Beijing sponsor event is Sept. 1

An International Olympic Committee conference is set for Sept. 1 to signal the official courting period with domestic 2005-2008 Olympic sponsors across China leading to Beijing's Games. May's previously scheduled gathering in Beijing was put off by SARS-related travel bans.

IOC marketing director Michael Payne, who is pulling back from dealings with global Olympic sponsors to focus on TV rights and Games-specific sponsor deals, said key sponsor categories to be secured within China include automobiles, banking, energy production, insurance and telecommunications.

Commenting on a SportsBusiness Journal report that NBC is bringing smaller-than-usual numbers of corporate guests to the Athens Games next summer, Payne said he doubts worldwide sponsors will cut their hospitality numbers proportionally.

"I think [hospitality programs] will be very much on par with previous Games," Payne said.

— Steve Woodward