Olympic Newsdesk -- New York Office for USOC; IOC Sponsor Review; 2011 Caribbean Games?

USOC Opens Marketing Office in New York City

The USOC opened a marketing office at 521 Fifth Avenue Monday to be close to top sponsors and U.S. Olympic broadcaster NBC.

According to Sports Business Journal, the office will serve seven employees, headed by USOC marketing chief, Lisa Baird. USA Track and Field will lease space in the office for three or four of its employees.

The USOC signed a multiyear lease for the office, and Baird told the Journal no expansion is planned for the moment.

"It depends on what happens when we get Chicago (in 2016), if that’s not too bold, and how we’re evolving as the USOC," she said. "We want to be flexible, and right now we want to take the right steps to be (in New York) and have a beachhead there."

Olympic Marketing Experts to Advise IOC on Sponsor Program

Two top Olympic marketers, Rob Prazmark and Tom Shepard, were selected by the IOC to help evaluate The Olympic Partner Programme (TOP), the IOC’s sponsorship program.

Speaking to Around the Rings, Prazmark confirmed he has a relationship with the IOC relating to the TOP, but declined to comment further. Shepard is a former Visa vice president for sponsorship.

First launched in 1985, TOP sponsors have worldwide marketing rights to the Summer and Winter Olympics.

The IOC currently has nine TOP sponsors, all with contracts lasting until at least the 2012 Olympics.

CANOC Hopes for 2011 Games

After the inaugural Caribbean Games were cancelled this summer, the Caribbean Association of National Olympic Committees aims to have them in May 2011.

Over the weekend, CANOC'S executive committee gathered in Tortola, British Virgin Islands for the first time since the games were cancelled. CANOC President Steve Stoute said the meeting focused on the viability of the association, and the future of the games.

"I can only say that our organization is making every effort to ensure that these games become a reality Stoute told Around the Rings. “It has certainly been a quest of the regional Olympic movement for a long time."

The games were to take place in Port au Prince, Trinidad and Tobago from July 12- 19 but concerns about H1N1 virus killed the games. The Trinidadian government reportedly lost $2.7 from the cancellation.

CANOC is drafting a bid document to present to potential host countries including Trinidad and Tobago. Stoute said he does not expect the bid process to be very competitive and is hoping for at least one host by CANOC's next meeting, Dec. 3 - 4 in Port au Prince.

The sport program would have be boxing, tennis, track and field, netball and volleyball. Stoute said swimming could also be added depending on facilities.

The committee explored having the games in 2010 but there were too many conflicts for Caribbean nations including the Commonwealth Games in New Delhi. A 2011 Caribbean Games would serve as a prelude for the Pan American Games later that year in Guadalajara, Mexico.

"We acknowledge that the Pan American Games are late that year but we feel that earlier in the year would be a good launching pad and good preparation for many of the regional athletes," Stoute said.

In addition to looking at the Caribbean Games, the committee formed a commission to promote Olympic solidarity among members through education, training. The commission would also help Olympic committees gain greater access to funding.

Organization to Promote Biathle in Developing Countries

Biathle will be the first sport that Peace and Sport will promote as part of its plan to increase its efforts to develop sport in countries troubled by war and poverty.

Peace and Sport president Joel Bouzou and UIPM president Klaus Schormann and Prince Albert II of Monaco unveiled the plan at the world biathle championship in Monaco on Monday as part of the celebration of the International Day of Peace.

As part of its promotion of biathlon in developing countries, Peace and Sport will support a biathle competition held by the pentathlon federation UIPM on Lake Tanganyika, Burundi on Sept. 29. Biathle is a combination of running and swimming.

“The intrinsic qualities of biathle make this sport attractive and accessible to young people living in areas where Peace and Sport operates,” Peace and Sport president Joel Bouzou said in a statement.

Written by Ed Hula III, and Greg Oshust.

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