An interesting BBC article examines the technology behind the 2002 Winter Olympics, which kicks off tonight with opening ceremonies. C|net reports that only a limited number of sites will be covering the games online, led by MSNBC’s Olympics.com, while NBCOlympics.com will support U.S. television coverage. Olympics.com is already providing 360-degree previews of the Olympic venues using QuickTime VR technology. Yahoo! and Sports.com also have reporting teams in Salt Lake City and will provide ongoing coverage throughout the Winter Games. Further online coverage is expected to be relatively sparse due to tight restrictions placed on Net broadcasting by the International Olympic Committee.
