Page 47 - Winter 2018 Journal

Steamboat siblings Arielle and Taylor Gold, featured in HOURS OF TV DISTRIBUTION, SOCHI 2014
International Ski Federation
the recently released Warren Miller Entertainment film Line
of Descent, are among this year’s Olympic hopefuls, as are Nordic Combined Snowboard
another sibling pair, Nordic-combined competitors Brian 5% 28%
and Taylor Fletcher. Also heading to South Korea are snow-
Ski Jumping
boarder Matt Ladley, ski jumper Nita Englund, and moguls
12%
skier Jaelin Kauf.
In all, at least 22 athletes from Steamboat are vying Cross-
for Olympic slots for 2018, said Kasten. “It’s a big part of Country
Skiing
the culture here, and I think that’s a big part of what draws 17%
visitors here. I think it’s safe to assume that when skiing and
snowboarding and other winter sports get primetime slots on
Alpine Skiing Freestyle Skiing
TVs across the world, that boosts interest in winter adven- 19% 19%
tures and is good for ski areas everywhere. I know watching
the Olympics with my family as a girl is part of what first
sparked my passion for skiing.” 1,800 HOURS 17
Jonathan Davis, operations manager at Perfect North
The record amount of time The number of medals in
Slopes, Ind., can put harder numbers to the pattern. “We can
NBC will live stream the skiing/snowboarding
look back at our passholder numbers and reliably see a 10 or XXIII Olympic Winter events that the US won
15 percent higher bump than average in the season following Games, including prime- in Sochi in 2014.
a Winter Olympics year,” Davis said. “I used to call it the time and primetime-plus
programming.
‘Shaun White effect,’ because we had years where every 10 or
NBC Sports Group
12 year old here was asking mom and dad for a new snow-
board and snowboard lessons and a season pass after watch-
ing him at the Olympics. Now I call it the ‘Nick Goepper 17% 55%
effect’—now that we have one of our own hometown heroes
Increase in digital viewership The percentage of US Team
who grew up here at Perfect North go on to get a bronze
ӯǹɨɁȴ їѕіћӰ Ɂǹ ɽȃlj ˎɨɰɽ ɽȃɨljlj athletes competing in
medal in the Sochi Olympics. The next year, it seemed like US-based 2017 qualifying skiing or snowboarding
every kid suddenly wanted a pair of skis and to get into the alpine ski races, with nearly events at PyeongChang.
28,000 unique viewers.
terrain park, because around here he was every kid’s hero.”
Perfect North Slopes hosted a late night viewing party
in 2014 for Goepper’s many local fans, complete with 11 $963 MILLION
catering, party decorations, and party favors. Goepper, who
is also an X Games gold medalist, still returns to Perfect Number of nights out of 18 The amount NBC paid for
that NBC’s primetime the broadcast rights to the
North annually in December as a guest judge in the Winter
coverage will feature live 2018 Winter Olympics.
Welcome Rail Jam. alpine skiing.
“We’ve partnered with him and his family for years, and
we’re thrilled whenever he carves out some time to come
back to his roots and his home hill,” Davis said. “Nick has 69 MINUTES 3
been super gracious to work with us on several special events
The amount of time it will The number of athletes
to help put a little bit of a spotlight on snowsports for kids of take to get from Seoul to from Mexico that have
all ages, and to help share the idea that even out here in the PyeongChang on the new ɧʍƃȢȈˎljǁ ǹɁɨ ɽȃlj {ƃȴljɰӝ
Midwest, you can put a big dream together that could lead high-speed rail. Previously, Previously, Mexico only had
the trip took 2.5 hours. 1 athlete qualify for the past
all the way to the Olympics.” two Winter Games.
New York’s Bristol Mountain is another prime example
of how a ski area’s pride in its local athletes is in no way com-
mensurate with its size. Mid-sized Bristol is the home area for $39 BILLION
six athletes currently on the US Ski & Snowboard Freestyle
The expected difference between what was spent to have
Team vying for a slot on the Olympic Team—and the area the Games in Sochi ($51 billion) and what is being spent for
has made sure to publicize the “Bristol Mountain Super Six” PyeongChang ($13 billion). Forbes

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