How Dick Ebersol Masterminded The Most Successful Olympics In A Generation

How Dick Ebersol Masterminded The Most Successful Olympics In A Generation

Getting American stars like Mr. Phelps and the gymnast Shawn Johnson to perform live in prime time was just one of the moves and unexpected breaks, some going back almost a decade, that set up the spectacular success NBC achieved in the Beijing Games that ended Sunday night. It was a success represented by record viewer totals of more than 200 million people, a surge in ad sales that guaranteed a profit of more than $100 million, and probably the best word of mouth about any Olympics coverage in a generation.

As a result, NBC was able to turn the Beijing Games with all their potential liabilities -- time differences, pollution and potential political upheaval -- into a triumph for the network.

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