July 26 - BMW today signed a $24 million (£15 million) six-year sponsorship deal with the United States Olympic Committee (USOC), strengthening their ties with the Olympic Movement, which already includes being a Tier One sponsor of London 2012 and the main corporate backer of Munich's bid to host the 2018 Winter Olympics.


Under the deal, originally revealed on insidethegames last month, the German automobile manufacturer will be the first foreign carmaker to sponsor the USOC and will fill a void left when General Motors decided not to renew its deal following the 2008 Olympics.

"All of our research shows that our fans really respect Olympic sponsors, because they know that's the way we bring the team to the Games," USOC chief marketing officer Lisa Baird said.

BMW will also work with the American governing bodies for four sports: track and field, swimming, speedskating, and bobsled and skeleton.

Speedskater Apolo Anton Ohno, who already owns a BMW, was on hand for the announcement.

"As a company dedicated to joy, performance and efficiency, BMW Group is a fitting partner for the USOC, whose mission of achieving sustained competitive excellence and inspiring Americans dovetails perfectly with our own values," said Jack Pitney (pictured), vice-president of marketing for BMW of North America. 

"It is important to us to add substantive value to a partnership that is more than just a financial sponsorship.

"We are excited to share our resources, which include some of the world's leading engineers and technology experts and an enthusiastic owner and dealer community, with US Olympic and Paralympic athletes over the next six years."

BMW plans to use its engineers to help the USOC improve technology for its athletes, such as designing helmets that are more aerodynamic.

It will also aid the USOC with fundraising.

BMW will be the USOC's "official mobility partner," a purposely broad term that ensures the company will be the sole sponsor for multiple forms of transportation, including those that have not even been invented yet.

"BMW is a premier, powerful brand that is recognised for competitive excellence and dynamic performance, just like our US Olympic and Paralympic Teams," said USOC chief exectutive Scott Blackmun .

"Joining together these two performance-driven organizations will provide a tremendous asset to America's top athletes while providing the unique value of investing in the US Olympic and Paralympic teams."


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