Paralympics and Money: These Are the Sponsors of Paris 2024

The 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris (August 28 to September 8) will benefit significantly from the revenue generated by the marketing of the Olympic Games. Since 2021, a contract concluded three years earlier has also guaranteed TOP Olympic sponsors the marketing rights to the Paralympics. Accordingly, the sponsors of the Olympic and Paralympic Games are identical - with one exception. The Paris Paralympics have an additional top sponsor in the form of prosthesis, orthosis and wheelchair specialist Ottobock. This is made possible by a special clause because the company earns its money in a different business area to the 15 top Olympic sponsors and therefore does not compete with them.

The current contract between the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) runs until 2032, which means that the IPC will have sold its marketing rights to the IOC by then.

IOC President Thomas Bach speaks of a "substantial sum" that the IPC will receive through the joint marketing of both major events. However, it is estimated to be in the double-digit million range. Official figures are last known from the 2010 and 2012 Paralympic Games: Back then, the IPC received 14 million dollars from the IOC for marketing and TV rights. By comparison, the IOC is said to have received an estimated three billion dollars in the cycle with the 2022 Winter Games in Beijing and the 2024 Summer Games. The transfer to the IPC is only a fraction of this.

The worldwide interest in the Paralympics is growing steadily - also due to pressure from society and sponsors. TV images from Paris 2024 will be shown in at least 160 countries. US rights holder NBC, for example, only covered six hours of the 2012 Paralympics in London - in Paris it will be over 1600 hours on TV and livestream. In Germany, ARD and ZDF will present the Paralympics in alternating days, just like the Olympic Games before them: live sport is planned between 11:00 and 15:00, with many additional hours of live streaming available in the ARD and ZDF media libraries. As a "historic milestone", the Paralympics will be shown in prime time on selected evenings. ARD will be on air on September 2 and 4 from 8.15 p.m. - including the long jump final with the German Paralympics top star Markus Rehm can be seen live. "That will put a grin on our faces. It's a great platform to showcase our achievements and make people even more interested in our sport," says Rehm.

More TV broadcasts also increase the interest of sponsors and the sports industry in the Paralympics. The host city of Paris supports this with a uniform image of the Olympics and Paralympics. The logos The only difference is that the Paralympics will feature three colored arches instead of the five Olympic rings.

The red cap mascot is also identical except for a prosthetic leg for the Paralympics. Many major sponsors are also running joint campaigns for Olympic and Paralympic athletes. Citi's "Stare at Greatness" or Toyota's "Start Your Impossible" are good examples of this. Visa financially supports 46 Paralympic athletes alongside 92 Olympians. At Toyota, 7 of the 13 athletes supported are people with disabilities. And Bridgestone exclusively sponsors Paralympic athletes in the USA.

Adidas, as sponsor of Team Germany, handled the clothing for the Paralympics and Olympics together. Just like the posters and the announcement of the contract extension always showed athletes from both major events. Exciting for the sponsors: Paralympic athletes often present unique stories of resilience and strength.

This has only been the case since 1988 (Summer Games) and 1992 (Winter Games). In 2001, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) signed a general contract for the first time under the slogan "One bid, one city". This means that the same city will host the Olympic and Paralympic Games. This contract was extended until 2032 as part of the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea. The IPC President is also a member of the IOC.

The list of Worldwide Paralympic Partners for Paris 2024 is identical to the top global sponsors for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, with one exception. With Ottobock, a specialist in prostheses, orthoses and wheelchairs, the Paralympics even have one more global partner than the Olympic Games.

There have been changes to the TOP program compared to the last Olympic cycle: Allianz and Deloitte have replaced Dow and GE. The supporters in the other sponsor categories are also identical, as the Paris 2024 Organizing Committee also marketed the Olympic and Paralympic Games together. The sponsors and partners at a glance:

For the IOC's usual four-year cycle as a sponsor or partner, the 14 global partners cost at least a three-digit million sum. The joint contract of two companies is record-breaking: Veteran Olympic partner Coca Cola and the Chinese dairy company Mengniu are paying an estimated three billion dollars to the IOC for the Olympic Games from 2021 to 2032.

Bridgestone and Panasonic will each pay 200 to 250 million dollars for four years for their status as a global partner. Airbnb is said to have signed an eight-year contract until 2028 with payments of 500 million dollars.

Products and services from the global sponsors and other partners are used at the sports venues and by the athletes. For example, Omega chronographs are used for timekeeping at competitions. Entertainment electronics for the athletes come from Samsung. At the Paralympic and Olympic sports venues in Paris fans can only buy Coca-Cola products at a hefty price of 4 euros per cup.

The sponsors and partners are the only brands that have the right to use the famous Olympic rings and Paralympic symbols in their marketing activities.