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While the likes of Simone Biles, Usain Bolt and Katinka Hosszú were wowing fans around the globe with their incredible displays at the Olympic Games Rio 2016, the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) team of marketing partners were working to ensure the Games were a success.Their efforts underlined once again how important commercial partnerships are to the staging of each edition of the Games, with the IOC’s multi-faceted Olympic marketing programme providing vital fi nances, expertise, goods and services to help bring the world’s greatest sporting event to life.From the sale of media rights, which ensured the Games could be enjoyed by the maximum number of people possible throughout the world, to the invaluable support offered by the 11 members of The Olympic Partner (TOP) worldwide sponsorship programme, Rio 2016 simply would not have been possible without contributions from the commercial sector.As an entirely privately funded organisation, the IOC has relied upon this kind of assistance ever since the fi rst modern Olympic Games in Athens in 1896. Today it is able to redistribute approximately 90 per cent of its revenue to the wider sporting movement, not only supporting the staging of the Olympic Games but also helping athletes participate on the world’s biggest sporting stage.With more than 11,000 athletes from 206 National Olympic Committees competing in Rio, as well as the fi rst-ever Refugee Olympic Team, it’s clear that this support continues to benefi t sport throughout the world.The Olympic Games Rio 2016 offered more broadcast coverage around the world than any previous Games, including record-breaking numbers for both TV and digital broadcast hours (read more on page 32).As the owner of the global media rights for the Olympic Games – including broadcasts on television, radio, mobile and internet platforms – the IOC is responsible for negotiating broadcast rights agreements with media companies throughout the world, ensuring the Games are available to the highest number of people and have the widest global audience possible.Broadcast rights agreements have become the single greatest source of revenue for the Olympic Movement and have been essential in the growth of the global popularity of the Olympic Games and the worldwide promotion of the Olympic values.For the 2013-2016 Olympiad, which included the Olympic Winter Games Sochi 2014 and Rio 2016, Olympic broadcast revenues were forecast to be a record USD 4.1 billion – a 7.1 per cent increase from 2009-2012.As well as providing vital revenues for the Olympic Movement, these agreements ensured that coverage of Rio 2016 was available in over 200 countries and territories around the world, with Rights Holding Broadcasters and their sub-licensees airing events across more platforms than ever before, as more than 550 television channels and over 250 digital platforms conveyed the magic of Rio 2016.‘OUR OLYMPIC BROADCAST PARTNERS SUPPORT US IN CONVEYING THE MAGIC OF THE OLYMPIC GAMES AND THE VALUES OF THE OLYMPIC MOVEMENT TO BILLIONS OF PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD’THOMAS BACH, IOC PRESIDENTLeft The efforts of the Olympic marketing partners played a huge role in the success of the Olympic Games Rio 2016Right There was more broadcast coverage available of Rio 2016 than any previous Games, including the record-breaking performances by Michael Phelps (USA) in the poolBROADCASTINGDID YOU KNOW?Every day, the IOC distributes the equivalent of USD 3.25 million to help athletes and sports organisations at all levels around the world.OLYMPIC MARKETINGOLYMPIC REVIEW 51