Cathal, if you don't know what Alibaba is, you're in the wrong business.  Think Amazon times 3.  Your analysis is pithy and misdirected.  Olympics is in decline because of the overwhelming presence of McDonalds, Budweiser, and numerous other low grade declining US products.  The IOC and their corporate masters killed the IOC goose long ago by turning the Olympics into nothing more than a 3-week infomercial.  US interests are trying to do the same with soccer (FIFA), but thank christ they have been repelled.  Be it war in the boardroom or on the battlefields of Syria, if they can't control it -- they will destroy it.