The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has dropped Meridian Marketing, the marketing firm that was formed in 1996 and has brought in hundreds of millions of dollars in sponsorship money for the IOC.
Meridian, which is 50 per cent owned by the IOC, will remain in charge of marketing until the contract formally expires on December 31, 2004, but sources say that it could end much sooner. One source said it depends on negotiations with the IOC.
According to IOC sources the plan is to have marketing run from inside the IOC with IOC marketing director Michael Payne reportedly to be put in charge.
When Jacques Rogge became president of the IOC last summer, one of his first orders was an examination of Meridian Marketing.
