International Sponsors at Vancouver 2010 Games

World-Wide Corporate Partners of the 2010 Winter Olympic Games

Aug 18, 2009

Venu for Ice Hockey and Sledge Hockey, (c) VANOC/COVAN

The Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics has a roster of international partners whose well-known brands add the weight of their names (and their cash) to the Games.

Corporate sponsorships are an important part of the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympic Games. The Games committee gets an injection of cash and/or merchandise and/or expertise. In return the corporation gets tremendous publicity, makes a contribution to amateur athletics, and gains exposure to the huge international market associated with the Games.

As the growing list of corporate sponsors shows, VANOC (the Vancouver Olympic Games Committee) has been successful in attracting sponsorships. This article focuses on the 2010 Games' international TOP (The Olympic Partners) program and sponsors.

The Worldwide Partners are listed below. Information comes from news releases from the individual companies or from VANOC.

Food and Beverage Providers

Coca-Cola – Coke has been involved with the Olympic movement since 1928, the longest continuous corporate partnership. Most of their funding goes to local organizations and athlete training, says Coke, with only about 10% to actual operation of the games. Coke is the Official Non-alcoholic Beverage Sponsor of the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games.
McDonald's – Official Restaurant of the Olympic Games and the only branded food-service retailer, McDonald's has been an Olympics supporter since 1976. The first non-US franchise was opened in Canada in 1967. The company promises that equipment and materials from Games restaurants will be reused and recycled at McDonald’s restaurants in Canada after end of the Games

Computer Equipment and Systems

Acer – Acer has partnered with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in the official computing equipment product category for the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver and for the 2012 Olympic Games in London. Participation in the Games "will bring a fresh and new approach" for Acer, said company president Gianfranco Lanci in the Dec. 6, 2007 media release.
Atos Origin – Altos Origin has been the IT behind the Olympics since Salt Lake City in 2002. At Vancouver 2010, Atos will handle scheduling for athletes, volunteers, media reps, ticketing, accreditation and transportation, as well as relaying results, events and athlete information to sites around the world.
Omega – Official Timekeeper of the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games, Omega has delivered the official results at Olympic Games since 1932 (Vancouver will mark its 24th games). Omega is responsible for the accuracy of scoring and competition results and delivery of results to Atos and Samsung for dissemination.

Engineering and Infrastructure

General Electric – GE is official supplier in such diverse areas as Energy Power Generation and Distribution, Lighting, Security Equipment, Water Treatment,Transportation, Aircraft Engines, Equipment and Transportation Management, and Medical Imaging Equipment.

Audiovisual and Broadcast Equipment and Systems

Panasonic –Exclusive supplier of Audio, Television, Video equipment and Multimedia Products, this company provides the Olympic Games with equipment such as flat screen televisions, digital still cameras, digital video cameras, DVD recorders and professional audio/video equipment. Panasonic also provides digital broadcast equipment for on-site and world-wide transmission.
Samsung –Since 1988, when it became a local sponsor for the Seoul 1988 Olympic Summer Games, Samsung has been a Worldwide Olympic Partner in the wireless communications equipment category. Samsung will deliver wireless service for the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games, allowing people to get results on their cell phones. (Official Results will be powered by Atos Origin, timing and results will be managed by Omega.)

Financial Systems

VISA – Visa the exclusive card and the official payment system of the Vancouver 2010 Winter Games. Since 1986, VISA has sponsored six Olympic Summer Games and six Olympic Winter Games as "the leading payment brand in the world" Some 21,000 financial institutions worldwide use Visa’s processing system, VisaNet®, to facilitate $3 trillion (USD) in annual transactions.

By providing donations of funds, equipment, and expertise in exchange for global marketing rights and exclusive right to have their products used throughout the Games, these worldwide corporate partners enable the games to be a worldwide experience for athletes, volunteers, and spectators, sharing the events of Vancouver 2010 with people around the globe.

Coke Sponsors 2010 Vancouver Games – The cola will flow at Whistler! A detailed look at Coca-Cola's involvement with the Olympic Movement in general and the 2010 Winter Games in specific.

Acer Runs Lap(top)s in the 2010 Olympics – Olympic staff and sports officials on the go will need laptops. A look at the history and involvement of the company that will put computers into Olympic laps.

Samsung Links to the Olympics – As supplier of wireless communications services, Samsung hopes to WOW fans by bringing the Olympics to cell-phones.

The copyright of the article International Sponsors at Vancouver 2010 Games in Corporate Citizens is owned by Thomas Alan Gray. Permission to republish International Sponsors at Vancouver 2010 Games in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.