Commercial rights management in post-legislative Olympic sponsorship
Sport, Business and Management
ISSN: 2042-678X
Article publication date: 20 May 2019
Issue publication date: 20 May 2019
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to explore the development of preventative counter-ambush marketing initiatives and rights protection strategies, providing an historical view of rights management and the International Olympic Committee’s sponsorship protection initiatives through ambush marketing’s formative years.
Design/methodology/approach
In examining the antecedents and implications of the Canadian Olympic Committee’s (COC) forward-thinking approach to ambush marketing protection, and to explore the development of preventative counter-ambush initiatives, an historical examination of IOC and COC policies and protocols regarding ambushing and sponsorship protection over a 30-year period was undertaken, informing the development of a proposed model of proactive commercial rights management.
Findings
The findings indicate that a progressive shift in the counter-ambush activities of major commercial rights holders may be underway: increasingly, the COC has stressed education and communication as key components of their commercial rights protection strategy, in lieu of enforcing the legal protection provided them by the Olympic and Paralympic Marks Act of 2007. The resultant commercial rights management model proposed reflects this proactive approach, and illustrates the need for events and sponsorship stakeholders to Anticipate, (Re)Act and Advocate.
Originality/value
The study offers a contemporary perspective into counter-ambush strategies within the context of the COC’s brand protection measures and industry practice. The proactive approach to commercial rights management explored represents a significant step in ambush marketing prevention on the part of the COC.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
This research was partially funded by the Ryerson University Ted Rogers School of Management Internal Research Grant. This funding covered travel and accommodations in order to conduct research at the International Olympic Committee’s Olympic Studies Centre in Lausanne, Switzerland.
Citation
Burton, N. and Bradish, C. (2019), "Commercial rights management in post-legislative Olympic sponsorship", Sport, Business and Management, Vol. 9 No. 2, pp. 201-220. https://doi.org/10.1108/SBM-02-2018-0005
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2019, Emerald Publishing Limited