24 Hour Hoops
It’s 2:17 in the morning on Sunday, and I can’t sleep, largely because of this annoying cough I’ve had the last two weeks.
There’s actually a live sporting event going on now on TV, a pre-Olympics tune-up between the USA men’s basketball team and Russia in Shanghai, China. Apparently, there’s an American on the Russian team, but that’s a topic for an another day and another Web site blog.
There’s a reason why this game has compelled me to write in the wee hours of the morning, and it’s not the fact that the U.S. is underachieving against the Russians/American. A series of 24 Hour Fitness logos popped up on the rotating sign boards on the sidelines facing the mid-court camera. As we reported in a recent Newsbeat, 24 Hour is an official partner of USA Basketball. McDonald’s, by the way, popped up on the sign boards later in the game, as well as something that appeared to be written in Chinese.
I have to say, it was pretty cool to see the 24 Hour name during a live sporting event. This should be a source of pride for 24 Hour CEO Carl Liebert, for founder and former chairman Mark Mastrov, and for everyone associated in the fitness club industry. With 24 Hour’s ties to the entire U.S Olympic team, I’m sure we’ll see more of 24 Hour’s presence when the Olympics kick off 08-08-08 (my anniversary!) in Beijing. –Stuart
