Greek group responds to Business 2.0 article

[Harry]

SAE N. & S. AMERICA RESPONDS TO “BUSINESS 2.0” MAGAZINE ARTICLE ON ATHENS OLYMPICS SPONSORSHIPS, TICKET SALES

Goals Far Surpassed, and with Fewer Sponsors, Yet Article asks:

“What went wrong in Athens?”

CHICAGO, IL – July 22, 2004 Continuing its policy of responding to unfair or inaccurate media coverage, Chris P. Tomaras, V.P. and Regional Coordinator of the World Council of Hellenes Abroad (SAE), N. & S. America Region, has sent the letter below to the editor of Business 2.0, a popular monthly magazine “about business, technology, and innovation” published by the FORTUNE Group at Time Inc., a Time Warner company, with 550,000 subscribers plus hundreds of thousands of web site visitors.

In the first article of the prominent “In Front” Section of Business 2.0’s August, 2004 issue headlined “Beijing Running Rings Around Athens,” the author gives the distinct impression that the Athens 2004 Olympics “went wrong” in terms of both signing up corporate sponsors, and selling Olympic event tickets. As Tomaras’ letter points out, signing up fewer, but higher-quality sponsors, was the public goal of both the IOC and the Athens 2004 Organizing Committee. Addressed to the magazine’s Editor, Josh Quittner, and “In Front” Sr. Editor Todd Lappin, the letter points out that as early as a year ago, sponsorship revenue hit 143% of the goal, and that on July 8, the IOC confirmed that 80% of the ticket revenue goal had been reached. The article can be read at: http://www.business2.com/b2/web/articles/0...,663968,00.html. Tomaras concludes the letter by saying, “I guess you had to have an ‘Olympic Marketing’ story in your August, 2004 issue. Too bad it was this incomplete and inaccurate one. Even worse, it failed to address the truly interesting story: ATHOC’s successful attempt to take back the Olympics from brand-weakening over-commercialization, and offering the world “Unique Games on a Human Scale” instead.

I am writing to you in my capacity as Vice President and Regional Coordinator for N. & S. America of the World Council of Hellenes Abroad (SAE). Ours is the umbrella for the many federations and other organizations representing more than 7 million persons of Greek descent around the world, more than 1.5 million of them in the United States of America.

Rather than asking “What went wrong in Athens?” referring to the marketing of the Athens Olympics in your “In Front” story (August, 2004 Issue), the better question is “What went wrong in editing this Business 2.0 story?” While your magazine is all about business, it has heretofore been about fairness and accuracy as well.

The article’s headline, and asking “What went wrong in Athens?” leaves the reader with the impression that sponsorship goals were not met. How do you measure success without ascertaining the goal? Most importantly, if your reporter knew what the IOC’s and ATHOC’s goals were, how could she characterize them as a failure? Beginning with its bid to host the Games, the Athens 2004 Organizing Committee (ATHOC) has consistently stated it would use the return of the Modern Games to their ancient birthplace to reduce the number of sponsors, and the ever-increasing (often-lamented in the media) over-commercialization of the Games…at least in Athens. This goal, prominently available even to the casual visitor on the official athens2004.com website, is surprisingly absent from Shailaja Neelakantan’s article, and something your editors should have caught. In 2001, the IOC said:

The IOC is seeking to avoid phenomena noted in the past of an over-commercialized agenda. It seeks instead to bring the Olympic ideals and image to the forefront, understanding exactly what the Olympic values are, representing far more than just a sports event... supporting and enhancing that image. (emphasis added)

Upon the announcement of its Sponsoring Programme, ATHENS 2004 also announced its decision to proclaim up to 40 Sponsorship categories, each one of which, based on the amount of the proclaimed Sponsorship, would be incorporated within one of the three Sponsorship levels, namely, Grand Sponsor, Official Supporter and Official Provider. Today, with only 21 local Sponsoring categories, ATHENS 2004 has already broken all previous Sponsorship records, thereby more than covering the projected Sponsorship revenues. ATHENS 2004 decided to have a limited number of Sponsors, emphasizing the quality rather than the quantity of Sponsorships in order to control the commercial aspect of the ATHENS 2004 Olympic Games and add value to the Sponsorship. (emphasis added)

In August 2003, exactly one year before the ATHENS 2004 Olympic and Paralympic Games, 17 Sponsorship categories had generated approximately 286 million euros, a sum which represents 143% of the Organising Committee’s objective. (emphasis added)

As for the event ticket sales, the Chairman of the IOC Coordination Committee, Denis Oswald, stated on July 8, 2004: “The figures are satisfactory. Sales have reached 80% of the revenue targets that had been set in the budget. Certainly a number of inexpensive tickets are still available, but they do not concern the major sports.” He went on to say that Greece’s upset win of the 2004 European Cup in soccer would certainly ensure a sellout of the Olympic soccer matches.

Overall, the article states the obvious: that the relatively new consumers of China represent a more tantalizing market than Greece, the Balkans and “Old Europe.” And that the sheer numbers of Chinese consumers have marketers awake at night? This is news? Enlightening information? I guess you had to have an “Olympic Marketing” story in your August, 2004 issue. Too bad it was this incomplete and inaccurate one. Even worse, it failed to address the really interesting story: ATHOC’s successful attempt to take back the Olympics, and offer the world “Unique Games on a Human Scale.”

Very truly yours,

/s/ Chris P. Tomaras

Vice President

Regional Coordinator for N. & S. America

###

About the World Council of Hellenes Abroad (SAE)

Founded at the initiative of the Hellenic Republic in 1995, the World Council of Hellenes Abroad represents the 7 million Hellenes of The Diaspora, serving as a coordinating “umbrella” for organizations such as the AHEPA, the Greek Orthodox Church, and numerous Federations. The N. & S. America Region includes approximately 1.5 million persons of Hellenic origin or descent.

:box:

[HellenicFront]

bravo to Mr. Tomaras.

That is what that Greek community needs to do. keep these kathiki that always want to bad mouth Greece looking over their shoulders. We need to respond with letters, phone calls etc. Like the way the Jewish American community does in regards to their interests, people in the media fear them and we need to do the same.

I want to make another point also , I live in Boston, grew up my whole life here. Yet what is the one complaint you always here from Americans. "our life is one big rat race", we're always rushing around etc etc etc. Yet the Greeks who live life fully, don't adhere to appointments and the customer is always right mentality is now a bad thing. Because a few tickets haven't sold. They said the samething when Greece hosted the track & field championships back in 97. All the events sold out the last minute, we don't rush for anyone and why should they so they can become like us a bunch of road rage, lunatics who demand their malls to be open 360 days a year, 24 hours a day. Where no one takes a vacation anymore and families don't spend time with their families on religious holidays. Thank God Greece is the way it is, god bless them for not folding to the Rat race we live in the Anglo /globalized world.

[JOHNNY]

The World Championships of 97 were in fact a big disappointment as far as attendances go. I attended several events at OAKA which were very poorly attended. If I remember correctly, the PM at the time (Simitis I think) went on television half way through the games to urge the Greek people to turn out in numbers as the lack of initial interest was proving embarrasing. His plea was thankfully heard, and attendances rose quickly.

I have no doubt that the Olympics will be a success, with the locals turning up in great numbers from the start. Just go buy the tickets guys, sooner rather than later!!

[paokg4]

As long as the Greek fans attend when the Greeks compete in their events the rest can go to hell.

[Harry]

As long as the Greek fans attend when the Greeks compete in their events the rest can go to hell.

I see you that the spirit of the Olympics has reached you. :bangin:

[paokg4]

Ofcourse it has.