With all eyes on the 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang, South Korea, there are lots of fun facts floating around the internet. Let’s start with the basics:

• This is the 23^rd Winter Olympics
• There will be 102 events in 15 sport disciplines, a record number
• 92 countries are participating, also a record high
• A total of 2,952 athletes will participate
• There are 244 U.S. athletes, the largest delegation for any nation in the history of the Winter Games

But we’re self-proclaimed nerds here at Freedom Consulting Group (and proud of it) so, let’s be real: We all really just want the nerdy details. So, without further ado, we present the geekiest facts about the 2018 Winter Games:

1. The total cost of cybersecurity for the Olympic Games is a whopping $1.2 million. An additional $18.4 million will be spent on X-ray screening. (And you thought your heating bill was high.)
2. We’ve all seen the 2018 mascot, Soohorang – but where did it come from? Not only does the white tiger hold a special place in Korean cultural roots and native mythology, the name literally means guardian animal. “Sooho” means protection and “Rang” is derived from a Korean word for tiger. Gotta love a mascot with meaning.
3. NBC Olympics will provide more than 50 hours of live virtual reality coverage. Click here for the schedule of VR-viewable events. Better make sure your Oculus is charged!
4. The city of PyeongChang underwent a name chang(e) 10 years ago. Not wanting to be confused with Pyongyang, the capital of North Korea, Pyongchang added an “e” and capitalized the “C.” We see you, PyeongChang.
5. E-sports are a part of the Olympics. Well, sort of. The International Olympic Committee is considering adding e-sports to the Olympic Games and just two days before the Opening Ceremony, Olympic sponsor Intel hosted an e-sports tournament on the Olympic Channel as a trial run. We’ll have to wait and see if headsets and controllers will be seen alongside skates and helmets in 2022. Start practicing, Geeks of FCG!

Whether you’re the next e-sports Olympic champion or just a lover of all things nerd, there’s a place for you here at FCG. Check out our open positions – and most importantly, wave your Geek flag high!

Sources:

https://www.teamusa.org/PyeongChang-2018-Olympic-Winter-Games/Team-USA/Fun-Facts
https://wallethub.com/blog/olympics-facts/1819/#ask-the-experts
http://time.com/5095270/2018-winter-olympics-mascot-meaning/
http://www.nbcolympics.com/news/experience-2018-winter-olympics-virtual-reality
https://www.nytimes.com/guides/sports/2018-olympics-questions
http://time.com/5136962/e-sports-olympics-pyeongchang-video-games/