Japan Moves Ahead with Tokyo Olympics 2020 In a State of Emergency

What’d be the fate of the Tokyo Olympics 2020? Doubts loom large over the feasibility of going ahead with the 2020 Summer Olympics, also referred to as Tokyo 2020. Tokyo Olympics 2020 is scheduled for kick-off on 23 July. The two-week event that ends on 8 August has already witnessed a major setback when it was postponed from last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, the rise of the delta variant in Japan could jeopardize the event’s future.

OTT Live Streaming and Reporting Come to Rescue

In the US, Tokyo Olympics would be broadcasted by NBC Universal’s TV networks. In Australia, Channel Seven, 7Mate, and 7Two have been entrusted to provide free-to-air broadcasting services.

Sony Pictures Networks India holds OTT rights in India.

SportsEngine, Inc., a division of NBC Sports Group, announced that it has teamed with NBC Olympics to create the first-ever Kids Guide to the Tokyo Olympics, a go-to resource for families watching NBC’s coverage of the Tokyo Olympics this summer. Coverage of the Opening Ceremony is on Friday, July 23 on NBCUniversal.

In addition, NBC Sports Group, has selected Amagi to provide UHD playout with cloud automation for its production of the Games

Top 15 Marketing Tools To Become An Instagram Powerhouse In 2021

Will Digital Fan Experience Work at Tokyo Olympics 2020?

Last month, it was reported that less than 10,000 fans would be allowed to attend and cheer at the Tokyo Olympics 2020. Now, due to the massive rise of the Delta Variant of the COVID-19 virus in the country, the Japanese government has put Tokyo under a state of emergency. Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga declared that there would be a complete spectator ban at the venue, and this has been informed to the Japanese Olympics Committee. While foreign visitors and fans had been banned from attending the event many months ago, the new ban on local fans comes as a fresh strike on the country’s economy that was hoping to build momentum around the event and generate revenue through venue tickets, accommodations, and hospitality.

As per the reports, the state of emergency will be in place between 12 July and 22 August. While the Summer Olympics falls within the emergency period, the Paralympics will begin on August 24.

Japan has already lost close to $5.8 billion due to the one-year delay from the original schedule. According to research conducted by Kansai University and NHK, Japan could lose $41.5 billion if the event is totally scrapped. A majority of the loss of income would be attributed to ongoing operating costs and expenses, further accentuated by the loss of tourism activities. It would be too hard to report the exact loss incurred until the Tokyo Olympic Games 2020 actually takes off and concludes as per the current itinerary.

The IOC has insured the Tokyo Olympics 2020 through British insurance and reinsurance market Lloyd’s of London, by global reinsurers Munich Re and Swiss Re.

The Worldwide Olympic Partners include:

• Coca-Cola
• Airbnb
• Alibaba Group
• Atos
• Bridgestone
• DOW
• General Electric / GE
• Intel
• Omega
• Panasonic
• P&G
• Samsung
• Toyota
• VISA

New-age technologies like AI-based Mask Detection trackers, COVID-19 vaccination trackers, and a host of other capabilities are already in place to safeguard the lives of athletes, organizers and sports officials.

Let’s hope the world’s biggest sporting spectacle takes off successfully and inspires us with its marvelous feats, like its predecessors.