What happened to the Gold Rush for GB athletes?

 

On Monday 27th July three years will have passed since the start of the London Olympics. As we reach this date, have businesses abandoned rising stars of British sport and did the medal haul in London 2012 fail to radically alter the sponsorship landscape?

 

There was certainly a lot of backlash from both advertisers and athletes after the Olympic Bill was implemented.  The bill made it illegal to combine words such as ‘games’ ‘medals’ and ‘2012’ which greatly restricted opportunities for local business to associate themselves with the games . The most productive route used by local business and national brands alike was in the direct sponsorship of individual athletes combined with tiptoeing around legal minefields laid down by the Olympic Bill.

 

Post-Olympics and the main stars such as Chris Hoy, Mo Farah and Jess Ennis have continued to generate sponsorship deals, but overall, after the hype had died down, the wide scale involvement of business with athletes has diminished. Teams such as Water Polo, Handball and Basketball have been become self-funded to fulfil their international programmes and gold medals winners such as Greg Rutherford and Helen Glover were just two examples of the many athletes who lost or couldn’t attract personal sponsors.

 

The most effective way to support rising talent in British sport is to directly sponsor athletes. This support combined with NGB or lottery funding they receive, provides the athlete with the motivation to continue their sporting dreams. The desire from business to support may indeed still be there, but as always, pressure on budgets will dictate involvement.

 

Legacy 300, as a GB athlete created project has recognised the difficulties which have emerged after London 2012. Through the personal delivery of experience days, athletes have been financially supported through Legacy 300. Alongside this, good causes have now raised over £250,000 by auctioning off places on these experience days at charity auctions.

 

To mark this three year anniversary Legacy 300 athletes have launched a CSR platform for any business, small or large to directly support GB athletes and also support good causes.  Uniquely for business it comes at no cost, as the athletes work with the supported charity to enhance the existing charity support given by each participating business or individual.

 

Getting involved can only help sustain the nation’s medal success and that is one 2012 legacy that you can help deliver. Full details can be found on http://www.legacy300.com/

 

Hannah Pollak

Project Manager Legacy 300