SOCHI, Russia (Feb. 7) – With its Olympic broadcasts reaching millions of Americans, NBC Olympics, in partnership with the U.S. Olympic Committee and national governing bodies including the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association, has created a ground-breaking initiative, the Olympic Gold Map, to promote grassroots youth involvement in Olympic sport. As a part of a unique marketing outreach, the program will offer a turnkey way for potential new sport participants to learn more about getting started – finding a resort and a local USSA club program. The initiative will be integrated into NBC’s coverage of the Sochi Olympic Winter Games, beginning Thursday, February 6.
HIGHLIGHTS
- The U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association has partnered with NBC Olympics and the U.S. Olympic Committee on Olympic Gold Map, an innovative outreach program to help Olympic viewers learn how to get involved in skiing and snowboarding.
- Olympic Gold Map will feature a turnkey online presence at NBCOlympics.com allowing viewers to quickly click through to learn about skiing and snowboarding, find a resort to try the sport and a local USSA competition club to engage in competitive sport.
- During its broadcast and cable coverage from Sochi, NBC will integrate a series of short promotional features driving viewers to a special section of NBCOlympics.com, NBCOlympics.com/GoldMap, which will aggregate these video clips and provide links to the various U.S. winter sport national governing bodies.
- The USSA has partnered with the National Ski Area Association, Snowsports Industries America, Cross Country Ski Areas of America and Learn to Ski and Snowboard Month to create cross-industry engagement.
- During the Olympics, USSA member clubs will be offering special programs, as well as a countrywide awareness outreach on Saturday, Feb. 15 with the first USSA National Club Day. As a part of the day, local USSA clubs coast to coast will participate in a virtual ski run, starting in the east and progressing westward through the day – all to attract interest local in USSA’s club programs and resorts.
- With more Winter Olympic events than ever before, competition for the 2014 Olympic Winter Games from Sochi, Russia, will begin one day prior to the Opening Ceremony. NBC will begin its primetime coverage of the 2014 Sochi Olympics Thursday, February 6 – one night before the broadcast network provides its traditional coverage of the Opening Ceremony on Friday, February 7. It marks the first time NBC will air Olympic primetime coverage before the Opening Ceremony, and will feature the Olympic debuts of slopestyle snowboarding, as well as women’s freestyle moguls.
QUOTES
Bill Marolt, President and CEO, U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association
Our Olympic heroes will provide motivation to youth across America to get involved in our sport. The Olympic Gold Map partnership between NBC Olympics, the USOC, our industry and USSA clubs will provide the first opportunity ever for our sport to take advantage of NBC’s Olympic reach.
Gary Zenkel, President, NBC Olympics
For years, we have been receiving letters after each Olympics from parents describing the moment when their children, watching our coverage, fell in love with one sport or another. We want to capitalize on that moment of maximum inspiration and help kids take the first steps towards turning their own Olympic dreams into reality.
Scott Blackmun, Chief Executive Officer, United States Olympic Committee
We couldn’t be more thrilled to join in partnership with NBC and our national governing bodies on the Gold Map initiative to encourage American children to get involved in sport at a young age. When NBC first surfaced the Gold Map idea during its bid for the rights to the Sochi Games, we were impressed by its visionary thinking, and we are very excited to see the planning put into action.
Michael Berry, President, National Ski Areas Association
The Olympics brings our sports of skiing and snowboarding to millions of Americans. With the strength of Team USA, it's a great opportunity to use NBC's coverage as a springboard to engaging new participants in skiing and snowboarding.
Reese Brown, Nordic Director, SnowSports Industries America
The combination of the strength of the U.S. Cross Country Ski Team with the reach of NBC Olympics will result in an opportunity for us to expose thousands to cross country skiing. We feel cross country skiing is a lifestyle activity that appeals to many and provides great winter exercise. We could not be more pleased to be part of NBC’s Olympic Gold Map
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:
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