Leaves falling off the money tree

The recent defection of Panasonic, Bridgestone, and Toyota, the latter of which decried “the politicization” of the Paris 2024 Games, struck a blow to the Olympic movement’s coffers. A two-faced dilemma now looms: is this a chance for renewal or the harbinger of a decline?

The past weeks sent shockwaves through the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) financial department. While the Olympic movement is a major economic driver in the sports industry, the departure of three of the 14 current members of the IOC’s flagship TOP program, all based in Japan, which hosted the 2020 Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games, is hardly good news. In fact, it hangs like a sword of Damocles over Thomas Bach’s IOC presidency.

To fully understand the implications, certain questions must be answered: To what extent does the departure of these Japanese giants impact the Olympic partnership? Does it reflect broader challenges faced by Olympic partners, or does it present an opportunity to refresh the roster of TOP sponsors? Undoubtedly, the decisions of these supporters have captured the attention of industry experts. – Full report

Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Sailing Program*:
Men’s One Person Dinghy – ILCA 7
Women’s One Person Dinghy – ILCA 6
Mixed Two Person Dinghy – 470
Men’s Skiff – 49er
Women’s Skiff – 49erFX
Men’s Kiteboard – Formula Kite Class
Women’s Kiteboard – Formula Kite Class
Men’s Windsurfing – iQFOiL
Women’s Windsurfing – iQFOiL
Mixed Multihull – Nacra 17

Venue: Long Beach, CA
Dates: July 21-August 6

* World Sailing voted to keep the Paris 2024 Sailing Program for Los Angeles 2028, but the program is not final until the IOC approves all events, which usually occurs between December 2024 and January 2025. At that time, the IOC will also confirm the quota for sailing and how many medals.