THE INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC Committee (IOC) has recruited Nike, the world’s leading sports apparel brand, to become an official supplier in its clothing category.
According to insidethegames.biz, Nike has signed a deal – which carries no cash value – to provide clothing to IOC members and officials until the end of 2016, taking in the 2014 Winter Games in Sochi and the next iteration of the Summer Games in Rio in 2016.
Nike replaces Japanese sports brand Mizuno as the official supplier, which had held the position since 1995. Mizuno’s relationship with the IOC became untenable after highlighting its intentions to support the Tokyo bid for the 2020 Olympic Games – a position which was confirmed this week.
Given the IOC’s forewarning of Mizuno’s involvement with the Tokyo bidding committee, it was the governing body that made an approach to Nike for the vacant position.
The US-based company was the apparel provider for Independent Olympic Athletes – participants belonging to states unrecognised by the IOC and therefore competing under the Olympic flag – during London 2012, as seen at the Opening Ceremony on July 27.
Severing its association to the IOC will also likely spell the end of Mizuno’s sponsorship of the official Olympic Museum in Lausanne.
For Nike, the agreement further extends the brand’s commitment to the Olympic Movement after Sports Marketing Frontiers exclusively reported its Tier 3 sponsorship deal with the Rio 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
That deal, agreed with the Rio Organising Committee and therefore unlikely to cut across its IOC relationship, saw Nike sponsor the Brazilian team at London 2012 and is an agreement which will continue to Rio 2016.
Nike will join Daimler as the only other official supplier to the IOC. Daimler provides transport for all IOC operations in Switzerland and the various meetings around the world, outside of Olympic host countries.
By Luke Harman
Follow Luke on Twitter: @lukeharmanSBG