The Lausanne office deals exclusively with Olympic matters. ... don't waste time on long telephone calls or interminable
T O P
lanta and Stamford in ISL Marketing AG Connecticut. The (International Sports, Lausanne office was Culture and Leisure set up in response to Marketing) was foundthe IOC’s wish to ed in 1982 by Horst shorten the lines of Dassler (son of Adi communication beDassler, founder of tween it and ISL. ADIDAS), essentially Laurent Scharapan, at the time to develop originally from France, international sports and a former emmarketing proployee of the orgagrammes on the same nizing committee of basis as the relations Laurent Scharapan, ISL vice-president, the 1992 Olympic that already existed in his office in Lausanne. Winter Games in Alwith the International Football Federation (FIFA). The com- bertville, took over the Lausanne ofpany very quickly became involved fice when it opened in July 1994: “With the complexity of the TOP prowith the IOC, with whom it created gramme there was a real need to be the “TOP” (The Olympic Programme). Today its activities cover negotiating geographically closer to the IOC. We could not have wished for a better losponsorship rights for the Internacation: we are seven minutes’ walk tional Olympic Committee (IOC), the National Olympic Committees, the from the Château. I often go to the IOC, where I have the opportunity to Football International Association meet many people whom I would not Federation (FIFA), the International necessarily see if we were based solely Amateur Athletics Feferation (IAAF) in Lucerne. For instance, I recently and the International Basketball Association (FIBA), and for a number of met the former marketing director of the organizing committee of the events organized by the International Olympic Games in Lillehammer. Cycling Union (UCI), the International The Lausanne office deals exclusively Gymnastics Federation (FIG) and the with Olympic matters. But it is true International Skiing Federation (FIS). that the presence of the International Federations provides an opportunity ISL Marketing employs around 160 to forge links. I genuinely believe that people all over the world, not only at the Lucerne headquarters, but also in Lausanne is ideally situated. For us, it is an enormous advantage to be Tokyo, London, Barcelona, Paris, At-
and those of the Centennial Coin Programme.
The ISL offices. . .
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able to work directly with the IOC. We don’t waste time on long telephone calls or interminable fax messages. Problems can often be solved much more quickly in person. ” International programmes The idea of the TOP programme was rooted for the first time after the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, which were the first commercially and financially successful Games. But there were other factors pointing towards a more realistic approach to financing the Olympic Movement: the importance of ensuring the financial stability and independence of the Movement; the need to diversify sources of revenue, which at the time came almost exclusively from television rights; the need for balanced distribution of revenue within the Olympic Movement; the need to control the use of the Olympic symbols and to prevent “uncontrolled commercialization” of the Games. The Commission for New Sources of Financing, chaired by IOC member in Canada Richard W. Pound, was created in 1983, and two years later the TOP programme was launched. In the IOC, Laurent Scharapan deals directly with Michael Payne, the marketing director.
“At the time the twenty NOCs that were the most important in terms of marketing potential operated their own marketing programmes, which sometimes conflicted with TOP programme categories (i.e. a produce which could rival one of the TOP programme). It was therefore necessary to establish some common ground with these NOCs.. TOP 1 was a start, which enabled TOP II and TOP III to go in much further detail into all the contractual aspects and the very complex structure of the programme (eight hundred contracts must be signed for TOP III). ” Top III was certainly the first totally successful programme, with entry levels as high as $40 million for sponsors, and the involvement of all the 196 NOCs recognized by the IOC. “It is the world’s biggest sponsorship programme, and has undoubtedly set the standard for sports marketing over recent years.” The fourth generation of TOP programmes is being worked out and should in principle begin on 1st January 1997. Sabine M’Bodj
THE TOP PROGRAMME TOP I (1985-1988) For the first time in the history of the Olympic Games, TOP I gathered all the Olympic partners (IOC, NOCs, O r g a n i z i n g C o m m i t t e e s ) around the negotiating table with sponsors. 9 commercial partners took part in TOP I, which generated $95 million.
THE TOP III SPONSORS
TOP II (1989- 1992) TOP II generated $175 million, and involved 12 worldwide sponsors.
XEROX
TOP III (1993-1996) TOP III consists of 10 worldwide sponsors, and will raise over $300 million.
COCA-COLA KODAK VISA BAUSH AND LOMB SPORTS ILLUSTRATED (TIME inc)
MATSUSHITA IBM UNITED PARCEL SERVICES JOHN HANCOCK
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