Visa Olympic Games sponsorship

Visa is proud to continue its Olympic Games sponsorship through 2012 including the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games and the London 2012 Olympic Games.

As a worldwide Olympic partner, Visa will continue to be the exclusive payment card and official payment service of the Olympic Games through 2012. Visa will be the only card accepted at all Olympic venues for all official Olympic-related transactions.

Visa has been the official payment service of the last 10 Olympic Games – Calgary, Seoul, Albertville, Barcelona, Lillehammer, Atlanta, Nagano, Sydney, Salt Lake City, Athens and Torino.

Corporate sponsorship

Corporate commitments such as Visa’s to the Olympic Movement, National Olympic Committees and national teams have been an important factor in ensuring the continuance and success of the Olympic Games.

In addition to the economic support provided to the staging of the Games, Visa’s corporate sponsorship of the world’s premier sporting event has provided US$100 million worldwide in direct support to Olympic athletes through their Olympic organisations since Visa became a worldwide sponsor.

Supporting the athletes

Visa supports numerous Olympic teams as well as individual athletes for the Winter Games, including Team Visa in Europe, the US Ski and Snowboard Teams, and the Canadian Bobsleigh and Skeleton teams.

For the Olympic Games, Visa sponsors a number of individual athletes and national teams including Team Visa in Europe, USA Gymnastics and USA Track and Field.

Marketing and promotion

Visa was the first worldwide Olympic partner to mount a destination marketing programme linked to an Olympic Games host city. In Sydney, Australia, Visa generated US$40 million in marketing value for Australia over a four-year period with a 7% increase in tourism.

During the Salt Lake 2002 Olympic Winter Games, sales on Visa payment cards increased 30% over the same period in 2001 and 23% over the previous month.

Visa transactions in Greece in August 2004 increased by 55% year over year with an average transaction value of €86.25 ($103.50), an increase of 44% compared to the equivalent figure for the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games.

Visa services at the Games

At the Olympic Games, Visa installs a special Olympic ATM network and hundreds of point-of-sale acceptance devices at competition and non-competition venues, including the International Press Centre, the International Broadcast Centre and the Olympic Village.

As a service for its cardholders at the Olympic Games, Visa runs a Visa Service Centre (VSC), providing multi-lingual emergency services and general assistance for cardholders.

Visa Olympians Reunion Center

Visa founded and sponsors the Visa Olympians Reunion Center at the Olympic Games, where Olympians from past Games can relax, congregate and enjoy ongoing hospitality while attending the current Games.

Further information

Journalists should contact the Visa Europe press office:

Tel: +44 (0)20 7795 5463
Email: europeanmedia@visa.com