Skating on Thin Ice: Promotional Strategies of a 4^th Place Network In the 2006 Winter Olympics

Abstract

This study looks at NBC’s use of promotion for subsequent prime-time programming during the network’s coverage of the 2006 Winter Olympic Games. NBC devoted substantial resources during the coverage from Torino to promoting their primetime lineup. Despite adapting many of the promotion practices that were successful in the 2004 Olympics coverage for the Winter Games in 2006, subsequent ratings were mediocre at best. The manuscript concludes with suggestions for promotion in the evolving prime-time sports environment.

Key Words:

• promotion
• network television
• sports
• Olympics