One-year countdown: What to know about Pyeongchang Olympics
— -- The TV ratings in the 18-49 age group for the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi were surpassed three times by "The Walking Dead." So to boost ratings, perhaps the 2018 Games should add the Skiing Dead or the Skating Dead to the competitions.
Although, given how slow and clumsy they usually are, the zombies likely would not medal, unless they were going against former ski jumper Eddie the Eagle.
The 2018 Winter Olympics begin one year from Thursday in Pyeongchang, South Korea, a mountain region that had little name recognition before it was awarded the Games in 2011. Enough have confused it with North Korea's capital of Pyongyang -- a Kenyan man heading to a U.N. conference in Pyeongchang two years ago mistakenly flew to Pyongyang instead -- that Pyeongchang has rebranded its name in English with a capital C in the middle.
Pyeongchang's proximity to North Korea might prompt concerns about a potential international incident, but such unease is typical before all Olympics. And as is almost always the case, any worries probably will be unfounded. (Unless, perhaps, Ryan Lochte switches from swimming to curling.)
"That's what I've learned over the years. There is so much hype, even with Salt Lake [in 2002]," said U.S. skier Steven Nyman, a three-time Olympian. "The Olympics is such a big event; it brings such a spotlight. But obviously that makes it a target. I know America will provide incredible support, and I also know those nations will provide great support and protection."
Nyman skied the downhill course at Pyeongchang last year and says the view from the top is incredible -- "I took some photos that were National Geographic-worthy." He says there is a tree near the start that is considered sacred, and women will hike there in the summer to touch it for its supposed fertility.
"I had never been to Asia, and I enjoyed the culture," Nyman said. "I think that's what the Olympics are about. It's experiencing other cultures, showing what they have to offer. It was very unique."
The first of three consecutive Olympics, including summer, scheduled to be held in Asia, the 2018 Winter Games will have many exciting moments among the 102 medal events and will generate plenty of attention. But whether overall interest will rise or fall in the United States is a question. For instance, while viewership for NBC's coverage of the 2014 Winter Games in Sochi topped CBS, ABC and Fox broadcasts each night, the prime-time ratings were the second-lowest ever for any Olympics. And they were less than half that for Lillehammer in 1994.
As Eric Heiden, perhaps the greatest Winter Olympian ever, said, "I think the popularity of the Olympics is starting to dwindle."
TV ratings aren't everything these days -- millions also stream coverage on their phones, laptops and tablets -- but time zones can be an issue in our digital age of instant tweets. Pyeongchang is 14 hours ahead of Eastern time and 17 hours ahead of Pacific time. That means many events will take place when most Americans are asleep or going to work rather than in front of their TVs.
Some ski/snowboard events and figure skating, however, could start in the morning, Korea time, which would be prime time here.
South Korea's Kim Yuna won gold in figure skating in 2010 and silver in 2014. While the country may not have top contenders in 2018, the sport is so popular there that USOC chief external affairs officer Patrick Sandusky said, "I know, talking to a couple of our figure skaters, they were excited to be going because when they get off the airplane it almost feels like the Beatles have arrived."
Figure skating has been very big in the U.S. as well, especially during the 1990s. The Tonya Harding/Nancy Kerrigan saga made the women's short program in Lillehammer the sixth-highest-rated TV broadcast ever.
Lately? U.S. interest in the sport has slipped, as has the performance. Evan Lysacek is the only American to medal in men's singles (gold in 2010) in the past three Olympics. U.S. women, meanwhile, have gone two consecutive Games without a medal in singles for the first time since 1948.
Hall of Fame coach Frank Carroll -- whose students have included Olympians Michelle Kwan, Timothy Goebel, Gracie Gold and Lysacek -- has observed the sport's downturn. "I've had a lot of friends that say, 'I'm not going to nationals anymore. I don't like watching anymore,'" he said.
In Carroll's view, the decline is partly due to the emphasis on quadruple jumps rather than choreography and other components. "I don't know if we can call it figure skating anymore," he said. "I would call it figure jumping."
Still, the U.S. has a rising star. Just 17 years old, Nathan Chen won the 2017 U.S. championships after becoming the first skater to ever land five clean quads in a single program. (Try that, zombies!) Carroll says Chen has a good chance of winning gold next year.
While the Winter Games lack the star power of the Summer Olympics -- there's no Michael Phelps lacing up the skates or Usain Bolt slapping on skis -- there will be no shortage of notable athletes competing. Lindsey Vonn, one of the greatest skiers in history, hopes to make her fourth Olympics at age 33. Gold medalist Mikaela Shiffrin, who will be 22 next year, is the world's best slalom skier. Even Bode Miller, who will be 40, hasn't completely ruled out a sixth Olympics. Snowboard icon Shaun White, who will be 31, said he plans to compete as well.
And then there is dynamic 16-year-old snowboarder Chloe Kim, whose parents immigrated to America from South Korea. Kim, who won two golds at the 2016 Winter X Games, is in South Korea this week to participate in outreach events and a snowboarding workshop.
"I think she will be really popular," USOC chief of sport performance Alan Ashley said. "We're already finding out there is a lot of interest in her -- interest in her athletic ability, and also culturally she is just a fantastic ambassador for us."
There could be some very big-name hockey stars, though it is uncertain whether NHL players will be participating in the Olympics, as they have been since 1998. League owners have made it clear that they'd rather not see their players at the Games. The players have made it equally clear that they very much want to compete for their countries. A decision has not been made yet.
Washington Capitals superstar Alex Ovechkin has said he plans to be at the Olympics regardless of how the league rules. Then again, Ovechkin would play for Russia, which brings up another issue.
Russia won more medals in Sochi than any other nation. After the revelation of extensive doping, though, more than 100 Russians were banned from the 2016 Summer Olympics. Will Russians face another ban? Pyeongchang Olympic Organizing Committee President Lee Hee-beom has said he thinks Russia will compete. Multiple anti-doping organizations, however, maintain that Russia should be barred.
One thing is certain: Short track speedskating is massive in South Korea. The 2018 hosts have won more medals in the event, which debuted in 1992, than any other nation. Americans, meanwhile, failed to win an individual medal in speedskating -- short track or long track -- in Sochi. Heiden, who won five speedskating golds in 1980, says the decline isn't just a U.S. issue.
"Whew, if it wasn't for the Dutch, that sport would be in a lot of trouble," Heiden said. "There aren't a lot of participants anymore, and if it wasn't for that strong Dutch fan base, it would be a sport that is suffering even more."
No U.S. woman has medaled individually in long track since 2002, but Heather Bergsma could end that drought. She has won the 1,000 meters five times in World Cup events this season and leads the world rankings by more than 200 points.
Bobsled has been in the Olympics since the first Winter Games in 1924. South Korea, however, didn't compete in the event until 2010. Thus, the IOC considered holding the 2018 sliding events in Japan, Europe or even North America to keep more than $100 million from being spent on a venue the host country probably wouldn't use much. Pyeongchang organizers, however, were against the plan, and the Alpensia Sliding Centre was built.
U.S. luger Chris Mazdzer said the track is very good and has exceeded all expectations. The host nation usually gains an edge from having access to practice on its track often, but Mazdzer noted that South Korea's lack of experience will balance things out. "I think that will make it a pretty even Olympics, which is a very good thing," he said.
The sliding venue is located in the Pyeongchang mountain cluster, which is also the location for the skiing and snowboarding competitions. Speedskating, figure skating, hockey and curling will be at the Gangneung coastal cluster to the east. While there might be a need for some artificial snow, Nyman says the white stuff will be good and dry. It also should be much colder than the most recent Games in Sochi (where it neared 70 degrees) and Vancouver -- with temperatures averaging around or below freezing in Gangneung and lower in the mountain cluster.
"When we were there last week, it was cold and crisp and the snow was fantastic," the USOC's Ashley said. "I think anyone coming for the Winter Games should be really prepared for a true wintry games."
Nick Hill recently spent months in Korea researching for a planned 2018 Olympics guidebook. He says Pyeongchang and Korean citizens will be well-prepared for the nation's first Olympic hosting gig since the 1988 Summer Games in Seoul.
"They will be very excited to show off again," he said. "That's what it is -- it's a chance to showcase your country to the world."
Attention on Pyeongchang will increase significantly in the coming 12 months. And a year from now, the 2018 Games there will be dramatic, just as the Olympics always are. They will be fun. They will be inspiring. They will be well worth viewing.
And on TV, perhaps more people will watch athletes competing than zombies walking.
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