By Not Picking Chicago, Olympics Lose

While Chicago will almost certainly suffer from failing to land the 2016 Summer Games (loss of exposure, millions of dollars in revenue, increased tourism, etc.), it was not the only loser today. NBC Chicago's Eamonn Brennan (hey, why's that name sound familiar...) argues that by not picking Chicago, the Olympic Games itself loses. Not politically, or financially, or in any measurable numbers, like television ratings, but from a "strictly sports perspective."

No disrespect to Madrid or Rio de Janiero or even Tokyo, but none of the cities in consideration for the 2016 bid have the diversity of sports and sports fans that Chicago does. This is a city that supports one of the NFL's most popular professional football teams, two pro baseball teams (one of which finishes in the top five of MLB attendance almost every season), an NBA team, the NHL's most popular hockey franchise, a pro soccer team, and a variety of collegiate allegiances that pack bars and restaurants every Saturday.

Imagine all that energy focused, for one month-long period, with a seven-year period proceeding it, toward the Olympic Games. It would be amazing. The level of support would have been unlike anything most Olympic athletes ever got to see. Chicago is a very unique city, and we have no question that when it comes to sports fans and the passion they have for the subjects of their fandoms, Chicago leads the way.

Did anyone in Chicago think to include a deep-dish pizza as part of their presentation? That would probably have been enough to pick up a few more votes at least.