When did water polo become the premier Olympic sport?

[marmar]

I swear it's on every time I flip on the telly.

[Upton]

1. Women's field hockey is on..

blue turf and everything. Boise state would be proud..

I like some of these different sports being shown early, often live and involving teams and athletes from other countries.. I refuse to watch NBC's only Americans need apply evening taped coverage..

[Renew Deal]

2. Water Polo has always been pretty popular

It's soccer in the pool.

[El Supremo]

3. Water polo is OK

But I think beach volleyball took over sometime ago.

[Iggo]

4. With the perfection of underwater HD cameras.

Know'm say'n?

[joeybee12]

5. I'm pretty sure it became an Olympic sport in 1984 in LA

We always think of the US being very good at it, and they are, but there are some countries that are phenomenal and have a much longer tradition of it than we do.

[JonLP24]

9. Try 1900

[joeybee12]

11. I just remember 1984 was a big deal for it, so I assumed it was new...

The US men were the heartthrobs that year and everyone expected them to win...they didn't, silver, though.

[DinahMoeHum]

6. The USA's men's and women's teams reached the podium in 2008. . .

so there is a higher profile for them this Olympiad.

But water polo has been an Olympic sport (for the men) since 1900; and it's pretty much the national sport for the Eastern European countries, particularly Hungary.

The women's game didn't become an Olympic sport until 2000, but from the first, Team USA's women have achieved the podium, but no gold medal. . .yet. It just might happen this time. If they do, they could really put the sport on the map of the American consciousness, just as it has happened for soccer.

Being that the US men's and women's teams won silver in 2008/Beijing, they could do well again here. For the future, though, they really have to do better at getting and developing future talent outside of California, where most of the players are currently from.

[bluedigger]

7. Does anyone know anybody who ever played water polo in an organized league?

I don't.

[JonLP24]

8. It is?

I haven't seen a single match on prime time.

They show one a day. Men's one day, Women the next.

It's a great sport though.

[RockaFowler]

10. NBC is showing it Live in Daytime

I haven't seen anything in Prime, though

I still want to know why Handball is in the Olympics. Isn't that just Lacrosse crossed with Soccer & Basketball??

[JonLP24]

12. I'd watch Team Handball

I certainly prefer it over Equiestrain (which I'm watching now), gymnastics, synchronized & regular diving.

I think it resembles hockey more than soccer.

[MrSlayer]

13. Water polo is great.

Very brutal sport. It's like hockey in the water.