Olympics: more than just entertaining

Posted: Feb 20, 2010 6:53 PM by Matt Stafford
Updated: Feb 20, 2010 6:53 PM

It's a bug many are catching.

"I really, really love the Olympics," exclaims Tanya Pater. "Now that I work all the time, I watch it at work."

"Watching the Olympics, getting excited, going to have our own family Olympics," says Robert Tust, as he makes a few purchases.

"I've just been want to go this whole season and we haven't had a chance," says Kristina Schneibele, as her and her father Matthew get fitted for some skis.

The activity lately is turning into customers at Christy Sports.

"They pour into the store," says Christy Sports employee Jim McLouth. "The Olympics definitely spike people's interest."

They've seen tons of rentals and plenty of sales, but is the surge just from the Olympics?

"This year the snow has been really bad, and this weekend we've finally been getting a little snow," McLouth explains.

That's a big plus, but it's hard to match the inspiration you can get from watching Olympic athletes.

"It's motivating," says Pater. "Other people doing active things on TV, it sort of gives you that motivation to get up and do something as well."

Robert Tust agrees, "It makes you want to get out and ski the mountains."

Now for the real question, which one helps the most?

"The Olympics has a little impact, but not a lot," explains McLouth, but he thinks the white stuff helps more with sales. "If it's a good snow year, everybody comes in."

However, a little bit of both doesn't hurt.