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Plans for U.S. Olympic Network derailed by IOC

Controversy over a new television network proposed by the U.S. Olympic Committee has led to the channel being put on hold, according to wire reports.

USOC chairman Larry Probst said development of the project is being delayed until all issues have been resolved with the International Olympic Committee.

The announcement came a day after Probst met in Berlin with IOC president Jacques Rogge to discuss the dispute over the U.S. Olympic Network.

The IOC criticized the USOC last month for ''unilaterally'' announcing the launch of the TV network on July 8, saying it raised complex legal questions and could jeopardize relations with U.S. Olympic broadcaster NBC.

Ebersol: IOC to wait on bidding

This is obviously not an ideal time to be negotiating television contracts and NBC Universal Sports and Olympics chairman Dick Ebersol told reporters he doesn't expect the International Olympic Committee to open bidding on the 2014 and 2016 Games until the second half of this year at the earliest.

Ebsersol said Thursday it's conceivable the IOC could wait until after the site of the 2016 Summer Games is announced in October to begin soliciting numbers. This makes sense since Chicago is one of the finalists for the event and the rights fee to be paid by the winning U.S. network is such a critical component of the bidding. Other venues to be considered include Madrid, Tokyo and Rio de Janeiro.

The NBC Universal executive offered his perspectives during a conference call to announce that Al Michaels would be one of the hosts of the network's coverage of the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver.

Michaels, who joined NBC in 2006 as the voice of "Sunday Night Football," will mark the 30th anniversary of his now-infamous "Do you believe in miracles?" call for ABC when the U.S. hockey team upset the Soviet Union at the 1980 Lake Placid Games. Michaels hasn't worked an Olympics since 1988 in Calgary.

USOC focus on new TV net

The U.S. Olympic Committee announced a reorganization this week that is in part designed to accelerate plans to launch a TV network.

According to the Associated Press, the restructuring of its management team is a move that will allow chief operating officer Norm Bellingham more time to focus on starting an Olympic television network sometime in the next few months.

When the USOC hires a new chief marketing officer, that person will report to CEO Jim Scherr instead of Bellingham. Bellingham is in charge of developing the TV network. Last month, he said the network — already two years in the planning — could be up and running in 100 days.

Bellingham has been in New York several times in the past weeks, the AP reported, trying to finalize a deal to kick start the network that has been operating under the working title the U.S. Olympic Sports Network. The plan is to air primarily live events and archival footage.

The USOC hopes the network could be formally launched before the Winter Games in 2010.

4.7 bil watched Olympics

4.7 billion viewers worldwide watched at least a portion of the 17 days of TV coverage of last month's 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, according to Nielsen Media Research.

The Beijing audience was one-fifth larger than the 3.9 billion who watched the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Nielsen said.

Host nation China claimed more viewers than any other nation, Nielsen said Friday, reaching 94% of its population of 1.3 billion.

The Beijing Games aired on NBC and its various cable properties were the most-viewed event in U.S. TV history.