“I think I’m starting to get how big the Olympic is,” the snowboarder admitted. 
    Sponsors of the Olympics must wish that viewers in Gerard’s age group would have a similar epiphany. The American audience for the world’s most prestigious athletic event is shrinking. A survey by the Gallup Organization finds that 39 percent said they planned to watch a great deal or a fair amount of the Olympics. That’s down from 2002, when 58 percent said they would be tuned in for most of the event.
    Not only that, many of the teenage and 20-something peers of Olympic athletes are not interested in watching the show. Among viewers ages 18-29, 31 percent said they planned to watch a great deal of the Olympics. The percentage was similar for viewers ages 30-49. But among those ages 50-64, 44 percent plan to watch a great deal of the Olympics. And viewers 65 or older are more likely to tune in: 54 percent plan to watch a great deal of the event.
    Gallup points out that the decline in Olympic viewing may reflect a broader trend. With the internet, Americans are no longer glued to their television sets.
    Gallup surveyed a random sample of 2,228 adults, aged 18 and older, living in the 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia Jan. 29-Feb. 4.

    Related:

    Etched in Ice: 6 skaters who left an imprint   

    Nine athletes who faced Olympic-sized barriers

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