Sportaccord Conference Opens; IOC Executive Board Starts Meetings

Mayor of Denver John Hickenlooper opens the Sportaccord conference Wednesday, as the IOC Executive Board begins three days of meetings.

Tennis legend Andre Agassi and Dick Ebersol, chair of NBC Universal Sports & Olympics, are among the high profile names taking part in today’s program.

The former world number one, who has eight Grand Slams and an Olympic gold to his name, is participating with tennis great Andrea Jaeger and several other speakers in a session on sport and philanthropy.

Ebersol will give his views on the changing landscape of sport and television after lunch in the ‘interview of the day’ slot. George N. Gillett Jr., owner of the National Hockey League’s Montreal Canadians and English Premier League’s Liverpool FC, will offer some perspectives on global sports ownership issues in the session that follows.

Other noteable conference speakers Wednesday are Don Garber, commissioner of Major League Soccer, and Timothy J. Leiweke, president and CEO of Anschutz Entertainment Group.

Led by IOC President Jacques Rogge, the 14 EB members will have a full agenda from March 25-27.

The EB will first meet with the Association of Summer Olympic International Federations. At its general assembly Tuesday, ASOIF’s 26members unanimously approved a motion on the controversial issue of revenue-sharing concerning the U.S. Olympic Committee that it will take to the EB.

The motion would give the USOC "immediate notice of its intention to terminate its contract with the USOC and to start negotiations for a new one."

Members of the executive board will also meet Wednesday morning with the International Winter Olympic Sports Federations and the General Association of International Sports Federations Council.

Other business for the EB this week mainly focuses on preparations for the next three Olympic Games. Leaders of Vancouver 2010, London 2012 and Sochi 2014 will update members on the progress of their respective Olympic ventures.

Rogge and his colleagues will also seek assurances from the organizers of the Singapore 2010 Youth Olympics that preparations are running to schedule. And a report will be given by Innsbruck 2012 YOG organizers.

The themes of the 13th Olympic Congress taking place in Copenhagen, Denmark in October will also be discussed by the EB.

The highlight of social activities for delegates Wednesday is the NHL game between the Colorado Avalanche and the Anaheim Mighty Ducks at the Pepsi Center.

Sportaccord Notebook

…New U.S. Olympic Committee CEO Stephanie Streeter was making the rounds at Sportaccord Tuesday in Denver. IOC member Anita DeFrantz accompanied Streeter, who sat in for part of the ASOIF general assembly.

…The social event of the week may have been the birthday party for Andrew Craig, sports marketing consultant.More than 100 people turned out to cheer his 60th birthday, including IOC members, federation presidents, bid committee leaders, fellow consultants and media.

…Marketing consultant Michael Payne helped Chinese digital animation company Crystal win a tier three sponsorship for the London Olympics, announced Mar. 24. Payne is at Sportaccord with Crystal Digital Technology Vice President Liu Jian.

…Heinz Jungwirth, ex-secretary general of the Austrian Olympic Committee, is hunting down potential clients at Sportaccord. He says he wants to provide consultancy services banking on his 25 years of work with the Olympics at the AOC. Jungwirth was forced to resign under pressure from the government last month.

…Old hands on deck: Paul George, Boston attorney and former VP of the USOC, visiting old friends at Sportaccord. Alfredo Lamont, former USOC international relations director caught up in a Salt Lake City scandal, meeting with prospective clients at the convention. He says he is working with a couple of NOCs in Latin America.

News from Sportaccord proudly presented by Rio 2016.

See all Sportaccord coverage here.

With reporting from Mark Bisson and Ed Hula.