AroundTheRings.com
Encyclopedia
Around the Rings is an "influential internet presence" covering the business and politics of the Olympic Movement, as well as a wide array of issues in international sports.
ATR had its beginnings in the late 1980s when Atlanta was bidding for the 1996 Olympic Games. The company – originally known as Radio Atlanta – was founded in May 1992 by Ed Hula
. The company’s global headquarters remains in Atlanta, with contributors and sales staff around the world.
Over the years, ATR has become known as “the go-to source for Olympic bid information” and is frequently quoted across all international media. A subscription to the site is required in order to access premium content, although many articles and features are open to all visitors.
Around the Rings delivers news across every distribution platform: print, online, email, and phone app.
From 1994 to 1996, he was the Olympics correspondent for WGST, the official “information station” for the Atlanta Games.
From 1998 to 2001 he was based in Sydney as the Olympics editor for Radio 2UE, the rights-holding radio station for the 2000 Olympic Games.
Even in the mid-1990s, Hula was in the vanguard of new media, when he served as AOL’s Olympics reporter in Atlanta.
While delivering his radio coverage to clients worldwide, Hula realized there was a need for specialized business news about the Olympics .
In the mid-1990s, he was asked to write a column for a weekly political newsletter that was mailed out across the Southeast. “The Hula Report”, as it was known, soon outgrew its one-page space allotment and became its own four- to eight-page fax distributed twice monthly.
By 1998 electronic technology and delivery platforms were becoming increasingly important. ATR’s website, launched in late 1996, was already becoming a powerful point of delivery. As the fax expanded to 12 to 16 pages, it became necessary to convert the publication to an email format – and to open an office in Sydney, Australia, to cover the Games of 2000. Sydney was a watershed for Around the Rings. It also resulted in phenomenal growth for their readership as well as the range of their publications.
The Nagano Olympics in 1998 were a milestone for Around the Rings and the Olympics when Ed Hula became the first New Media journalist accredited for the Games.
Guests have included Jacques Rogge
, then president of the European Olympic Committees, Gianna Angelopoulos-Daskalaki
of Athens 2004, Prince Albert of Monaco, U. S. Olympic Committee presidents, Dmitry Chernyshenko of Sochi 2014, athletics great Sergey Bubka, NBC Olympics chief Dick Ebersol
and many other well-known figures in the Olympic Movement.
Newsmaker Breakfasts have become a truly international event, having been hosted in Acapulco, Atlanta, Beijing, Chicago, Copenhagen, London, New York, Salt Lake City, Sydney, and Vancouver
(WFI). The company launched INSIDER after realizing the need for a reputable publication about the business of international football. INSIDER is the first online publication to focus on the business of football. Since its inception, correspondents have reported from Zurich, South Africa, Kuala Lumpur, Moscow, Rio de Janeiro, Nassau and many other locations to provide on-the scene reporting of major football events. It is a primary source of news about preparations for the FIFA World Cup and delivers information about FIFA
, its 208 member associations, the business of the six continental confederations, as well as the sponsors of the Beautiful Game.
ATR Daily Editions: The Daily Editions, published during the Olympic Games, target high level visitors and media with information directed at those in the host city. The issues are distributed in the Olympic City at locations such as the Main Press Center, the International Broadcast Center, official hotels, business centers, non-accredited media centers and more.
The Ultimate Insider's Guide: This is a pocket-sized compilation of names, contact information, facts, figures and fun designed for high level Games-time visitors and media in the Olympic city. It is also available free of charge online.
ATR SportAccord Special Edition: The magazine targets attendees of this marquee annual conference for the international sport federations. Around the Rings is just one of three original media partners since 2005.
ATR Golden 25: The Around the Rings Golden 25 is a ranking of the personalities who will have the greatest influence in the Olympics in the coming year. It is one of the most coveted nominations in world sport. The countdown begins mid-December and ends around January 1. The 2011 edition is the 15th anniversary of the Golden 25.
ATR Special Editions for IOC Sessions: ATR has published a special edition magazine for every IOC session since July 2001.
ATR App: In April 2011, ATR launched its mobile phone app.
Most ATR news is disseminated via its website. Four to five articles are published to the website every day. ATR eBulletins alert readers each time an article is published to the website. Featured content includes coverage of Bidding for the Games, London 2012, Sochi 2014, Rio 2016, the International Federations, ATR weekly newsletter, Op Ed column, ATR Datebook, photo galleries, Golden Opportunities, online special editions, and more.
Blog:
The ATR blog on Wordpress provides a forum for more in depth discussion among readers and fans. The popular “Op Ed” column is frequently posted and a link to the company’s Twitter page is posted to encourage discussion.
Editorial Staff
Correspondents
ATR had its beginnings in the late 1980s when Atlanta was bidding for the 1996 Olympic Games. The company – originally known as Radio Atlanta – was founded in May 1992 by Ed Hula
Ed Hula
-Early life / Personal Life:Ed Hula is the editor and founder of Around the Rings, a leading publication specializing in business news about the Olympics....
. The company’s global headquarters remains in Atlanta, with contributors and sales staff around the world.
Over the years, ATR has become known as “the go-to source for Olympic bid information” and is frequently quoted across all international media. A subscription to the site is required in order to access premium content, although many articles and features are open to all visitors.
Around the Rings delivers news across every distribution platform: print, online, email, and phone app.
History
Beginning in 1992, Ed Hula formed Radio Atlanta to provide radio networks in the U.S. with reporting about the 1996 Olympics. Hula has provided coverage about every Olympics since Barcelona.From 1994 to 1996, he was the Olympics correspondent for WGST, the official “information station” for the Atlanta Games.
From 1998 to 2001 he was based in Sydney as the Olympics editor for Radio 2UE, the rights-holding radio station for the 2000 Olympic Games.
Even in the mid-1990s, Hula was in the vanguard of new media, when he served as AOL’s Olympics reporter in Atlanta.
While delivering his radio coverage to clients worldwide, Hula realized there was a need for specialized business news about the Olympics .
In the mid-1990s, he was asked to write a column for a weekly political newsletter that was mailed out across the Southeast. “The Hula Report”, as it was known, soon outgrew its one-page space allotment and became its own four- to eight-page fax distributed twice monthly.
By 1998 electronic technology and delivery platforms were becoming increasingly important. ATR’s website, launched in late 1996, was already becoming a powerful point of delivery. As the fax expanded to 12 to 16 pages, it became necessary to convert the publication to an email format – and to open an office in Sydney, Australia, to cover the Games of 2000. Sydney was a watershed for Around the Rings. It also resulted in phenomenal growth for their readership as well as the range of their publications.
The Nagano Olympics in 1998 were a milestone for Around the Rings and the Olympics when Ed Hula became the first New Media journalist accredited for the Games.
Events
During that time, Around the Rings developed an events arm with its Newsmaker Breakfast series. These networking events provide the opportunity for journalists, sports marketers and others with an interest in the Games to meet and talk in an informal setting.Guests have included Jacques Rogge
Jacques Rogge
Jacques Rogge, Count Rogge , is a Belgian sports bureaucrat. He is the eighth and current President of the International Olympic Committee .-Life and career:...
, then president of the European Olympic Committees, Gianna Angelopoulos-Daskalaki
Gianna Angelopoulos-Daskalaki
Gianna Angelopoulos-Daskalaki is a Greek business woman. She is best known for being the president of the bidding and organizing committee for the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece...
of Athens 2004, Prince Albert of Monaco, U. S. Olympic Committee presidents, Dmitry Chernyshenko of Sochi 2014, athletics great Sergey Bubka, NBC Olympics chief Dick Ebersol
Dick Ebersol
Duncan "Dick" Ebersol is an American television executive and a senior adviser for . He had previously been the chairman of NBC Sports, producing large scale television events such as the Olympic Games and National Football League broadcasts....
and many other well-known figures in the Olympic Movement.
Newsmaker Breakfasts have become a truly international event, having been hosted in Acapulco, Atlanta, Beijing, Chicago, Copenhagen, London, New York, Salt Lake City, Sydney, and Vancouver
Expansion to Football
In June 2009 Around the Rings created a second internet publication, World Football InsiderWorld Football Insider
World Football INSIDER is a primary source of news about preparations for the FIFA World Cups. In addition, INSIDER delivers the inside line on FIFA's 208 member associations and the business of the six continental confederations, coverage of the world’s leading football industry conferences, as...
(WFI). The company launched INSIDER after realizing the need for a reputable publication about the business of international football. INSIDER is the first online publication to focus on the business of football. Since its inception, correspondents have reported from Zurich, South Africa, Kuala Lumpur, Moscow, Rio de Janeiro, Nassau and many other locations to provide on-the scene reporting of major football events. It is a primary source of news about preparations for the FIFA World Cup and delivers information about FIFA
FIFA
The Fédération Internationale de Football Association , commonly known by the acronym FIFA , is the international governing body of :association football, futsal and beach football. Its headquarters are located in Zurich, Switzerland, and its president is Sepp Blatter, who is in his fourth...
, its 208 member associations, the business of the six continental confederations, as well as the sponsors of the Beautiful Game.
Publications
ATR publishes high-impact magazines for major events on the Olympic calendar. These magazines are distributed at the events , typically at the conference site and in hotels and press centers.ATR Daily Editions: The Daily Editions, published during the Olympic Games, target high level visitors and media with information directed at those in the host city. The issues are distributed in the Olympic City at locations such as the Main Press Center, the International Broadcast Center, official hotels, business centers, non-accredited media centers and more.
The Ultimate Insider's Guide: This is a pocket-sized compilation of names, contact information, facts, figures and fun designed for high level Games-time visitors and media in the Olympic city. It is also available free of charge online.
ATR SportAccord Special Edition: The magazine targets attendees of this marquee annual conference for the international sport federations. Around the Rings is just one of three original media partners since 2005.
ATR Golden 25: The Around the Rings Golden 25 is a ranking of the personalities who will have the greatest influence in the Olympics in the coming year. It is one of the most coveted nominations in world sport. The countdown begins mid-December and ends around January 1. The 2011 edition is the 15th anniversary of the Golden 25.
ATR Special Editions for IOC Sessions: ATR has published a special edition magazine for every IOC session since July 2001.
ATR App: In April 2011, ATR launched its mobile phone app.
Online
Around The Rings Website:Most ATR news is disseminated via its website. Four to five articles are published to the website every day. ATR eBulletins alert readers each time an article is published to the website. Featured content includes coverage of Bidding for the Games, London 2012, Sochi 2014, Rio 2016, the International Federations, ATR weekly newsletter, Op Ed column, ATR Datebook, photo galleries, Golden Opportunities, online special editions, and more.
Blog:
The ATR blog on Wordpress provides a forum for more in depth discussion among readers and fans. The popular “Op Ed” column is frequently posted and a link to the company’s Twitter page is posted to encourage discussion.
Correspondents, contributors, and staff
- Ed HulaEd Hula-Early life / Personal Life:Ed Hula is the editor and founder of Around the Rings, a leading publication specializing in business news about the Olympics....
, Editor and Founder - Sheila Scott Hula, Publisher
- Peter Lewman, Chief Operating Officer
- Barry McMullin, Chief Revenue Officer
- Marcel Tirado, Digital & Social Media Specialist
Editorial Staff
- Ed Hula III, Reporter, Writer
- Matthew Grayson, Reporter, Writer
Correspondents
- Mark Bisson, European Editor
- Karen Rosen, Americas Editor
- Bob Mackin, Canada
- Christian Radnedge, London
- Heinz Peter Kreuzer, Germany
- Brian Pinelli, Europe
- Marta Falconi, Europe