The IOC today announced that The Bridgestone Corporation (Bridgestone) has joined The Olympic Partner (TOP) programme.
The announcement was made at a joint press conference today hosted by IOC President Thomas Bach and Masaaki Tsuya, CEO and Chairman of the Board of Bridgestone, in the 2020 Olympic Games host city Tokyo, where Bridgestone’s global headquarters are located.
Bridgestone has signed an agreement through to 2024, and will become a Worldwide TOP Partner. The product categories covered by the agreement include: seismic isolation bearings, non-motorised bicycles, and the full range of tyres manufactured by Bridgestone.
Bridgestone is the world’s largest tyre and rubber company. In addition to tyres, which are used in a wide variety of applications, Bridgestone manufactures a broad range of diversified products that include industrial rubber and chemical products, and sporting goods.
As a Worldwide TOP Partner, Bridgestone will partner with the IOC and all 204 National Olympic Committees and their Olympic teams.
Bridgestone will also partner with the organisers of future Olympic Games, including the Rio 2016, PyeongChang 2018 and Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, as well as the 2022 and 2024 Olympic Games, the host cities of which have yet to be elected. Bridgestone will supply tyres and related services to support the transport operations at Games time, including the vehicles for the athletes, media and officials.
IOC President Thomas Bach said “The TOP programme is a truly global sponsorship programme, as it benefits all future Games organisers and all the National Olympic Committees and their athletes, ensuring that athletes from all over the world, and not just the largest countries, are able to compete at the Games. Indeed, the IOC redistributes over 90 per cent of its revenues to the wider sporting movement. Bridgestone is a global leader in its field, and we are delighted to welcome the company to the TOP programme and are excited about the long-term commitment they have shown to the Olympic Movement.”
Commenting on Bridgestone’s TOP sponsorship, Bridgestone CEO and Chairman Masaaki Tsuya said, “As a global corporation, Bridgestone is excited to partner with the entire Olympic Movement, a group of organisations that not only brings together the world’s athletes at the greatest athletic festival, but also blends this celebration of sport with a spirit of service to community, social responsibility, a respect for diversity and a commitment to the fundamental principles of Olympism.” He continued by saying, “We look forward to a long and mutually beneficial relationship where, through this partnership, we will communicate on a global basis our commitment to society as well as our brand message.”
Tsunekazu Takeda, the IOC’s Marketing Commission Chairman, President of the Japanese Olympic Committee and Vice-President of the Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee, said “I am delighted that a leading Japanese company, Bridgestone, will become the 11th Worldwide TOP Partner and the second TOP Partner to commit through to 2024. The long-term, global support the TOP Programme provides is essential to the entire Olympic Movement, as well as to the staging and operations of each Games. As the first Partner the IOC has signed under my Chairmanship of the Marketing Commission I am also personally very happy that we were able to make this global announcement in Tokyo.”
