Problems between Atlanta organizers and the U.S. Postal
Service increased last week when USOC Deputy Sec General John
Krimsky accused the USPS of infringing on the upcoming Games by
selling Olympic t-shirts without licensing fees. The WASHINGTON
POST reports the ongoing feud centers on the fact rival UPS paid
more than $30M for the right to promote its service as an
official Olympic sponsor, and Olympic organizers feel the USPS is
trying to encroach on that right. A fight over the Postal
Service's presence inside the Olympic Village resulted in the
USPS being allowed only to sell stamps and leave the mail -- with
ACOG officials sorting and delivering. The next schism revolved
around the Postal Service's Olympic stamp ceremony that was
scheduled to be held at the CNN Center in Atlanta. But because
stamp designs are also on t-shirts USPS plans to sell, the agency
was forced to move the ceremony to DC. Loren Smith, USPS Chief
Marketing Official, called some of the restrictions "absurd,"
saying they hampered the "constitutional" duty of the USPS to
move the mail. ACOG Dir of Communications Dick Yarborough
disagrees: "The issue seemed to be that they wanted a stronger
presence in the Olympic Games than they have a right to"
(WASHINGTON POST, 4/27).
TEE NOTES: The t-shirt dispute has Atlanta organizers
boycotting the stamp ceremony in Washington and Krimsky debating
whether to pursue legal actions, writes Henry Unger of the
ATLANTA CONSTITUTION. Though the shirts do not carry the
sanctioned Olympic rings, they do show Olympic athletes and carry
the words, "Atlanta" and "USA 1996." The Postal Service will
receive a royalty of 7-10% on the estimated million shirts sold
which wholesale for $8.95 and retail for about $20. Krimsky:
"Clearly, it is a wannabe Tee-shirt. They should be embarrassed"
(ATLANTA CONSTITUTION, 4/30).
