[html] Philip Hersh of the Chicago Tribune, who writes frequently on Olympic matters, had a recent blog post that speculates on when, if ever, the proposed USOC Olympic channel will get off the ground. Chicago Tribune: Is USOC really close to channeling its TV ambitions?: http://newsblogs.chicagotribune.com/sports_globetrotting/2009/05/is-usoc-really-close-to-channeling-its-tv-ambitions.html The Team Handball implications are significant as Handball matches readily could fill the programming void described in this article as the channel stands up. In particular, EHF Champions League matches with English commentary could immediately be made available for broadcast on a tape delayed basis. A USOC Olympic TV channel could also have carried the recent U.S. National Championships to a broader audience. One issue mentioned in the article, which is probably less of a concern to Team Handball is the impact that the Olympic TV channel would have on USOC funding to sports Federations. The concern is that the USOC will further cut sports federation funding to pay for the channel’s startup. With USOC funding already at only around $250,000 (according to Steve Pastorino in the Town Hall podcast) it’s unlikely that Handball would garner a significant hit. Plus costs like the $1,500 uplinks for the World Championships broadcasts on ESPN 360 perhaps would become an Olympic Channel cost, vice a USA Team Handball cost. [/html]