A couple of recent news reports are worth highlighting. At the end of September, the U.S. Olympic Committee held its annual assembly. During that time, USOC CEO, Scott Blackmun noted that it was highly unlikely that the U.S. would bid for the Olympics in 2020. At the same time, Lake Tahoe and Denver are planning to bid for a 2022 Winter Olympics. With the U.S. putting forth a lot of effort to repair international relationships a 2022 victory for an American city could be more likely in a few years. Should that occur it would then be unlikely that the IOC would grant a summer Olympics bid two years later to the same country. Hence, if this scenario plays out it could be 2028 at the earliest before the U.S. hosts the Olympics and get an automatic qualification in Team Handball.

On a more positive note more Handball could be shown on TV during the 2012 Olympic Games as NBC Chairman, Dick Ebersol indicated that NBC’s will broadcast 100 more hours on their cable channel partners than they did in Beijing. This translates to about 6 or 7 more hours a day and surely an additional handball match or two will be part of that equation.

Inside the Games (24 Sep 10): America rules out bid for 2020 Olympics: http://insidethegames.biz/summer-olympics/summer-olympics-2016-news/10590-america-rules-out-bid-for-2020-olympics
Inside the Games (25 Sep 10): NBC network to televise 200 hours plus from London 2012: http://insidethegames.biz/summer-olympics/london-2012-news/10594-nbc-to-televise-over-200-hours-from-london-2012-