Sports Publications

Olympic Turnaround, Michael Payne
£22.99 368pp

How the Olympic Games Stepped Back from the Brink of Extinction to Become the World’s Best Known Brand Foreword by Sir Martin Sorrell

Higher, faster, stronger… The Olympic motto conjures images of heroes whose achievements transcended their athletic prowess, but also of tragedy and disgrace. By 1980, the modern Olympic movement was gasping for breath, bankrupt financially, politically, and culturally. But under the leadership of Juan Antonio Samaranch, and, subsequently, Jacques Rogge, the Olympics began a journey back from the brink. Michael Payne, who served as the International Olympic Committee’s top marketer for over twenty years, offers unprecedented access to the people and negotiations behind one of the most dramatic turnarounds in business or sports history. Through a multi-pronged strategy, the IOC managed to secure lucrative broadcasting commitments, entice well-heeled corporate sponsors, and parlay the symbolism of the Olympics into a brand for which cities around the world are willing to invest billions of dollars. Packed with previously untold stories from the high-octane world where business, sports, politics, and media meet, Olympic Turnaround is a remarkable tale of organisational renewal and a fascinating glimpse behind the curtain of the world’s most iconic brand.

No one is better qualified than Michael Payne to reveal the intricate details behind the Olympic renaissance. Olympic Turnaround is more than a compelling story of deal brokering at the highest levels; it’s a lesson in creative problem solving and brand building that will appeal to sports fans and business leaders in equal measure.
Peter Ueberroth, former Commissioner of Major League Baseball, President of the United States Olympic Committee, and President and CEO of the Los Angeles Games, 1984

No one knows the Olympic brand better than Michael Payne. Olympic Turnaround provides a road map to success in 2012.
Sebastian Coe, Olympian and Chairman of London’s successful 2012 Olympic bid

Olympic Turnaround is pure Olympic Gold. Michael Payne’s [account] gives a thrilling insight into the strategic, leadership, branding and marketing triumphs of the Olympic Movement over the last 25 years.
Sir Steve Redgrave, five-time Olympic Gold Medallist

• Introduction by Juan Antonio Samaranch
• Chapter Two – Scorpion Wars
• Chapter Three – Shock and Awe
• Appendix – The Ring and the Small Screen
• Download Order Form

Micheal Payne is Special Advisor to Bernie Ecclestone, Chairman and CEO of Formula One Management. He has spent the past 25 years as a senior executive in the sports marketing industry. In 1983 he was hired to create the first ever global marketing strategy for the Olympic Games, and subsequently served as the first marketing director of the International Olympic Committee (overseeing marketing of fifteen Summer and Winter Games), and director of Olympic global broadcast and media rights. Nominated by Advertising Age as one of the world’s most influential marketers, he is frequently featured and quoted as an authority on issues related to the Olympics, sports management, and marketing.