USOC CEO Scott Blackmun Meets With Jacques Rogge For First Time

Jacques Rogge (l), Scott Blackmun Held A 20-Minute Meeting Monday In Vancouver

USOC CEO Scott Blackmun met with IOC President Jacques Rogge "for the first time Monday afternoon in a 20-minute meeting" in Vancouver, according to Karen Rosen of AROUND THE RINGS. Blackmun was joined by USOC Chair Larry Probst and U.S. IOC members Anita DeFrantz and Jim Easton. Probst said, "We talked a little bit about how the USOC can engage more productively with the IOC and he provided some very specific ideas about that." Probst noted another meeting has been scheduled for later this week and "we hope that we'll continue to have good discussions." Rosen reported the USOC and IOC have agreed to "begin discussions about the controversial revenue-sharing agreement in 2013 and Probst said there was no talk about changing that timeline." Blackmun indicated that the USOC "raised the point about having a greater USOC presence at international events and Rogge agreed." The proposed U.S. Olympic Network "did not come up during the meeting" (AROUNDTHERINGS.com, 2/8). IOC Marketing Commission Chair Gerhard Heiberg also sat in on the meeting and said, "It was a short meeting, but it was very positive. We will meet again to continue the discussions" (AP, 2/8).

IN NEED OF REPAIR: In N.Y., Amy Schoenfeld noted USOC officials believe that they can "repair relationships at home and abroad" with Blackmun now on board. But the committee "has a lot of work to do." Former USOC Chief Communications Officer Mike Moran: "It's been a dysfunctional organization. The challenges it faces are the most significant to the American Olympic movement since the boycott of the Moscow games, which nearly killed the USOC." Blackmun said that the USOC is "unlikely to bid for the Games in 2020 or even 2022," but Schoenfeld noted the organization still must "keep domestic sponsors and viewers interested." It also must "repair its relationship" with the IOC and other national Olympic committees "while protecting money it receives from the international group" (N.Y. TIMES, 2/7).