U.S. companies paying majority of Olympic freight again

This article was originally on a blog post platform and may be missing photos, graphics or links. See About archive blog posts.

By Philip Hersh

News and comment:

News: U.S. Olympic Committee sponsor Proctor & Gamble will announce Wednesday it has become an International Olympic Committee global sponsor as well.

Comment: Another plus for the USOC in its efforts to regain international favor -- especially if, as I suggested last week, it forgoes some or all of its share of the P&G and Dow Chemical deals to help resolve the longstanding revenue-sharing conflict with the IOC.

Coincidentally, with the addition of Dow two weeks ago, the majority of IOC global sponsors -- six of 11 -- will once again be U.S.-based multinationals. So much for the irrational ranting of some European IOC members who try to minimize the significance of U.S. sponsors in the big picture.

Even more significant: Dow and P&G both are paying for their sponsorship in cash -- some $75 to $90 million over four years. The other four USOC sponsors also pay primarily cash, while at least two international sponsors -- Atos Origin and Omega -- give the IOC all value-in-kind, and Acer gives primarily VIK.

It’s also worth noting the USOC is the only country in the handful (Germany, France and Italy among them) with individual IOC global sponsorship revenue-sharing deals that takes some of its share in VIK.

News: Monday, BMW and the USOC finalized a six-year sponsorship deal worth a reported $24 million in cash. The German carmaker is the first foreign auto company to sponsor U.S. Olympians. It also is providing substantially lesser amounts of cash in six-year deals with four U.S. sports federations - track and field, swimming, speedskating and bobsled / skeleton. Bobsled also will get some technological assistance.

Comment: The USOC was left in the lurch in 2007 when General Motors, which was headed for bankruptcy, decided to end after 2008 a partnership that had existed since 1984. GM paid the USOC about $5 million a year in cash, provided vehicles and spent $100 million in advertising on Olympic telecasts, according to Sports Business Daily. BMW will not supply vehicles but its cash is welcome for a USOC facing an uncertain financial future after 2012.

News: USA Track & Field’s volunteer board of directors is turning an annual review of its salaried CEO, Doug Logan, into a power play that could result in his being forced out after barely two years in the job, according to both media reports and Tribune sources.

Comment: Just another example of the old axiom that the only amateurs left in the Olympics are those running them.

The USATF board has apparently given Logan about a month to respond to criticism in three areas, including sponsorships, athlete relations and expenditures. His answers may determine his future.

Dumping Logan without just cause likely would not sit too well with the USOC, which spent several years hectoring USA Track & Field to reform its governance -- that reform occurred in December, 2008 -- and telling the board to stop meddling in the federation’s day-to-day affairs.

It should be noted this is the third time in the past six years the USATF board has gone after the CEO. It happened to Craig Masback in 2004 and 2007 -- and he resigned to join Nike in January, 2008. That is the sort of meddling at issue.

And imagine how financially reckless it would be in these economic times for the board to fire Logan willy-nilly with an estimated $1 million -- and a severance fee -- left on a contract that expires in 2013.

When I spoke with him Monday, Logan referred any comment on his situation to USATF President Stephanie Hightower, an Ohio State grad who is the most decorated high hurdler in collegiate history. When I reached her, Hightower declined to comment on a personnel matter.

News: Star-crossed 2008 Olympian Alicia Sacramone made her post-Beijing return to competition in last Saturday’s CoverGirl Classic at the UIC Pavilion. ( For my story on her comeback, click here.)

Comment: Sacramone’s return was a success, with victories in both events she entered, the beam and vault. ``Now that it’s over, it feels great,’’ she said. Sacramone will try to regain a spot on the national team at next month’s U.S. Championship.