Olympic Sponsorship

Olympic sponsorships contribute more than 40% of Olympic income and help to fund competitions in many countries around the world. The televised Olympic coverage of competitions in different sports activities between different countries is broadcast worldwide and millions of people tune in to watch the coverage. Sponsorship of Olympic Games can be one of the most costly yet lucrative sponsorships a corporation may invest in. There are Winter Olympic Competitions and Summer Olympic competitions. Corporations sponsor individual athletes, and the Olympic Teams. Athletes may have their own sponsors or they may have exclusive sponsorship from the Olympic teams. Advertising for corporate Olympic sponsors takes form in many ways. There are endorsements of athletes on television advertising popular products, Olympic sponsorships from clothing lines, specific sports equipment, as well as Olympic athlete sponsorships provided by banks, magazines, food corporations and automobiles.

On the uniforms of some Olympic athletes there is room for sponsorship patches to be worn during competition. Rules for corporate sponsorship for athletes state that there are spaces for sponsors the athlete chooses and spaces for choices made by the National Governing Bodies (NGB). Some athletes choose all their own Olympic sponsors and break with the traditional training of the team and have their own method of training and preparing for Olympic competition, and still perform in the Olympics.

International Olympic sponsorships are usually contracted for 4 year terms. These sponsorships are managed by the Olympics International Committee and many of the Olympic sponsors are members of The Olympic Partner Programme or the TOP programme. This programme gives sponsorships rights for Winter and Summer competitions. These sponsorships also provide support to other facets of Olympic Games including committees, coaches, and athletes. Corporate sponsors who are in The Olympic Partner Programme have exclusive rights to Olympic symbolism for use in conjunction with their products, broadcasting advantages during Olympic Games, opportunities for showing products during the Games, and Olympic acknowledgement through a recognition program provided by The Olympics.