I love the Olympics. Besides the excitement of the actual events, I love the sense of camaraderie, national unity and general goodwill that the games bring with them. While it’s true that Vancouver has had its series of mishaps, including a tragic death, the overall spirit of the games can be felt radiating out of the homes and workplaces of our great country.
What’s really exciting about these games is that they mark a new era of interaction and engagement during a global sporting event. I remember only having two options as a kid during past Olympics: watch a select few live events on TV (time-zone permitting) or listen to them on the radio. The rest I would pick up on during the evening news or the next morning’s paper.
Wow, have things ever changed. Here’s my daily Olympic routine for the 2010 games:
- Check the medal standings and event schedule on my CTV Vancouver 2010 iPhone App (kudos to CTV for keeping up with the times and creating this!)
- Listen to, and offer words of encouragement to actual Olympic Athletes right before they compete by following the “official” Twitter list of Olympians
- Whenever a live event is occurring, I’ll stream the video if no TV is present nearby. If I have access to a TV then I watch the event on there and follow the #olympics OR #teamcanada hashtags on my mobile.
- If I want to feel a little closer to the action than the traditional media can get me, I do a quick advanced twitter user search based on the GPS co-ordinates of the event to tap into some citizen journalism (i.e. tweets, videos, pics, and other content coming from fans at the actual event).
- Repeat the first step and send a quick encouragement tweet to any Canadian athletes competing the next day.
I do all of the above on my mobile device since I am rarely in front of a TV. Mobile means 24/7 access on my own terms, anywhere I go. Bottom line, I have less time than ever to watch these olympics, and yet I can’t help but feel a stronger sense of community and connection than ever before.
How are you experiencing these 2010 Vancouver Olympic Games?