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Morgan:News:2010 |Sports| #1274
ALPINE CANADA NOT EXPECTING SPONSORSHIP 'CHILL' FROM VANOC - ESSO MARKETING CONTROVERSY
The president of Alpine Canada, one of the most business-like national sports organizations in the country, says he doubts if the recently settled blow-up between the 2010 Organizing Committee and Esso Canada will affect sports sponsorship.
Some businesses that sponsor national sport organizations were just as surprised as anybody at the way the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Games (VANOC) took Esso to task over a contest the oil company was running to promote Hockey Canada, another national sports organization. They were wondering if they should have a closer look at the wording of their own sponsorship agreements.
However, Alpine Canada's Ken Read says about corporate sponsorships, "We do not expect any chill Ð- in fact the market has been very active. Many Canadian corporations realize only a handful of corporations will be able to acquire Olympic rights. Many are active on an annual basis within sport, focusing their resources to support the development of high-performance programs. Some 'bridge' between Olympic and non-Olympic [sponsorship], often becoming [national sports organization] sponsors as well to gain access to athletes, events for annual client hosting and to be seen investing in athlete-development programs."
In fact, says Read, the sponsorship market has been so active for sports recently that, "I would propose that we are beginning to see a much higher level of interest in supporting our amateur athletes, as Canadian corporations realize this is something Canadians support -Ð that it is good for the motivation of youth, for nation building and community investment as well as good for business."
Read says it's important to keep the issue between VANOC and Esso in perspective, "The ownership issue [of rights] between Olympic and non-Olympic sponsors is not new. Each time Canada has hosted the Games -- 1976, 1988 and now 2010 -- the issue is closer to the surface, but for a national sport organization that is active in the market, these rights are closely monitored by all parties... We make it clear to our commercial partners that we do not own Olympic rights or imagery and work closely with them in the development of their PR activities and leveraging."
Read says that brand protection between VANOC and the national sports organizations (NSOs) is a two-way street, and he's happy to be on it. "VANOC has been extremely supportive, working to protect our properties as well. They have communicated to us recently that they are requiring all Olympic/Paralympic sponsors to clear image use of a sport with the NSO. This is an extremely effective philosophy, as it protects the NSO from any implied connection to athlete development or an individual athlete that may be conveyed through imagery or association."
Read notes that all winter national sports organizations were required to sign, back when VANOC's predecessor, the Bid Corporation, was preparing its bid, documents that made marketing and promotional boundaries clear. "A sport is permitted to promote all aspects of athlete development, programs, events right to the World Cup and World Championships. The Canadian Olympic Committee owns the Olympic Team and all rights associated with it. Typically, as is the case for 2010, these properties are seconded to the Olympic Organizing Committee."
Alpine Canada is running promotions to get people to attend its World Cup events in Lake Louise, Kitzbhel and Cortina, in association with its sponsors. Adds Read, "We use references to the Olympic/Paralympic Team, preparation for the Games and other imagery, but only in news content and never in connection with a commercial partnership."
Read says this may seem limiting to national sports organizations, but he says that "Each does receive significant direct benefit from the Olympic/Paralympic partnership, through 'Own the Podium', through Olympic/Paralympic preparation and finally through the support provided to the athletes, coaches, support staff and NSO through the Olympic/Paralympic Games Missions of the COC and Canadian Paralympic Committee."
BACKGROUND
The Business of Alpine Canada's Draw
Alpine Canada's upcoming World Cup events at Lake Louise is expected to attract the second-largest international TV audience for an annual sporting event in Canada. It's expected this time to be an accumulated audience of about 120 million for the five events, which are broadcast live to about 50 countries.
The event, from Alpine Canada's point of view, is an anchor to the western Canadian tourism market. It's an early season primer aimed at the C$350-million destination tourism market for skiers and snowboarder who travel to the Alberta Rockies. It's also, according to market research, one of the most significant drivers for the C$9 billion tourism market of western Canada.
This is one reason Travel Alberta, Banff-Lake Louise Tourism, the Fairmont Chateau at Lake Louise and the Lake Louise Mountain Resort have all stepped up their investment into the event significantly.
It's also a major corporate-hosting event, bolstered by the World Cup Business forum, now in its third year. The annual direct investment of the World Cup into the local economy is reportedly about C$7 million.
Alpine Canada has sponsors a several levels of its sport program: The Husky Snow Stars Skill Development program for children age five to 10); the Devonian Properties Rising Star camps, known as the MARS K2 for those aged 13 to 14); and the J1, for ages 15 to 16, plus the Canadian Alpine Championships, the Pontiac GMC Cup and Canadian Championships, the CIBC Coupe Nor-Am Cup and the Telus Canadian Disabled Alpine Ski Championship.
Alpine's sponsor tiers are in four levels, Platinum: C$1 million or more; Summit: C$500,000 to C$1 million; Champion: C$200,000 to $500,00 and Sponsor: below C$200,000.
In the past three months, Alpine Canada has added two new Summit partners: Husky Oil, moving up from Champion, and the company called Resorts of the Canadian Rockies. As well, it has recently signed two new Champion partners -- the accounting and management consulting firm of PricewaterhouseCoopers and Sun Microsystems. Alpine Canada is now working on two more partners in the coming weeks Ð one for the Summit class and one Champion class.
RESOURCES
Alpine Canada's website page listing its major corporate sponsors:
www.canski.org/e/html/services/e_sponsors.htm
This is the link to Esso Canada's contest, which, as of this writingg, has not yet been updated as a result of the company's negotiations with VANOC:
Originally published to Morgan:News:2010:Gold subscribers on October 31, 2005
Morgan:News:2010 |VANOC| #1273
FURLONG REPORTS NEGOTIATONS HAVE RESOLVED AMBUSH-MARKETING CONTROVERSY INVOLVING IMPERIAL OIL
The Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Games (VANOC) says that after a day of negotiations on Friday, it and Imperial Oil have resolved their differences over how the oil company was promoting its Hockey Canada sponsorship.
John Furlong, VANOC CEO, said in a statement, "After working diligently over the past 24 hours, VANOC and Esso have reached agreement on modifications to the "Cheer On Canada/Torino, Italy" promotion so that it is no longer associated with the 2006 Olympic Winter Games and Canada's Olympic Team."
The issue was over a contest that Imperial Oil subsidiary Esso Canada was running to promote its sponsorship of the national sports federation, Hockey Canada. The main prize of the contest -- besides a return business-class trip for two to Torino, Italy, a hotel stay and C$3,000 in spending money -- included tickets to see Canada's "national" team play in Torino in February. No mention was made at any part of the contest about the Olympics.
VANOC's statement and the original complaint by VANOC, alleged in a prepared news conference in Calgary last week, made no mention in specific terms of what aspects of this incorporated ambush marketing, other than the relatively vague comment that the contest created "an association" with the Torino Winter Olympics.
The major point of contention, according to VANOC communications department representative Mary Fraser, was the purchase of Olympic tickets for promotional purposes, which she says violates rules of the International Olympic Committee, and the reference to the "national" team. "The only team representing Canada in Torino in February is the Canadian Olympic Team," she notes.
Fraser, who worked with the sports federation that represents Canadian freestyle skiing for 10 years before recently joining VANOC's communications section, says that all the national sports federations are "well aware" of what can be done or not done in reference to Olympic promotion.
Hockey Canada, however, earlier defended Esso's contest and the way it was promoted.
The news conference that brought the matter to light was held in the middle of last week's news cycle and, as a result, there were numerous stories that carried VANOC's point of view. However, the news release from VANOC that announced the resolution of the controversy was issued at 7:15 pm Vancouver time Friday evening. The timing relegated news coverage of the solution to small stories well buried in weekend newspapers and only minor coverage during the weekend news cycle.
Originally published to Morgan:News:2010:Gold subscribers on October 31, 2005
Morgan:News:2010 |Sports| #1274
ALPINE CANADA NOT EXPECTING SPONSORSHIP 'CHILL' FROM VANOC - ESSO MARKETING CONTROVERSY
The president of Alpine Canada, one of the most business-like national sports organizations in the country, says he doubts if the recently settled blow-up between the 2010 Organizing Committee and Esso Canada will affect sports sponsorship.
Some businesses that sponsor national sport organizations were just as surprised as anybody at the way the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Games (VANOC) took Esso to task over a contest the oil company was running to promote Hockey Canada, another national sports organization. They were wondering if they should have a closer look at the wording of their own sponsorship agreements.
However, Alpine Canada's Ken Read says about corporate sponsorships, "We do not expect any chill Ð- in fact the market has been very active. Many Canadian corporations realize only a handful of corporations will be able to acquire Olympic rights. Many are active on an annual basis within sport, focusing their resources to support the development of high-performance programs. Some 'bridge' between Olympic and non-Olympic [sponsorship], often becoming [national sports organization] sponsors as well to gain access to athletes, events for annual client hosting and to be seen investing in athlete-development programs."
In fact, says Read, the sponsorship market has been so active for sports recently that, "I would propose that we are beginning to see a much higher level of interest in supporting our amateur athletes, as Canadian corporations realize this is something Canadians support -Ð that it is good for the motivation of youth, for nation building and community investment as well as good for business."
Read says it's important to keep the issue between VANOC and Esso in perspective, "The ownership issue [of rights] between Olympic and non-Olympic sponsors is not new. Each time Canada has hosted the Games -- 1976, 1988 and now 2010 -- the issue is closer to the surface, but for a national sport organization that is active in the market, these rights are closely monitored by all parties... We make it clear to our commercial partners that we do not own Olympic rights or imagery and work closely with them in the development of their PR activities and leveraging."
Read says that brand protection between VANOC and the national sports organizations (NSOs) is a two-way street, and he's happy to be on it. "VANOC has been extremely supportive, working to protect our properties as well. They have communicated to us recently that they are requiring all Olympic/Paralympic sponsors to clear image use of a sport with the NSO. This is an extremely effective philosophy, as it protects the NSO from any implied connection to athlete development or an individual athlete that may be conveyed through imagery or association."
Read notes that all winter national sports organizations were required to sign, back when VANOC's predecessor, the Bid Corporation, was preparing its bid, documents that made marketing and promotional boundaries clear. "A sport is permitted to promote all aspects of athlete development, programs, events right to the World Cup and World Championships. The Canadian Olympic Committee owns the Olympic Team and all rights associated with it. Typically, as is the case for 2010, these properties are seconded to the Olympic Organizing Committee."
Alpine Canada is running promotions to get people to attend its World Cup events in Lake Louise, Kitzbhel and Cortina, in association with its sponsors. Adds Read, "We use references to the Olympic/Paralympic Team, preparation for the Games and other imagery, but only in news content and never in connection with a commercial partnership."
Read says this may seem limiting to national sports organizations, but he says that "Each does receive significant direct benefit from the Olympic/Paralympic partnership, through 'Own the Podium', through Olympic/Paralympic preparation and finally through the support provided to the athletes, coaches, support staff and NSO through the Olympic/Paralympic Games Missions of the COC and Canadian Paralympic Committee."
BACKGROUND
The Business of Alpine Canada's Draw
Alpine Canada's upcoming World Cup events at Lake Louise is expected to attract the second-largest international TV audience for an annual sporting event in Canada. It's expected this time to be an accumulated audience of about 120 million for the five events, which are broadcast live to about 50 countries.
The event, from Alpine Canada's point of view, is an anchor to the western Canadian tourism market. It's an early season primer aimed at the C$350-million destination tourism market for skiers and snowboarder who travel to the Alberta Rockies. It's also, according to market research, one of the most significant drivers for the C$9 billion tourism market of western Canada.
This is one reason Travel Alberta, Banff-Lake Louise Tourism, the Fairmont Chateau at Lake Louise and the Lake Louise Mountain Resort have all stepped up their investment into the event significantly.
It's also a major corporate-hosting event, bolstered by the World Cup Business forum, now in its third year. The annual direct investment of the World Cup into the local economy is reportedly about C$7 million.
Alpine Canada has sponsors a several levels of its sport program: The Husky Snow Stars Skill Development program for children age five to 10); the Devonian Properties Rising Star camps, known as the MARS K2 for those aged 13 to 14); and the J1, for ages 15 to 16, plus the Canadian Alpine Championships, the Pontiac GMC Cup and Canadian Championships, the CIBC Coupe Nor-Am Cup and the Telus Canadian Disabled Alpine Ski Championship.
Alpine's sponsor tiers are in four levels, Platinum: C$1 million or more; Summit: C$500,000 to C$1 million; Champion: C$200,000 to $500,00 and Sponsor: below C$200,000.
In the past three months, Alpine Canada has added two new Summit partners: Husky Oil, moving up from Champion, and the company called Resorts of the Canadian Rockies. As well, it has recently signed two new Champion partners -- the accounting and management consulting firm of PricewaterhouseCoopers and Sun Microsystems. Alpine Canada is now working on two more partners in the coming weeks Ð one for the Summit class and one Champion class.
RESOURCES
Alpine Canada's website page listing its major corporate sponsors:
www.canski.org/e/html/services/e_sponsors.htm
This is the link to Esso Canada's contest, which, as of this writingg, has not yet been updated as a result of the company's negotiations with VANOC:
Originally published to Morgan:News:2010:Gold subscribers on October 31, 2005
Morgan:News:2010 |VANOC| #1273
FURLONG REPORTS NEGOTIATONS HAVE RESOLVED AMBUSH-MARKETING CONTROVERSY INVOLVING IMPERIAL OIL
The Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Games (VANOC) says that after a day of negotiations on Friday, it and Imperial Oil have resolved their differences over how the oil company was promoting its Hockey Canada sponsorship.
John Furlong, VANOC CEO, said in a statement, "After working diligently over the past 24 hours, VANOC and Esso have reached agreement on modifications to the "Cheer On Canada/Torino, Italy" promotion so that it is no longer associated with the 2006 Olympic Winter Games and Canada's Olympic Team."
The issue was over a contest that Imperial Oil subsidiary Esso Canada was running to promote its sponsorship of the national sports federation, Hockey Canada. The main prize of the contest -- besides a return business-class trip for two to Torino, Italy, a hotel stay and C$3,000 in spending money -- included tickets to see Canada's "national" team play in Torino in February. No mention was made at any part of the contest about the Olympics.
VANOC's statement and the original complaint by VANOC, alleged in a prepared news conference in Calgary last week, made no mention in specific terms of what aspects of this incorporated ambush marketing, other than the relatively vague comment that the contest created "an association" with the Torino Winter Olympics.
The major point of contention, according to VANOC communications department representative Mary Fraser, was the purchase of Olympic tickets for promotional purposes, which she says violates rules of the International Olympic Committee, and the reference to the "national" team. "The only team representing Canada in Torino in February is the Canadian Olympic Team," she notes.
Fraser, who worked with the sports federation that represents Canadian freestyle skiing for 10 years before recently joining VANOC's communications section, says that all the national sports federations are "well aware" of what can be done or not done in reference to Olympic promotion.
Hockey Canada, however, earlier defended Esso's contest and the way it was promoted.
The news conference that brought the matter to light was held in the middle of last week's news cycle and, as a result, there were numerous stories that carried VANOC's point of view. However, the news release from VANOC that announced the resolution of the controversy was issued at 7:15 pm Vancouver time Friday evening. The timing relegated news coverage of the solution to small stories well buried in weekend newspapers and only minor coverage during the weekend news cycle.
Originally published to Morgan:News:2010:Gold subscribers on October 31, 2005