View Opening Ceremony slideshow

China spent seven years planning its coming out party, and it kicked it off in stunning fashion tonight, opening the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games with a four-hour ceremony packed with pyrotechnics, multimedia and a lesson on Chinese culture and history.

A crowd of 91,000 filled the National Stadium — known as the “Bird’s Nest” — on a hot and humid Beijing night to watch the expensive extravaganza.

The show began with 2,008 drummers beating simultaneous rhythms with their hands while chanting “Welcome friends from all over the world.” Fireworks and a performance laced with Chinese cultural and historical references followed.    Read More  >

SBJ/SBD today debut our roundtable discussions with sports business executives and analysts on the issues surrounding the Beijing Games. Our first panel was asked to assess sponsor activations leading up to the Games and evaluate the marketing potential of various athletes leading up to the Games. While we did our best to select experts with no client conflicts, obviously there are some agencies that represent the following brands for certain work.    Read More  >

Shawn Johnson

First-time Olympian Shawn Johnson has dominated the sport of gymnastics, winning every event she entered in 2007 and this year claiming the U.S. all-around crown. At 16, Johnson is the new face of women’s gymnastics, not to mention the prohibitive favorite to win the all-around women’s competition in Beijing. And all of that success hasn’t gone unnoticed by sponsors, as Johnson has signed 12 endorsement deals since last year. Johnson’s agent, Sheryl Shade, said current sponsors already are "asking to extend and expand" their deals with the teenager. Shade also noted that Johnson has deals in the works with apparel and licensing companies, but would not reveal details.     Read More  >

Dr. Stephen Mosher is a professor at Ithaca College and coordinates the Sport Studies Program in the Department of Sport Management & Media. Mosher has taught an Olympic course every Olympic year since ’88. Mosher arrived in Beijing on July 23 and will be departing on Saturday after a 16-day visit.    Read More  >

Gold
Opening Ceremony
From the Bird’s Nest and artistic director Zhang Yimou, to the 80 heads of state and countless CEOs in attendance, the opening ceremony dazzled spectators with a condensed lesson on Chinese history and numerous amazing moments. The production was powerful, it generated the best overnight rating for a non-U.S. opening ceremony ever, and it definitely started things off on a strong note.

Yao Ming leads the Chinese delegation during the opening ceremony.

Silver
U.S. Olympic Committee
The USOC came to China prepared to show that its USA five-ring logo still has value, and the organization has delivered early by announcing two sponsorship renewals with 24 Hour Fitness and Allstate. The combined deals are valued at more than $20 million over four years and give the organization some momentum as it heads into the final four months of this year’s renewal cycle. Major renewals remaining to be done include Bank of America, Home Depot and AT&T.

Bronze
Ralph Lauren
Was Outkast’s Andre 3000 the inspiration for the Team USA’s opening ceremony attire? The group looked sharp in blue blazers and white pants, but the decision to wear white newsboy caps shrouded their faces as they walked into the stadium.

Tin
The heat, haze and humidity
The downside of the opening ceremony was the weather. People waited in lines in some places for close to two hours, sweating under the 93-degree heat and muggy, hazy sky.

More of the Interview

Bruce Hudson is Anheuser-Busch’s director of international sports marketing, meaning he’s heading up the company’s massive sports marketing efforts around the Beijing Games.

Hudson was on hand Thursday for a tour of A-B’s Club Bud, a follow-up to the hugely successful club the company launched at the Torino Games in ’06.

Hudson spoke with SportsBusiness Journal staff writer Tripp Mickle during the tour.    Read More  >

Mary Dillon’s role as McDonald’s executive vice president and global chief marketing officer put her at the nexus of the company’s worldwide marketing efforts around the Beijing Games and its global brand strategy in 118 countries. She and Phyllis Cheung, vice president and chief marketing officer for McDonald’s China, took time to talk about the brand’s goals and marketing strategy for the 2008 Olympics with SportsBusiness Journal staff writer Tripp Mickle.    Read More  >

A look inside A-B's Club Bud

Budweiser is ready to roll out the red carpet and throw down in Beijing.

The beer company and Beijing Games sponsor will open its largest Olympic party venue ever tonight in the northeast part of the city, giving journalists a first look at Club Bud during a viewing party for the opening ceremony. Company executives hope the venue becomes the highlight of Olympic nightlife.

In Beijing, Budweiser has doubled the size, the invite list and number of parties it will throw at Club Bud. The first Club Bud for Torino 2006 was 1,800 square meters, held 1,000 people and hosted four parties, but Beijing’s is 3,600 square meters, holds 2,000 people and will host eight parties.    Read More  >