Denver-based US West "has kept a stable of Olympic-
quality athletes" on its payroll for ten years, "allowing
them to build" a 30-hour workweek around their training
schedules, according to Steve Caulk of the ROCKY MOUNTAIN
NEWS. But as "one of those athletes prepares" for the
Summer Games, Qwest "is evaluating the program it inherited
in its June 30 purchase of US West." Caulk: "No one will
say how much US West devoted to this unique sponsorship, but
it likely is more than $1 million, based on the 10 hours a
week that each of the seven or eight athletes typically
spends away from his or her job." While athletes receive
free coaching, training and medical attention, plus
reimbursement for their sports-related expenses, US West
"receives benefits that are sometimes difficult to measure."
US West "found a way to calculate a return on investment
over the years, which the company also declines to reveal."
Caulk: "Despite all the benefits, the program faces an
uncertain future based on the differences in strategies and
cultures at Qwest." Qwest VP/Corporate Sponsorships Randy
Lynch, on the program: "US West was more a consumer-based
company. The new (merged) company has broadband and
Internet business, a strong business-to-business focus; so
we'll have to evaluate [the program] based on those
objectives." Lynch also "acknowledged" that a consumer-
oriented company "probably would derive a greater" PR
benefit from "this kind of program" (ROCKY MTN NEWS, 8/22).
