The IOC "has resurrected plans to sign a worldwide sponsor in the professional services category, hoping to find a partner to bolster its analytical capabilities and standardize back-office operations across multiple Olympic Games," according to Ben Fischer of SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL. Sources said that Deloitte, Ernst & Young and PricewaterhouseCoopers "are considering the opportunity." The IOC in the first quarter of this year "circulated a briefing memo outlining the details of a possible arrangement." Sources said that Deloitte, which has sponsored the USOC since '09, "is seen as having an edge on the others, but talks with all parties are ongoing." The IOC's "preferred duration and price for a deal are not known, but the current benchmark for a four-year deal in its prime TOP program is between" $175M-$200M. A deal in the professional services category "would include extensive value-in-kind services and allow the firm to use Olympic marks and events in its marketing anywhere around the globe." If executed, a TOP deal "would remove professional services from local organizing committee inventory once it goes into effect." According to the briefing document, the IOC "wants a partner that would advise its headquarters staff on global issues such as brand reputation, societal impact, cyber threats and risk mitigation." The sponsor "would also be asked to help analyze bids from cities wanting to host future Olympics." If the IOC "does sign a deal in the professional services category, the winning firm would be the 13th worldwide rights holder in the TOP program, joining stalwarts such as McDonald's, Visa and Coca-Cola" (SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL, 8/24 issue).
