Blackout Backlash
This year’s Olympics have by far been the most interactive. Athletes are no longer only seen on television as before. One should not be surprised to see engagement by way of comments, pictures and videos supplied by athletes using social media.
A myriad of fans, media, brands, etc. are equally as active and vocal during the Olympics whether live or tape delayed. That’s what makes the ubiquity of the Internet such a powerful tool. We enjoy supporting our athletes and cheering them on whether is screaming at the television or congratulating them on Twitter. Should athletes not be allowed to reciprocate his or her appreciation by thanking those that helped get them there?
Enter the blackout period, which is July 18 to August 15. Rule 40 of The Olympic Charter states “Except as permitted by the IOC Executive Board, no competitor, coach, trainer or official who participates in the Olympic Games may allow his person, name, pictures, or sports performance to be used for advertising purposes during the Olympic Games.“ It goes on to justify this rule by stating “the rationale is to protect against ambush marketing, which in the past has been used to show association with athletes and National Governing Bodies to suggest or imply they have an association with the Olympics Games.”
Basically, an athlete can’t send a quick shout-out thanking a sponsor unless they are an official sponsor or partner. That sounds fair doesn’t it? I understand they paid a hefty price to be affiliated with the Olympics, but so do athletes. Without athletes there would be no Olympics. They train hard and many also have jobs to support themselves. It’s not like they get paid to go to the Olympics, but that’s a different discussion that should be addressed as well.
Not everyone is a high profile athlete in a high profile sport. The Olympics garners the chance for athletes to compete against the best on the world’s largest stage. Prohibiting an athlete to represent their sponsors proudly on the podium is beyond me. Why would someone want to thwart an athlete from showing appreciation to a sponsor that helps him or her? Oh, it’s the imminence of ambush, right?
The audacity of someone to attempt to silence the people dumbfounds me. Rule 40 was obviously created to help athletes in the long run and other companies are too insignificant to matter. Sarcasm doesn’t translate well online, but I’m sure you can imagine my facial expression and tone. What about the growth of the sport? Again, I suppose an ambush is on the horizon.
They can’t blackout fans and supporters. Sally Bergesen, founder of Oiselle did a great post properly titled BS on the Olympics Games Sponsor Blackout. Join me in letting others know how thankful we, too, are of companies and brands that encourage you to “Find Your Strong,” “Run Happy”, and “Do What Moves You.” Let your voice be heard and “Let’s Make Excellent Happen.” It’s not wrong for me to be passionate about this. After all, “I Am What I Am.”
Do what you do best. Blog, tweet, share pages, and spread the word! Follow me and the conversation on Twitter using the following hashtags #WeDemandChange #Rule40
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6 Comments
Chris Hayes
August 1, 2012Don’t you think allowing the athletes to show who their sponsors are or thank their sponsors takes away from the meaning of the Olympic Games? How would you like to see a gymnist with a Nascar drivers uniform on? A bit tacky wouldn’t you think? The Olympic Games are about sport, country, unity, world peace, etc. Not Coke, Direct TV, Ford, Honda, Lays, Budweiser, etc. Do you think Phelps would be sporting a Medical Marijuana Shirt? LOL. Yes, without these products the Games would not happen, but the Games are not about products.
I see no problem with Rule 40. After all, it is only for a short time. Do you remember when professional athletes weren’t even allowed to compete?
Hunter
August 1, 2012Sorry Chris,
But I completely disagree with you on this one. Nascar like jerseys may “look tacky” but then you realize just how much money those guys are making compared to your average Olympic athlete and it makes sense. There are Olympians out there living on less thatn $10,000/ year. But jerseys are a different discussion for a different day, and in the Olympics the athletes have to wear the team jerseys anyway.
This discussion about Rule 40 is simply about athletes being able to THANK their sponsors via interviews, Facebook, Twitter, etc. I wouldn’t be tacky at all for the athlete to put out a Tweet or Facebook post that said something like “So proud to be an Olympian and I want to thank those who helped me make it here…” It is “only for a short time” but that is coincidentally also the only short time period every four years where these athletes are recognized in any significant capacity by the general audience, and now they are now unable to even use that to market themselves and those who actually support them for the 3 Non-Olympic years. Athletes have to market themselves to support their training and lifestyle, and rules like this just make it harder and harder for companies to justify sponsoring Olympic Athletes.
It’s all about the IOC’s greed and their unwillingness to put the athletes first rather than themselves. They claim that without their main sponsors the Games would not happen. True, but without the athletes, the Games would not be there in the first place, and without the athlete’s personal sponsors the athletes would not be able to train and live the life that they need to in order to compete at the top level.
Chris Hayes
August 1, 2012First of all, don’t ever be sorry that you disagree.
Rules are rules and I may be wrong, but hasn’t it always been that way? And once they cave for this rule, what’s next?
I can see it now, Phelps (I use him because he’s the biggest name) on the Podium, pulls his jacket open as he accepts the Gold to reveal a Subway shirt. Or with phone in hand Tweeting “thanks” as they put the medal around his neck.
Come on!!!
The Olympics is not about getting paid for these athletes.
I totally respect what these athletes do and go through. Really I do. But, it’s a decision THEY must make. Go for the Olympics, or get a job like the rest of us.
And the fact of the matter is that most of the athletes in the US when they first qualify or try to qualify, never had a job, or haven’t even graduated from High School or College. Someone is footing the bill for them.
For the More dedicated athletes that maintain a full-time job, raising there children, etc, and find time to be that competitive, and make the Olympics, it sucks, no doubt.
But that is a decision they must make and deal with the consequences of their decision. They are the IOC’s rules and if you don’t like them, go home.
I don’t like the 2 yellow card rule for soccer (futbol). Or if you get a red card, your team is now down a man for the rest of the match. Let’s change those rules while we’re at it.
Don’t say “That’s different”.
If you change one rule, you better be ready for the floodgates to open.
Hunter
August 2, 2012It’s a good thing that the top athletes in the US aren’t as willing give up their dreams and “get a real job” as you suggest. If you’re really passionate about what you do and you want to be the best, you’re going to do whatever it takes to get there. How many athletes were not gold-medal material right out of college yet pursued their dreams only to bloom a few years later? Yes, it’s a sacrifice, but the fact of the matter is that to be the best in the current world, you have to train full time. And you can’t do that for free. You have to make money to train full time, and the only way currently available is through sponsorships. The only way to convince companies to sponsor you is exposure of the company to the public, and now on the biggest stage, which only comes once every four years, the athletes have had that taken away from them. Sponsorship dollars are spread thin enough as they are, and with this act, companies have even less of a reason to help athletes out. This isn’t like other countries where the government helps pay to support training and housing, etc. Some of our top Olympic athletes are trying to live off of less than $10,000 per year, which is a travesty, especially compared to athletes in the ball sports.
This world you speak of where the Olympics isn’t about making money and doing it for the glory and honor of it is the same antiquated view that Prefontaine was fighting 40 years ago. The world has changed and Rule 40 is just a step in the opposite direction. And rules aren’t just rules that you have to follow. If you see an injustice, especially that hinders your way of making a living, you don’t sit back and say “rules are rules.” You fight it, just like Prefontaine did in the 70′s. Look how much the track and field world has changed since then, and for the better.
Chris Hayes
August 3, 2012You said it, “You are going to do whatever it takes to get there.” YOU. It’s not the IOC’s responsibility to make sure that YOU are getting paid top dollar to do what YOU want to do. Is it unfair? Sure. But life is unfair. YOU are playing in their arena and therefore have to play by there rules. If more people would realize that, we wouldn’t have the “Trophy Generation”.
And have you heard what the athletes are saying? “it’s an Honor to represent the United States.” “I’m proud to represent the United States.” I’m a Marine, and I am absolutely proud that I served the Great United States. The pay sucks. And I wish that the military would get a big pay raise, but you know going in that the pay sucks. Again, a CHOICE we must make.
WE must live with the decisions WE make and not blame other people because you don’t like the way it’s going. Or, because it didn’t turn out to be like you thought it was going to be.
Travis Owens
August 6, 2012The athletes should be allowed to mention their sponsors and thank them publicly while at the Olympics. I personally think the IOC is afraid allowing that would diminish the rates they can charge for sponsorship/advertising in the various venues and marketing materials.
Training to be an Olympian is pretty much a full time job for most of these athletes and if they can not get sponsors to help support them then they may drop out of the competitive arena before reaching their full potential.