Olympic Turnaround : How the Olympic Games Stepped Back from the Brink of Extinction to Become the World's Best Known Brand

by Payne, Michael

• ISBN13: 9780275990305
• ISBN10: 0275990303
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2006-01-30
• Publisher: Greenwood Pub Group

Summary

Higher, faster, stronger... The Olympic motto conjures images of heroes whose achievements transcended their athletic prowess--Jesse Owens, Mark Spitz, Nadia Comanesci--but also of tragedy and disgrace--the Israeli hostages in Munich, the Salt Lake City bidding scandal, payola to influence scoring. By 1980, the modern Olympic movement was gasping for breath, bankrupt financially, politically, and culturally. But under the leadership of Juan Antonio Samaranch, and, subsequently, Jacques Rogge, the Olympics began a journey back from the brink. Michael Payne, who served as the International Olympic Committee's top marketer for over twenty years, offers unprecedented access to the people, the negotiations, and the machinations behind one of the most dramatic and colorful turnarounds in business or sports history. Through a multi-pronged strategy, the IOC managed to secure lucrative broadcasting commitments, entice well-heeled corporate sponsors, and parlay the symbolism of the Olympics into a brand for which cities around the world are willing to invest billions of dollars--with the potential for tremendous payoff. The 2008 Games in Beijing, for example, are expected to involve over 10,000 athletes from 200 countries, draw 20,000 media representatives, and generate over $4 billion in sponsorships and broadcasting rights. Packed with previously untold stories from the high-octane world where business, sports, politics, and media meet, Olympic Turnaround is a remarkable tale of organizational renewal and a fascinating glimpse behind the curtain of the world's most iconic brand.

Table of Contents

Foreword	ix
Sir Martin Sorrell
Preface	xiii
Acknowledgements	xv
Olympic Winter and Summer Games	xviii
Rings Side Seat	1	(22)
Scorpion Wars	23	(26)
Shock and Awe	49	(26)
The Shoemaker's Vision	75	(34)
Beyond a Brand	109	(28)
Beating the Ambushers	137	(28)
Operation Perfect Hosts	165	(32)
Making IT Happen	197	(28)
To the Brink and Back	225	(30)
Coming Home	255	(20)
The Future of the Rings	275	(12)
Appendix The Rings and the Small Screen	287	(8)
Sources	295	(22)
Index	317