Olympic Athletes Requested to Cover Apple Logos During Opening Ceremony Because of Samsung Sponsorship [Updated]

The IOC is highly corrupt and often makes decisions regarding corporate sponsorship and rules that are sometimes just stupid.

Look at the 2008 Winter games where the IOC, after decades of NOT saying anything banned the USA and Canadian hockey logos that they used on their jerseys, claiming that they were private organization logo's and were not allowed in Olympic competition.

Thats right, They banned the "Hockey Canada" logo. The logo that Canadians for Decades have associated with Canada and Hockey. The NON FOR PROFIT organization that is in place to encourage, promote and train hockey players in Canada from children to adults.

IOC gets money. IOC makes bans and goes where the money is. This is no different.

Also...

I think this will most likely backfire on Samsung big time. Nobody cares about who's sponsoring the games, especially if they are going to be draconian about it. I'm pretty sure you'll see athletes showing off all their Apple gear instead.

I'm more concerned about the spirit of the olympic games as its board of director complied to that request... Money buys everything...

To assist with compliance, Samsung should give away free iPhone cases to all athletes. I'd love for that story to break!

This is normal

LOL, you gotta get your 'market share' numbers up somehow, I suppose. Just hope no one measures actually Web usage.

This happens every Olympics with multiple sponsors. I guess 90% of you posting were unaware of that.

Lymf said:

I'm more concerned about the spirit of the olympic games as its board of director complied to that request... Money buys everything...

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why not it pays for their steak dinners... I hope they chock on it ..

Yup, The Olympics... pure, clean, unspoiled amateur sports.

Wait...

aerok said:

Wow guys, this is normal practice.

Something similar happened with the first Spiderman movie, where Sony wanted to hide Samsung's logo during the scene that happens in Time Square.

It is a very common practice and I can assure you that any other company would've done the same if they were the main sponsor, including Apple but then again, does Apple ever sponsor anything? Their fault, not Samsung's.

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Apple doesn't need to sponsor anything.

Apple should supply "special" logo covers for the atheletes. Maybe a flourescent purple circle? Imagine that as they walk in...

All I can say is proudly wave the device of your own choice !

macaddiict said:

Well, for once Samsung is doing something Apple would never do!

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Sponsoring a worldwide event?

That's called a MOVIE

aerok said:

Wow guys, this is normal practice.
Something similar happened with the first Spiderman movie, where Sony wanted to hide Samsung's logo during the scene that happens in Time Square.

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That's called a MO-VIE and it's not REAL LIFE. Samsung is censoring real life and trying to make it seem that everyone uses Samsung and no other brands exist. That is false and just ethnically wrong. I hope all the athletes revolt on this and get disqualified so the Olympic commission looks like a bunch of corrupt money grubbers.

This brings back such great memories...

jkichline said:

This is utter crap. I've already decided to never buy a Samsung product. Now I can't watch the Olympics. No Samsung, there is this thing called freedom and you can just pound your "rules" up your arse.

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Will you be getting rid of all of your Apple products that contain Samsung or made by Samsung components too?

If I were an athlete, a request like this would make me want to ensure that what ever Apple device I'm using is clearly seen on camera.

aerok said:

Wow guys, this is normal practice.

Something similar happened with the first Spiderman movie, where Sony wanted to hide Samsung's logo during the scene that happens in Time Square.

It is a very common practice and I can assure you that any other company would've done the same if they were the main sponsor, including Apple but then again, does Apple ever sponsor anything? Their fault, not Samsung's.

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Spot on.

LordVic said:

The IOC is highly corrupt and often makes decisions regarding corporate sponsorship and rules that are sometimes just stupid.

Look at the 2008 Winter games where the IOC, after decades of NOT saying anything banned the USA and Canadian hockey logos that they used on their jerseys, claiming that they were private organization logo's and were not allowed in Olympic competition.

Thats right, They banned the "Hockey Canada" logo. The logo that Canadians for Decades have associated with Canada and Hockey. The NON FOR PROFIT organization that is in place to encourage, promote and train hockey players in Canada from children to adults.

IOC gets money. IOC makes bans and goes where the money is. This is no different.

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Which 2008 winter games were those? Because you must live in a special little bubble. The only Olympics in 2008 were in the summer in China.

This happens at every Olympics, regardless of the main sponsors. The main sponsors are always given priority and similar requests made. These companies pay a huge amount of money to have their name associated with the games.

Why do you think McDonalds outlets are built in the athletes village'? Because they pay to have priority over others.

If Apple actually sponsored something then they would be given priority over others. But they don't.

avanpelt said:

That's the most asinine request I've heard in a while. Why doesn't Samsung just give all the athletes Samsung devices to use during the ceremony if they're so concerned about it?

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Well, that's what the $100 million endorsement bought them for the NBA, in addition to the NFL. You can even watch Tony Dunjee casually enjoying his Samsung galaxy device with the other guy in little 10 second vignettes peppered throughout the broadcast, it's so utterly contrived it borders on the surreal.

jkichline said:

That's called a MO-VIE and it's not REAL LIFE. Samsung is censoring real life and trying to make it seem that everyone uses Samsung and no other brands exist. That is false and just ethnically wrong. I hope all the athletes revolt on this and get disqualified so the Olympic commission looks like a bunch of corrupt money grubbers.

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Thank you! Nail on the head.

jkichline said:

That's called a MO-VIE and it's not REAL LIFE. Samsung is censoring real life and trying to make it seem that everyone uses Samsung and no other brands exist. That is false and just ethnically wrong. I hope all the athletes revolt on this and get disqualified so the Olympic commission looks like a bunch of corrupt money grubbers.

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When are business practices ever ethically-right? This is capitalism, it's ugly, brutal and unethical. If you don't like it, don't watch the games. Don't expect atheletes to drop their life long dream over a silly little business arrangement that hurts no one.

Did athletes request someone?

Or did someone request athletes?

if we are all lucky maybe the TV networks will just not cover the olympics this time around.. I think last time around they were down to one .... If they want to play for sponcer dollars let them sell access to the people who want to see the events... maybe even apple will cut them a deal and create a "Special Olympic" channel just for them on the ole apple TV

lol

I think I read some where that Samsung has the patent that covers this

jkichline said:

I think this will most likely backfire on Samsung big time. Nobody cares about who's sponsoring the games, especially if they are going to be draconian about it. I'm pretty sure you'll see athletes showing off all their Apple gear instead.

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I believe this excessive marketing has already started to backfire on Samsung. The started a campaign in 2012 to basically be everywhere and anywhere 24/7. Eventually people get sick of seeing Samsung Galaxy plastered all over the place.

This is actually insanely common in the Olympics, though Samsung is taking it to a bit of an extreme.

It's actually a huge issue for athletes in less prestige sports because they can't wear their sponsor's logos, which means they can't cash in on being in the Olympics. I remember in the last summer Olympics this was an issue, because runners couldn't even tweet or share that they were sponsored by, say, Adidas, because Nike had a stranglehold on the Olympics.

It's fine for a Lindsey Vonn to be sponsored by, I think, UnderArmor, because they can cash in on her fame long after the Olympics have passed...but if you're not super famous and your ten minutes of fleeting sports glory fall during the Olympics and your sponsor isn't Nike...oh well.