The 2020 Tokyo Olympics were supposed to kick off July 24. Now, we know — officially — that will not happen.
Though there's been a growing sentiment among athletes in recent weeks it wouldn't be safe to hold the Tokyo Olympics as scheduled, the reality of posponement is still difficult to stomach. Remember that Olympic athletes quite literally construct their lives around the Games calendar. The daily training regimens are intense. Other endeavors, like college degrees, are often put on the backburner. It's a commitment of time and energy over a span of four years, not a few months.
Before the coronavirus outbreak, about 57% of Olympic spots had been clinched, according to the IOC. Are those athletes now automatically qualified for next year's Games? Or do they have to re-earn their spots? In some sports, this will be simpler than others. The track and field world championships, for example, were scheduled to take place in August of 2021. If the Games are held over the same dates, those would presumably be canceled or moved, and athletes would simply compete at the Olympics instead.
NBC, which owns the American broadcasting rights, also has insurance. The company is in the sixth-year of a $7.75 billion deal with the IOC, which will run through 2032. The IOC's top sponsors, such as P&G and Visa, also pay millions for the right to be associated with the Games.
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