The 16th Asian Games is on pace for a record amount of corporate sponsorships in the run-up for next year’s gala show.
The total amount of corporate sponsorships is already more than four times the amount of sponsorship generated by the 2006 Asian Games in Doha.
Fang Da’er, director of the Marketing Department of the Guangzhou Asian Games Organizing Committee (GAGOC) said Games’ organizers are bullish after attracting a record haul of sponsors, despite the global economic crisis.
”We have tried to avoid the impacts of the global financial meltdown since last year,” said Fang, “our hard work has paid off because the initial goal of finding adequate sponsorship was a realized one and a half years ahead of the Games’ opening.”
So far, 28 companies have signed sponsorship deals with the GAGOC — the largest number in Asian Games’ history.
”About five to eight more agreements with big companies like China Southern Airlines are expected to be signed before June,” Fang added.
Agreements were signed with companies including large multinationals and top domestic firms from the mainland, Hong Kong and Chinese Taipei, he said.
According to Fang, as many as 23 companies have been authorized to produce officially licensed products for the Games, and 12 more can merchandise the goods.