claude Ruibal, CEO of Universal Sports. 

For the 2009 Championships, NBC Sports is carrying the final day of the women's competition live in primetime on Aug.15, with a recap of the men's final competition scheduled for Aug. 15 in the afternoon. Universal Sports will carry live simultaneous cable and Web coverage of the evening sessions on Aug. 13-14 and will re-air the NBC Sports broadcasts on a delayed basis.  
 
The combined NBC Sports, Universal Sports and UniversalSports.com schedule is:

UNIVERSAL SPORTS AND UNIVERSALSPORTS.COM
THURSDAY, AUGUST 13
8  - 10 p.m. ET (LIVE TV and Online): Senior women's first day of competition

FRIDAY, AUGUST 14
8  - 10 p.m. ET (LIVE TV and Online): Senior men's final day of competition

SATURDAY, AUGUST 15
8 - 10 p.m. ET (LIVE online): Senior women's final day of competition
10 p.m. - 12 a.m. ET (same day tape - TV): Senior women's final competition reair

NBC SPORTS
SATURDAY, AUGUST 15
3  - 4 p.m. ET (tape): Senior men's competition recap
8  - 10 p.m. ET (Finals, LIVE): Senior women's final day of competition

Universal Sports and USA Gymnastics will work together to develop new content for universalsports.com. The two will also work cooperatively to promote event coverage, to provide promotional space on usa-gymnastics.org, and to maximize opportunities provided through their individual promotional assets. Earlier in 2009, Universal Sports carried a simulcast of NBC Sports' broadcast of the American Cup and, most recently, provided both cable and Web coverage of the CoverGirl Classic. 

CBC Sports has now announced the lineup of female figure skaters who will join NHL former greats for its “Battle of the Blades” program.

CBC ANNOUNCES ELITE CAST OF CANADIAN FEMALE FIGURE SKA
TERS TO JOIN NHL GREATS IN BATTLE OF THE BLADES

Former NHL goaltender Sean Burke, tough guy Ken Daneyko and fan favorite

Ron Duguay round out the men’s cast

The grace and athleticism of Canada’s most accomplished and decorated female figure skaters are set to join the star studded cast of CBC Television’s BATTLE OF THE BLADES, premiering in October. With a combined total of 17 Olympic and World Champion medals, Jamie Salé, Shae- Lynn Bourne, Isabelle Brasseur, Barbara Underhill, Marie-France Dubreuil, Christine Hough-Sweeney, Jodeyne Higgins and Kristina Lenko have reached the pinnacle of success in amateur and professional figure skating. Now these elite athletes face their biggest challenge yet – making eight NHL hockey stars understand the nuances and skill of pairs skating.

In addition to these world class female figure skaters, NHL’ers Sean Burke, Ken Daneyko and Ron Duguay have been added to complete the men’s roster. They join previously announced Glenn Anderson, Tie Domi, Bob Probert, Craig Simpson and Stéphane Richer in a fierce competition of athleticism, drama and intrigue. Due to a recent injury, Lanny McDonald is unable to participate in the competition.

Salé and her partner David Pelletier captured the hearts and minds of Canadians with gold medal performances at the 2001 World Championships and 2002 Winter Olympic Games in Salt Lake City. Ten-time Canadian Dance Champion Bourne with her partner Victor Kraatz became the first North American ice dance team ever to capture the World Figure Skating Championship title with their innovative and dynamic style. They were inducted into the Canadian Figure Skating Hall of Fame in 2007. Brasseur and Lloyd Eisler were fearless in their routines and defied gravity with their athletic style of powerful throws and daring lifts. The two-time pairs Olympic bronze medallists and 1993 World Champions were inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2000.

Five- time Canadian Pair Champions Underhill and Paul Martini’s flawless 1984 World Championship performance is considered one of Canada’s great sporting moments. As professionals they dominated pairs skating for a decade and were inducted into the Canadian Figure Skating, Canadian Sports and Canadian Olympic Halls of Fame and this past winter, the World Figure Skating Hall of Fame. Two-time World Figure Skating silver medallists Dubreuil and partner/ husband Patrice Lauzon transformed ice dancing with their breathtakingly romantic free dance Somewhere in Time. Retired from amateur competition two years ago, they continue to perform as professionals.

Hough-Sweeney and her partner Doug Ladret represented Canada at two Winter Olympic Games and enjoyed a prolific professional career including an appearance in the movie Cutting Edge as a Russian pairs team. Former world team member Jodeyne Higgins with her husband and partner Sean Rice are true ice show gypsies. For the past 10 years they have performed as an adagio pair in exotic locations from Hong Kong to Moscow to the famed Le Lido in Paris. Former international dance competitor Lenko has made her mark as an audience favorite in the Torvill and Dean’s Dancing On Ice television series in the U.K. and Australia.

Out to prove that goaltenders are truly the better skaters; Burke brings 20-years of NHL goaltending experience to the cast. The Windsor, Ontario native ranks in the top-20 in all-time wins and represented Canada at the 1988 and 1992 Winter Olympics.

A three-time Stanley Cup Champion with New Jersey, Daneyko brings an imposing presence to the ice. His rugged playing style spanned the course of 20-years, all with the Devils, amassing 2,516 penalty minutes. The ever popular Ron Duguay burst onto the NHL scene in 1977 and quickly developed an iconic following while playing for the New York Rangers. His smooth skating and stylish looks led to a professional hockey career spanning three decades. He currently works as an in-studio hockey analyst.

BATTLE OF THE BLADES is the brainchild of Kevin Albrecht with development by Sandra Bezic. BATTLE OF THE BLADES executive producers are John Brunton, Barbara Bowlby and Kevin Albrecht. It is produced by Insight Productions in association with CBC Television.

That does it for this group of press releases. This isn’t the end of it either so be ready for more.