GM will spend more than $1B over the next decade to be
the "exclusive automotive sponsor of the Olympic Games" in a
deal "believed to be the largest in sports marketing
history" and set to be announced Wednesday in New York,
according to Daniel Howes of the DETROIT NEWS. USOC Dir of
PR Mike Moran declined to discuss details, but said the
agreement would be "unprecedented in its range and scope.
It's a big deal -- the biggest we've done -- but it's not
the last." Sources tell Howes that GM will pay $600M for
the Olympic rings rights and TV sponsorship on NBC, and
another $400M in "affiliated event marketing, sales
promotions and merchandising over the next 10 years"
(DETROIT NEWS, 7/29). NEWSDAY's Harry Berkowitz reports
sources add that while GM will be a USOC sponsor of the '98
Winter Olympics in Nagano, CBS, which is televising the
games, "has signed up Ford and Chrysler -- but not GM -- to
run ads during its coverage" (NEWSDAY, 7/29).
OTHER DEALS SOON: In N.Y., Stefan Fatsis reports that
while GM is the first sponsor signed under the USOC-NBC
program, sources indicate that Anheuser-Busch is "nearing an
agreement to become the official beer sponsor." Others
reportedly in negotiations are AT&T, Lucent Technologies,
Home Depot, Xerox, and UAL. Coca-Cola is also said to be
negotiating an extension of its USOC agreement which runs
through the 2000 Summer Games (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 7/29).
