New U.S. Olympic cable network could mean more television coverage of skiing

July 8, 8:07 PMSkiing ExaminerEric Wagnon

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Alpine racer Bode Miller competes at the 2006 Winter Olympics.
                                                          Photo: AP/Thomas Kienzle

UPDATE- AUGUST 17, 2009: Under pressure from the International Olympic Committee, the U.S. Olympic Committee has backed away from plans for this new network.

USON to launch in 2010

American television viewers could see more coverage of Olympic skiing and snowboarding events through the U.S. Olympic Network (USON), expected to launch in 2010.

On Wednesday, July 8, the U.S. Olympic Committee (USOC) and Comcast Corporation announced an agreement to form USON, the first year-round cable television network devoted solely to Olympic sports and athletes.

Held every four years, the Summer and Winter Olympics schedules have been staggered since 1994, so Olympic competition takes place in every even-numbered year. The next Winter Olympics is scheduled for British Columbia, Canada, in February 2010.

Click here for slideshow of Olympic skier Lindsey Vonn

Channel to be on Comcast Digital Classic tier

In addition to video on demand and online content as part of the venture, the cable channel will include live championship competitions, archival Olympic footage and additional programming featuring Olympic and Paralympic athletes. The network will hold the rights to broadcast Olympic trials events in various sports after 2012. According to a report in the "Broadcasting & Cable" trade journal, USON will be offered on Comcast's Digital Classic tier. The digital tier of channels also includes the NFL Network and NBA TV.

"The U.S Olympic Network will be a dream come true for fans of the Olympic Games, delivering rich year-round content associated with the world's greatest sporting competitions," said Stephanie Streeter, Acting CEO of the USOC. "By bringing the stories, competitions and history of the Olympic movement into American homes year-round, the USOC hopes to not only inspire a new generation of athletes but also to educate young people about the ideals and values of the Olympic movement."

"We are excited to see this important development for the USOC," said Matt Van Houten, chairman of the USOC Athletes' Advisory Council. "It will do great things for America's athletes by bringing them and the Olympic movement into the public's awareness on a year-round basis, not just for a couple of weeks every two years."

Three snowboarding events for both men and women are part of the
Winter Olympics.                                        Photo: AP/Mark Duncan

Olympics involve various snow sports

Alpine ski racing includes five Olympic and Paralympic events for both men and women: downhill, super-G, giant slalom, slalom and super combined. Freestyle skiing was introduced to the Olympics in 1992. Men's and women's aerials, moguls and ski cross will be part of the upcoming 2010 Olympics. In fact, ski cross, a race of four skiers at the same time, will make its Olympic debut in 2010.

In snowboarding, men's and women's parallel giant slalom, halfpipe and snowboard cross are part of the Olympic lineup. Snowboarding was introduced as an official Olympic sport in 1998.

Numerous other Olympic events on snow involve cross-country skiing or ski jumping. Women's ski jumping, however, is not currently an Olympic sport. Several top female ski jumpers sued for the event's inclusion, but it will not be part of the 2010 Winter Olympics.

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