UT-based Nu Skin Enterprises and its subsidiary
Pharmanex have inked a deal with the OPUS, the joint venture
between the SLOC and USOC, to become official sponsors of
the 2002 Winter Games in Salt Lake City and the U.S. Olympic
team through 2004. Pharmanex's flagship product, LifePak
multivitamin/mineral supplements, will also be an officially
licensed product of the USOC. Nu Skin and Pharmanex will
contribute cash and in-kind donations, including the
companies' products and labor from employees. Nu Skin
becomes the official direct-selling company of the Games,
while Pharmanex will be the exclusive licensee for dietary
supplements for the SLOC and USOC (OPUS). In Salt Lake
City, Mike Gorrell wrote that while terms of the deal were
not disclosed, "national-level sponsorships generally are
worth at least" $20M. Besides Nu Skin products, the "value-
in-kind donation includes the provision of warehouse space,
transportation resources [and] use of Nu Skin production
studios for videos and advertisements." Games organizers
also are "guaranteed a 'minimum' but undisclosed amount of
royalty money from sales of LifePak." Nu Skin is the 14th
national-level sponsor enlisted by OPUS (SALT LAKE TRIBUNE,
10/16). In UT, Lisa Riley Roche also put the at $20M. Nu
Skin VP/Corporate Communications Larry Macfarlane: "The
[bid] scandal did not in any way diminish our support for
the Olympics" (DESERET NEWS, 10/16).
