The 2021 Summer Olympics, set to be held in Tokyo starting Friday, are proving to be quite unpopular, at least in Japan. And apparently, Toyota has taken notice and pulled the plug on its planned local advertising during the Games.
We can see why the Games might not be popular, at least with the locals. There are concerns that even without spectators, the gathering of nations to play sports could lead to the spread of the coronavirus. That’s on top of the usual reasons why the Olympics piss people off — the corruption, the crass commercialism, the congestion that usually happens when tourists descend on the host city (though who knows how many will show during a pandemic), et cetera.
“The Olympics is becoming an event that has not gained the public’s understanding,” a Toyota spokesperson said, according to Japan’s Yomiuri newspaper. Toyota senior leadership won’t attend the Opening Ceremonies.
Toyota is one of the Olympics’ biggest sponsors, and all told, Japanese industry has poured $3 billion into the Games.
The carmaker had plans to do on-site marketing, too, but those were scuttled when spectators were barred from attending the Games.
The Games are getting the side-eye from locals because despite promises to keep the Olympic Village COVID-free, there have been over two dozen positive tests so far, and at least one athlete seems to have left the Village, against regulations.
The Games were already delayed a year, and the drive for the almighty dollar kept them from being held back one more year, even if that would’ve been more prudent from a public-health perspective.
Toyota, for its part, saw which way the winds were blowing, so to speak, and decided it would rather not be associated with the Games this go-round.
[Image: Toyota]
Toyota is stepping right into the trap that Ford laid.
To clarify:
– If Toyota ever hopes to compete with Ford (which is clearly and obviously the world’s strongest automaker), it can hardly afford to squander billions of dollars of its limited cash (and generally weak balance sheet) engaging in multi-year Olympic ‘sponsorships’ which spontaneously evaporate like this.
Do you see Dearborn bidding to host the Olympics? Exactly.
Back up 4 years (or 5 – timing of Olympics is very confusing this year for some reason). Ford knows how to do the ads without the sponsorship, if-you-know-what-I-mean:
https://fordauthority.com/2016/08/ford-to-launch-an-agressive-olympic-themed-snapchat-ad-campaign/
Good for them. The Olympics is BS at the best of times. Now they’re inviting disaster for the sake of making a buck. It only proves how greedy this organization is.
Agreed. It is well-known that the Olympics tend to impoverish the host cities, who build expansive facilities only to see them largely abandoned in a couple months.
I heard a suggestion a couple years ago that the Olympics should settle on a single venue each for summer and winter games. That way, the corrupt jockeying for hosting the games would end, and cities wouldn’t be replicating the same facilities all around the world.
Fat chance – the IOC likes things as they are.
A month ago, 10,000 volunteers quit the games – reflecting public opinion against the games proceeding:
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/06/03/world/asia/japan-tokyo-olympics-volunteers-covid.html
I guess Japanese taxpayers are holding the bag on this debacle; it’s a bad deal, and I don’t blame Toyota for backing out.
The Olympic’s always made money when they were held in the U.S.A.
@Peter Gazis:
I’ll take your word on it. But of course, the US typically fields the largest Olympic teams, and consequently can make use of the facilities for years to come for that purpose or other sports reasons.
Yes, but there is a huge “*” attached. Atlanta was massively criticized for the over the top commercialization and corporate money that was claimed to tarnish the games.
Salt Lake City was financially successful, but the bribery scandal was an ugly cloud.
It was right after that in Athens and then especially Beijing when the price tag went totally out of control. Not sure Rio and Brazil is going to get out of that financial hole any time soon.
I’m for a city a continent being assigned for future games. Like in North America, LA is our representative. Europe – pick between Paris or London. Africa – Cape Town. Asia – Tokyo, Beijing, or Moscow. This way it goes to cities that have hosted, will use the infrastructure after the games, and can maintain it for later.
The last truly successful Olympics were the Los Angeles Summer games in 1984. Peter Ueberroth and company put on a clinic in how it should be done. He used a LOT of existing facilities, building only a handful of new ones, and ended up with only a single “white elephant” venue left over. The 84 Games made $250 million in profit. Nobody has even come close since.
I really miss that era. We were much stronger and united as a country then.
Part of the charm of the Olympics is that they are held in a different city each time, so if you expect the IOC to settle on a single venue you are mistaken. The problem with the Olympics is that they became too big and too expensive, so, for the last couple of decades they invariably end up being taxpayer-funded with no return in sight for the taxpayer. Only the private sponsors see a return on their investment. The IOC also screws the host cities on broadcasting rights.
The IOC should take notice and take corrective measures, but let’s be honest, these people are so far up their butts they probably won’t (they actually call themselves “immortals”). So, the Olympics will eventually became an opportunity for non-democratic states to spend their subjects’ money and engage in “sportswashing”. It has already happened once with the 2022 Winter Olympics, with democratic countries dropping out one by one and only China left as a viable candidate.
what to expect this olympics
https://www.conservativebeaver.com/2021/07/19/this-summers-olympics-will-be-the-most-politicised-since-the-notorious-1936-berlin-games/
“Conservative Beaver”
Sounds like an oxymoron…
Offering insightful articles like:
– To shave or not to shave: How do beards impact the effectiveness of face masks?
– 200 cows dead after fire at Mirabel farm
At least they are self-funded and run by volunteers.
I prefer waxed.
Brazilian beaver? Waxed or Latina….
Politically incorrect….
LOL
Thank you for the warning – good article.
It was an interesting read.
Slavuta
I don’t think Americans are allowed to travel to Canadian websites because of Covid
We can, as long as we wear an (ineffective) mask per the Canadian Luddites.
@EBFlex – A luddite is someone who does not embrace technological advancement or science. Where’s your evidence (peer reviewed/replicable) that backs your statement?
“I don’t think Americans are allowed to travel to Canadian websites because of Covid”
Don’t worry. It’s not Canadian. It’s a Russian disinformation site. Complete with RT links.
@mcs – yup. That’s why our Russian troll cited an article from them.
Who wants to watch an olympics with male transgender weight lifter competing against women?
I don’t. Done with IOC
Good job, Toyota
I hope they can get along without your support.
“Who wants to watch an olympics with male transgender weight lifter”
“Systematic doping in Russian sports has resulted in 43 Olympic and tens of world championships medals being stripped from Russian competitors—the most of any country, more than four times the number of the runner-up, and more than 30% of the global total. Russia has the most competitors that have been caught doping at the Olympic Games in the world, with more than 200”
Yup, it’s so unfair to stop doped athletes that look like men to compete with women. Might as well just let men that look like women compete with women.
She looks so feminine… LOL
http://www.insidethegames.biz/media /image /38030/o/Pr9AdOu908yJKDOt
Yea he looks perfect to be your wife
“Yea he looks perfect to be your wife”
I guess “Your mother wears army boots” in Russia is a statement of fact as opposed to a weak insult? LOL
Oh, that photo was of a Russian female….. I know….. hard to tell….
you can’t even post the link properly.
So, a strong russian girl vs this https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2017/12/08/04/4707259D00000578-5158491-image-a-50_1512707791093.jpg
“Who wants to watch an olympics with male transgender weight lifter competing against women?”
People who don’t like women and don’t want to see women succeed.
“don’t want to see women succeed”
0_o
Sounds rather conservative.
Google Russian female athletes banned for doping. They don’t look female.
You don’t need to google anything. Just look at this photo and everything is clear, Ben Jonson
https://www.sott.net/image/s17/344417/full/Williams_vs_Sharapova.jpg
Defending Russia once again. Putin must be pleased with you.
“Defending Russia”
what am I supposed to defend, Canada?
Given the choice, yeah…I’d defend Canada all day and twice on Sunday over Russia. The same probably applies to a solid 90 percent ofd the countries on the planet though.
And you aren’t fooling anyone Slavuta…the Eastern Bloc perfected the art of entering men in womens sports (at least hormonally after all the crap they were injected with.)
As an American, it gives me great pride that even with all of your country’s overtones and accusations, Serena Williams, while spending a lifetime wiping the court with Maria Sharapova never tested positive for anything. What about Maria?
@Slavuto- Continue being a good foot soldier fighting for Putin. Bravo. “Golf clap”
Art,
I am glad you touched on this point because of this
https://www.businessinsider.com/russian-hack-serena-venus-williams-simone-biles-exemptions-banned-drugs-2016-9?op=1
Williams does use enhancement but somehow she is permitted it. And Maria did herself a bad service. She decided to be “official” about it. Maria used a relaxation med Mildronate that wasn’t an enhancement. But WADA decided to ban it. All Eastern European athletes used this Latvian drug.
Bottom line is, WADA banned bunch of athletes but the test was proven to be not conclusive. WADA rolled back the cut off dates. And all the athletes were reinstalled because WADA had no prove that they used this drug passed specific date. But Maria went forward early in the name of “clarity” she basically admitted that she used this drug passed that date and she was only one disqualified. It was case of team doctor mismanagement of paperwork.
I am really happy you asked this. Now we know that Williams is cheating under cover of WADA And Simone Biles too.
“Maria used a relaxation med Mildronate that wasn’t an enhancement.”
Um…no. LOL
I have access to all sorts of professional medical data bases. It does have cardiac effects but is used primarily to increase the blood’s ability to carry oxygen.
Other than Eastern Block countries, it isn’t widely used for any medical purposes. It’s well known as a performance enhancing drug.
WADA classified it as PED but a lot of people still believe it is not PED.
Read what I said. May be you will get it eventually.
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/309165
So I assume you have a source for what Serena is using and how she is cheating. No? I mean I think the term you guys used was “The Williams Brothers” so surely you have some insight here other than sour grapes due to her destroying your girl more or less every time they met.
Your Russians were banned because of, per your article, a sopphisticated state sponsored scheme. So what are you driving at…that they used something legally in accordance with the rules and somehow thats the same?
Get lost.
@Slobuto –
The article you cited stated,
“Meldonium, sold under the brand name Mildronate, is a performance-enhancing drug that is the source of much debate in the world of sports doping.”
“One of the early uses of meldonium was in animals. Agricultural workers used the drug specifically to enhance sexual performance and sperm motility of boars. Its license was later expanded for use in humans.”
You interested in the sexual performance of boars?
Sigh…. What part of “I have access to all sorts of professional medical data bases.” you did not understand?
Lou BS
“that is the source of much debate in the world of sports doping”
DEBATE.
Meldonium doesn’t enhance the performance of athletes, the Latvian scientist who invented the drug….
Ivars Kalvins said that the drug “is not doping,” but added it does protect athletes against heart damage during extreme physical exercise. If the heart is working very hard, the drug “protects the heart cells … against ischemia,” a blood circulation condition, Kalvins said. “This is not the same as increase of performance.”
But Most importantly, speaking of Sharapova, if she closed her mouth, she would be off the hook just like rest of the athletes who used this.
Art,
Williams is a drug queen
https://www.tennis.com/news/articles/tandon-a-closer-look-at-serena-williams-therapeutic-use-exemptions
And all this Russian “state-sponsored” stuff is BS. They just paid some dude $$ and he made up stories about Russian state. While it was he who mixed the drugs. And where did he learn all this? Hehehe.. Remember Merion Jones? Yea, her drug master. There is a video where he talks how he can mix stuff to bring Russian sports down.
Don’t be a loser. Read reports, not yellow press. Nobody makes cheating as good as US. Lance Armstrong is the biggest evidence to it. In the good old times GDR was raking way more medals than US. So, AMreicans needed to catch up.
So yeah, Lance gought caught and banned…like your Russians. Serena is what…like 40 now? I like to think that in 40+ years they’d have caught her or her sister. You keep posting articles about her legal use of stuff. I am perplexed.
And yeah, poor little old Russia. One made up story was I am sure all the evidince involved for a multi-year ban. How about you just quit making excuses and cheating. Pretty typical though.
“ Sounds rather conservative”
Not at all. Liberals such as yourself don’t not want women to succeed. That’s why liberals advocate for allowing biological men to compete as women. Conservatives recognize that there are biological differences between men and women (because science right??? Libs love to throw around the science word these days) and understand why it’s appropriate to have separate standards for men and women.
It’s no different than myself entering the Tour de France with a Kawasaki Ninja H2 and demanding I be allowed to compete because I identify as a bicycle rider.
It’s insanity.
@EBFlex – who cares … oh yeah, one of those “wedge” political issues. Looks like it’s your side’s turn to play social justice warrior. LOL
@Sobuto – What part of “I have access to all sorts of professional medical data bases.” you did not understand?
If a drug increases oxygen carrying capacity then that is performance enhancing. Oh and how does it protect the heart ?
Yawn… you are as intellectually challenging as eb./sarc
EBFlex,
“It’s insanity.”
It’s either insanity or pure squinty-eyed spitefulness. Without separate men’s and women’s sports there are no women’s sports. This is so obvious that for about forever they have been separate.
“ Without separate men’s and women’s sports there are no women’s sports. This is so obvious that for about forever they have been separate.”
Which is why it makes no sense that the libs are pushing for men to compete in woman’s sports. Libs are the ones who claim every single day that they are fighting this fake oppression that’s keeping all these made up victims down, yet their virtue signaling is blinding them to the fact that allowing men to compete in woman’s sports, like you said, is effectively going to eliminate woman’s sports.
So not only are liberals the biggest homophobes and racists out there, they also hate women. Well real women. They will jump in front of a train to protect a man who wants to be a woman.
Liberals simply can’t compete. This is why they create this equity brainwash. Why compete if you can just have something in the end.
Only they think right now that political system will be made in such way that they will do nothing and have everything. In reality it always ends up in have nothing and work for it. I remember in good old USSR we had laws that did not allow people NOT to work.
“I remember in good old USSR…”
I don’t think anyone has ever said that before.
“I remember in good old USSR…”
Wow, I wonder if Putin would approve of this message?
“Liberals simply can’t compete.”
Try beating LeBron James one on one and you’ll have a point.
“Liberals simply can’t compete.”
Um…the recent USA Federal election would indicate otherwise. LOL
OH…YEAH…Stolen election…bwaahaahahaha
“Russians simply can’t compete. This is why they created a massive state sponsored doping campaign for their athletes.”
There…all fixed @Slavuta
Good. The olympics are not about sports or who’s the best at their craft. It’s been taken over by the rabid, woke SJWs as another venue to spread their wokeism. Just like the NFL.
Good riddance to both
Before woke, it became a political thing. Certain athletes being banned while others permitted to participate while using same drug. Before the governments made it political. Now athletes go their own way. Well, they only ensure that less people will watch it.
Speaking of cars, worth to watch https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LY7iS8STxGM
Wacky video – that guy borrowed a car he didn’t know how to use.
slavuta, you have no credibility, and you are just a trouble-causing troll. Do you get paid for trying to cause trouble and spread misinformation and lame political nonsense, or are you just in need of psychotropic medications?
+1
Now can they pull their Olympics ads from the US market, too? They’re _terrible_.
Whatever…stopped watching the Olympics a LONG time ago.
I am a sucker for the opening ceremonies, though. The “James Bond escorts the Queen to the opening ceremonies” bit from 2012 was pretty awesome.
The L.A. Olympics in 1984 made money. How??? They used the dorms at UCLA and USC and didn’t build new ones. They used the UCLA and USC swimming facilities, As I recall they built a new diving pool and a velodrome at USC. For equestrian events, they used already built facilities at Coto de Caza. They were also run by a guy, Peter Uberoff, who knew what he was doing. He got a lot of corporate sponsors. The profit from the games was spent on sports programs for inner city youth, among other things.
I think even the Atlanta games were profitable. Of course if they had built a bunch of venues and then banned fans from showing up it likely would have come out differently.
Will Americans participate under official American flag? I know that American flag become controversial symbol of systemic racism. On the other hand Russians are not allowed to participate under Russian national flag we all proud of.
Now waiting for Lui_BC’s tirades about Russian trolls.
That’s what happens when you cheat on a National level…you get banned. So much to be proud of!
@insidelookingout
“American flag become controversial symbol of systemic racism.”
Statistically the global opinion of the USA has improved markedly since Biden moved into the Whitehouse.
Russia’s wide spread cheating at sports still taints it’s reputation. Not that it had much of a reputation to begin with!
Nice try at conflating the two to rile up the “patriots” out there.
Ran across this:
https://youtu.be/-Nmb5eWewU4
Come see me when you can throw 16 pounds over 284 feet. Use all the drugs you want. :-)
“ Statistically the global opinion of the USA has improved markedly since Biden moved into the Whitehouse.”
Installed into the White House (two words but I’m sure you knew that).
And of course it’s risen. He’s a pawn that will pander to any regime on Earth. They know he’s riddled with Alzheimer’s and very easy to manipulate. The guy has literally said he’s over 120 years old. What country wouldn’t want someone that fragile in the White House?
“Now waiting for Lui_BC’s tirades about Russian trolls.”
Remember when libs loved Russia because of the 100% fake dossier? Amazing how libs turned their back on Russia.
The myth train keeps on rollin’ You are funny…not deliberately…kinda in a sad sort of way…
Buh bye
EB, you and slavuta are both lame purveyors of blatant nonsense. Enough already.
Go hunt a possum, or a cousin, or something.
Nothing I’ve stated is untrue.
Nice attempt at deflection but like Lou_MR you’re playing checkers when the rest of us are playing chess.
“Installed into the White House”
Proof…anyone…proof
60 court cases and??
“He’s a pawn that will pander to any regime on Earth.”
Evidence please?
“riddled with Alzheimer’s and very easy to manipulate.”
Evidence. COVFEFE anyone?
“What country wouldn’t want someone that fragile in the White House?”
USA. He was elected in an open, free and fair election.
“Now waiting for Lui_BC’s tirades about Russian trolls.”
How about American trolls?
“Remember when libs loved Russia”
No…When?
“100% fake dossier?”
Well, the right felt it was accurate enough to trigger the Mueller probe.
Too funny.
Dems know election is stolen. Here they all admit it
https://youtu.be/Sfm9eNESw-I?t=450
EBFlex,
These modern “liberals” have no sense of loyalty or gratitude. They regularly turn on their. History? They change it as needed to fit the narrative.
The sad thing is that what is happening in this country has happened in other countries — always with horrendous results. It’s a sort of paint by numbers formula for building a communist dictatorship. As always it is being sold as something great and the “useful idiots” are sucking it up like crazy. They would do well to study Stalinist Russia. Then they would know that being on the right side today is no guarantee for tomorrow.
Old_WRX
the good news is, revolutions destroy its children. Lets just get some popcorn and see. Remember Robespierre or the Bolsheviks? By 1935 there was no Bolsheviks left.
@Old_Wrx “These modern “liberals” have no sense of loyalty or gratitude”
Please explain.
Loyalty to whom?
Gratitude…
for what specifically?
“They regularly turn on their. History?”
Examples?..at least three.
What’s their history?
Take your time.
EB
this is easily explainable why USSR had so many great athletes. Because in school every child went through MANY sporing disciplines. From field and track to gymnastics to ball games. We constantly needed to pass measured tests. Many kids did not want to look bad and constantly practiced chin-ups, parallel bar dips. We had spent our breaks at the gym grounds where we had all sorts of hand-climbing ladders, ropes, etc.
“why USSR had so many great athletes.”
.yup.nothing to do with doping.
ILO,
I don’t like, not Russian flag, not anthem. That old soviet anthem with changed words… pathetic. Remember when “The Internationale” was the anthem? Still in China. Much better music. Russia should adapt “Broad is My Motherland” song. BTW, 2 times they tried.
Flag was brought from Netherlands by Peter. At least they could make it better by placing AK47 on it. Mozambique has AK47 on their flag, Russia should too. Or adapt Yugoslavian flag. They don’t need it anymore.
I think, Ukraine sorted their flag and anthem not much better. Anthem has totally stupid words. “Bohdan, our great leader, why you gave our land to Moscow”. So, why sing to the guy who submitted you to Moscow? I think, they have not realized that author was from Russia and this poetry was just trolling. He was a member of Russian Imperial societies and worked for the government.
Here’s your new russian anthem: youtube.com/watch?v=F-x76HiYOCM
Yea, Russian Federation has same trash as America https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pBpj8mTvaH4
Inside Looking Out,
It must really exhaust the racists who call themselves SJW’s constantly finding the enemy (racist, transphobe, misogynist, etc.) whether the enemy exists or not. But, then, I think it was Jolly old Joe Stalin who said that the worst saboteurs were the ones who never sabotaged.
“whether the enemy exists or not”
Straight Stalin here.
– comrade Stalin we checked everyone and have not found anyone
– you’re not searching well enough. They are there. You must find them.
slavuta,
“You must find them.”
As a matter of survival, at that point they just have to grab what seems like the right number of people and say, “Great Leader and Teacher we have found them.” Guilty or not guilty — no sense quibbling over such silly details. I’m sure here in America we’ll we will get to the same high level of revolutionary justice.
Is the popcorn ready yet?
Old_WRX – You haven’t answered my questions
Nor shall I. Complain as you please.
I’m not complaining. You make comments about “These modern “liberals” have no sense of loyalty or gratitude”
You need to explain.
Loyalty to whom?
Gratitude…
for what specifically?
“They regularly turn on their History?”
Examples?..at least three.
What’s their history?
A man needs to be able to explain and defend their comments and beliefs. If you can’t do that it’s a poor reflection of the man and the beliefs.