Japanese tyre giant Bridgestone has agreed a 10-year deal to become a TOP sponsor of the International Olympic Committee, according to Asahi Shimbun.
The Japanese newspaper said the partnership will run from the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, incorporating the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo. It added Bridgestone will pay around 35bn yen (€252.2m/$346m) to become a top-tier sponsor of the IOC with a formal contract expected to be signed in June.
Bridgestone’s fellow Japanese company Panasonic in February became one of two TOP sponsors to extend their deals with the IOC.
French IT services company Atos renewed its deal through to 2020, while Panasonic became the first TOP partner to extend its partnership through to the 2022-24 period.
The IOC currently has 10 TOP partners for the 2014-2016 period in the shape of Coca-Cola, Atos, Dow, GE, McDonald’s, Omega, Panasonic, P&G, Samsung and Visa. Of these partners only Samsung has yet to commit for the 2018-2020 term.
In April, IOC president Thomas Bach announced the composition of the IOC commissions for 2014, with Tokyo 2020 figurehead Tsunekazu Takeda appointed to lead the high-profile marketing commission.
Takeda, president of the Japanese Olympic Committee and vice-president of Tokyo 2020’s organising committee, replaced Gerhard Heiberg of Norway, who stepped down after 12 years in the role.