Who's the biggest star at the Olympics?

Who do you think is the biggest sports star at the London Olympics?

I ask this question because both Lebron James and Roger Federer were asked this question by journalists. Of course both were very respectful in deflecting the attention. This is what Federer had to say:

But asked if he was the biggest star of the Olympics, Federer deferred.

"Not me," he said. "There are great Olympians who have many medals around their necks already — other athletes, some who maybe are not so famous but have done so much for their sport as well, that we don't always talk about.

"That's the beauty of the Olympics — we will see so many great stories written and talked about in the next few weeks. I will follow it very closely.

"But obviously I think Usain Bolt and (US swim star) Michael Phelps and maybe the NBA players are very well known."


Read more: http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/sports/12-Olympians-on-list-of-biggest-moneymakers_12050564#ixzz227FRLvra

So what do you think?

Remember the question is about global sporting stardom. So who do you think is the biggest fish in this ginourmous pond?

I've put down a few candidates for a poll but please feel free to throw any others into the discussion (I'm sure I've missed loads)



emancipator

Got to be Bolt. Dislike the tennis and basketball players being there.

I agree that tennis and basketball should not be Olympic sports but that's not the point of this poll.

I'd still say Bolt over them anyway. Basketball has a limited fanbase, tennis lightly bigger, but everybody knew about Bolts exploits in Beijing.

I'd go with Federer or Bolt.

I think Phelps, James and Bryant are huge in the states but not so well known elsewhere.

Federer has a bigger global fanbase than Bolt, has bigger endorsements, earns more money and generally speaking is more commercially appealing. However Bolt has the beauty of competing in the most eagerly awaited event of the games - the 100m and the title of fastest man in the world. So on a worldwide, public level everyone can relate to that.

Sharapova, imo, is probably the biggest female star at the games.

Federer had 700 journalists at his press conference

http://www.euronews.com/sport/1598096-famous-federer-attracts-athletes-attention/

Usain Bolt

Usain Bolt - fastest man in the world ever, what more do you want to say?

Behind him there are a handful of huge sportstars and Federer is undoubtedly one of those, but 'at the Olympics' adds a qualification given it's relative lack of importance.

I doubt we'll see a multi-medal winner at these games. Somebody may well get two medals or possibly even three, somewhere... but not the seriously large numbers like a Phelps or Spitz.

So "star of the Games" will most likely come down as much to personality as it does for dominance of event or excellence of performance. If it comes down to personality, then Bolt wins hands down. This, however, may not be "his" Games. Time will tell.

I have no idea who Lebron James and Kobe Bryant are.


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Jennifer1984 wrote:I doubt we'll see a multi-medal winner at these games. Somebody may well get two medals or possibly even three, somewhere... but not the seriously large numbers like a Phelps or Spitz.

So "star of the Games" will most likely come down as much to personality as it does for dominance of event or excellence of performance. If it comes down to personality, then Bolt wins hands down. This, however, may not be "his" Games. Time will tell.

I have no idea who Lebron James and Kobe Bryant are.


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Swimming pool is the only place where a great athlete can get 5 or more medals and this year the competition is too high for it to happen.
Bolt could still win 3 golds : 100m quite likely, 200m very possibly and 4*100m almost certainly. he could have a try at the long jump (with a bit of training) and I think if one day he win all 4 of them then he woudl be the star of the game, no doubt.

I really don't know of anyone whose first, or even second, thoughts would turn to tennis players (whether Roger Federer or indeed anyone else) when the world of Olympics sport is being discussed.

That said, the article re the Federer press conference (linked in emancipator's post above) makes for a fascinating read. As flattering as that level of attention might seem, it's difficult to imagine just what must be involved in handling it on a day-to-day basis. And pretty much wherever you travel ......

Mind you .... I once got a lot of attention in my local Tesco, in fact I was virtually mobbed (by angry shoppers after they spotted me standing in the "Baskets Only" queue, even though I had a full trolley load .....)

The question I posed was who is the biggest sporting star at the Olympics? This is different to who is the face of the Olympics or who will be the standout performer at the Olympics. With the latter two categories, of course it wouldnt be fitting to declare a tennis player as the main attraction since tennis is not really a sport that epitomises the Olympic ideal. For such sports one would look to athletics, swimming etc.

However the question of global stardom (which is the one posed ) transcends the Olympic arena.

It's just a bit of fun to garner public perception on the biggest sporting celebrity I suppose, participating in the OG.

I think it's probably Federer. However if one wants to answer the question of which athlete holds the most interest at these games in terms of performance purely in the Olympic arena, then I would go with bolt - but that wasn't the original question posed

Hmm ... yes, perhaps many of us interpreted the actual wording of the question a little too hastily (and thus incorrectly)

You've got me thinking .....

I think it would be Bolt followed by Fedex. Kobe and LeBron are big in basketball countries and are known by a fair few who know nothing about the sport but they are not as well known as say Jordan and Magic were in the past. At least that's what I think. Phelps and Sharapova is close but I'd say the russian is probably more famous for on and off the court reasons.

Is David Beckham still "at" the Olympics? Just being mischievous..

I'd have to go with Bolt myself although I can see an argument for Federer.

I've never really considered Sharpova a massive star. Are the Williams sisters there?

Bolt. The Olympics started off about Athletics and I think that generally it is the biggest part of it. And Bolt is Athletics' star right now

The 100m final will be watched by a massive global audience rivalling the world cup.

The tennis final wont.

Nuff said

Bolt without a shadow of a doubt. the 100 metres is the showcse event and he is the best of all time

andyi wrote:The 100m final will be watched by a massive global audience rivalling the world cup.

The tennis final wont.

Nuff said

Of course..but then as already mentioned athletics is one of the mainstays of the Olympics whereas Tennis is not.

But does that make Bolt a bigger sporting star than Federer?

I don't think so. Globally Federer is a bigger name, and that was the essence of the question asked by the journalist, which I repeated here. Of course Federer will not upstage Bolt at the OG, the spiritual home of athletics, whereas it's just an interesting diversion for the tennis players, but in a neutral venue, who would be considered the greater sportstar? I would say Federer. The fact that he generates so much interest (700+ journalists at his press conference) even at the OG when tennis is just a fringe Olympic sport I think demonstrates his greater overall popularity and stardom in the world of sport.

It seems most people have misinterpreted the original question.

A similar scenario in 1992. Michael Jordan say vs Carl Lewis. Who was the bigger global sporting star? I would say Jordan, but in purely the Olympic context then of course more people would have been interested in watching the 100m final (with or without Lewis).

Does anyone (out there) appreciate the difference?



emancipator

Well next time you can stick tiger woods in there an all. If beckham had played in the football he could also be in there- Its kind off an immatiral question - thats why we are taking the question in a different way and picking who we think the biggest star of the olympics is.

But I would say that We need to look at the chinese or indians more significantly if we truely want to know who the biggest star is- yet there want have that many press representing the stars they are interested in.

So in fairness it could just be a chinese athlete!!(3rd of the worlds population)

Yes it is an immaterial question posed for a bit of fun - not to be taken too seriously.

Tiger Woods and David Beckham need not apply as neither are participating. I don't think there are any Indian or Chinese athletes competing at the OG who have a global sporting appeal.

Aye- but what about who is the most popular in those countries?

Half the worlds population(37%) is in them two countries and i have a feeling that bolt might be more popular there than fed is.

So gonna stick with Bolt(still gonna stick with bolt)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liu_Xiang

In India it would probably be Tendulker, not sure about China.

I'd have to disagree with Bolt being more popular than Federer in China or India. Federer is Mercedes Benz Chinese ambassador (yeah sounds a bit miff) which means he's on regular TV ads over there. Tennis is also a big sport and growing in China. Li Na the French Open champion 2011 is one of the biggest sports stars in China.

In China, it's Liu Xiang

There is no probally about it- Tendulker is the man main in india.

Tennis clearly isnt a massive thing in china even if he promtes mercedez benz- remember that over a billion chinese cant afford new cars anyway- let alone mercedez!!

I would even say that Ronnie osullivan is bigger in china than roger fed.

CJ - good shout with Liu Xang- also Li Xaipong as well is massive there

I have been reading up on chinese sport and what I wasnt aware of was how much they are starting to love there cricket- there target is to gain test status by 2020!!

I doubt they will get there by then- but china can do pretty much anything it sets its mind to!

Is 20/20 coming to the olympics- because if it does surely that will motivate them even more

emancipator wrote:

andyi wrote:The 100m final will be watched by a massive global audience rivalling the world cup.

The tennis final wont.

Nuff said

Of course..but then as already mentioned athletics is one of the mainstays of the Olympics whereas Tennis is not.

But does that make Bolt a bigger sporting star than Federer?

I don't think so. Globally Federer is a bigger name, and that was the essence of the question asked by the journalist, which I repeated here. Of course Federer will not upstage Bolt at the OG, the spiritual home of athletics, whereas it's just an interesting diversion for the tennis players, but in a neutral venue, who would be considered the greater sportstar? I would say Federer. The fact that he generates so much interest (700+ journalists at his press conference) even at the OG when tennis is just a fringe Olympic sport I think demonstrates his greater overall popularity and stardom in the world of sport.

It seems most people have misinterpreted the original question.

A similar scenario in 1992. Michael Jordan say vs Carl Lewis. Who was the bigger global sporting star? I would say Jordan, but in purely the Olympic context then of course more people would have been interested in watching the 100m final (with or without Lewis).

Does anyone (out there) appreciate the difference?



emancipator

That's your opinion. Just because the majority of voters don't agree with it, doesn't mean we have misinterpreted the question.

As for Tennis being bigger than Athletics, that's highly debatable. How many people play tennis in Africa for example. It's definitely richer but so are lots of other sports like Football, Golf and major american sports.

One undeniable fact is that the Olympic 100M final will get a vastly larger global audience than any tennis match, so the fastest man of all time will be just as well known as the most successful male tennis player of all time.

IMO they are both in top10 in the world with people like Messi and Woods but I'll stick with Bolt.

In the Olympics, it's Bolt.

Outside of the Olympics it's Federer.

Eddie the eagle?

Lionel Messi perhaps?

yeah good point - messi isnt on your poll op- good shout

mystiroakey wrote:yeah good point - messi isnt on your poll op- good shout

Argentina aren't there Myst.

The football team anyway.

Oh ok- whys that?

mystiroakey wrote:Oh ok- whys that?

Must not have qualified. I was surprised to not see them on the odds list a couple of weeks ago. I'm sure Messi played in Beijing four years ago though.

I'm as big a basketball fan as anyone, but the amount of blank looks I get when I have been telling people I'm getting to see Lebron James play at the Olympics tells me Bolt is a bigger star

Crimey wrote:In the Olympics, it's Bolt.

Outside of the Olympics it's Federer.

Yes I would agree with this assessment.

bambamwillis wrote:I'm as big a basketball fan as anyone, but the amount of blank looks I get when I have been telling people I'm getting to see Lebron James play at the Olympics tells me Bolt is a bigger star

I don't follow Basketball much so I don't know who the best players in America's NBA. Is Lebron James the best NBA basketball player currently, and if not who is?

gboycottnut wrote:

bambamwillis wrote:I'm as big a basketball fan as anyone, but the amount of blank looks I get when I have been telling people I'm getting to see Lebron James play at the Olympics tells me Bolt is a bigger star

I don't follow Basketball much so I don't know who the best players in America's NBA. Is Lebron James the best NBA basketball player currently, and if not who is?

I'm slightly biased so yes he is! He recently dominated the playoffs and lead his team to the NBA championship, there are pundits who reckon he is the best player since Michael Jordan.

If he isn't the very best, he is definitely one of the fairly consensus top 5, 4 of which are in London with Team USA (James, Kevin Durant, Kobe Bryant, Chris Paul) and the 5th would have been if not for injury (Dwight Howard)

I'd never heard of Lebron James until I started reading this thread. I wouldn't recognise him if I saw him.

FreekShow wrote:

mystiroakey wrote:Oh ok- whys that?

Must not have qualified. I was surprised to not see them on the odds list a couple of weeks ago. I'm sure Messi played in Beijing four years ago though.

very strange qualification system if argentina cant get in. Did GB get a bye then?- because i dont remember us having to qualify

mystiroakey wrote:

FreekShow wrote:

mystiroakey wrote:Oh ok- whys that?

Must not have qualified. I was surprised to not see them on the odds list a couple of weeks ago. I'm sure Messi played in Beijing four years ago though.

very strange qualification system if argentina cant get in. Did GB get a bye then?- because i dont remember us having to qualify

According to Wikipedia, the South American qualifiers were based on the 2011 South American Youth Championship. Brazil won and Uruguay were the runners up. Argentina were third.

GB don't have to qualify as we are the host nation

Strangely enough the Youth Championships there are u20 rather than u23.
Brazil won their final game v Uruguay 6-0 with a hat trick from Moura the player heavily linked with Man Utd, Neymar ended up on 9 goals for the tournament, 5 ahead of anyone else.

Does the opening ceremony count as part of the Olympics?

If it does, the Answer can only be:

MOHAMED ALI

Haha, I think we have a winner

The queen??

Errr what about MACCA- bigger than god.

I think more people these days would recognise David Beckham over Paul McCartney.

So its David beckham then!

Crimey wrote:I think more people these days would recognise David Beckham over Paul McCartney.

I'd even go so far as to say I'd rather listen to Beckham sing in preference to Macca (whose voice has gone completely).

As for the main question, I'd say Bolt is the biggest star OF the Olympics (Phelps being next, even with his failures in this Games), but Federer is arguably the biggest star AT the the Games.