24 March 2011, Sochi. Russian Olympic Committee and Russian International Olympic University organised meeting of presidents of National Olympic Committees and sport ministers of CIS, states of the Baltic and Eastern Europe. During this meeting there was held RIOU's workshop «Sport and business: problems and prospects of effective cooperation». There also was signing of memorandum of cooperation between the Russian Olympic Committee and Olympic Committees of Azerbaijan, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kirgizstan, Latvia, Macedonia, Moldova, Serbia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Montenegro, and Estonia.
Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation, President of the Russian Olympic Committee Alexander Zhukov said: «states of CIS, the Baltic and Eastern Europe – they are rapidly developing countries in the spheres of economy, social and cultural life, holding major sport competitions in new decade: Asian Games 2011, European Football Cup 2012, Universiade 2013, Olympic Games 2014, World Football Championship 2018». President of the ROC pointed out that: «we need exchange of expertise and knowledge».
Welcoming speech on behalf of the Minister of sport, tourism and youth policy was made by the state-secretary – Deputy Minister Natalya Parshikova. «In recent years we actively developed material and technical basis of physical culture and sport. In all regions of Russia began construction and reconstruction of sport facilities, creation of physical health-improving and rehabilitation centers. However governmental structures can't be the only sponsor of sport.
Sport must become self-sufficient sector of economy, capable to bring profit. To achieve this, it is necessary to create conditions to involve business in sport development programs, particularly, involve it in sport construction, financing sport clubs».
President of the Organising Committee «Sochi 2014» Dmitry Chernyshenko told how to maximize profit from the organization of Olympic Games. He thinks that «any organising committee has several channels of income: sponsor's allocations from global and national partners, licensing, broadcasting rights and ticketing».
In his turn CEO of RIOU professor Lev Belousov pointed out that the activity of the Russian International Olympic University has clear international nature, because representatives of Olympic movement and sport business play active role in the educational process. He thinks that RIOU won't have analogs in the world. Besides, Russian International Olympic University will preserve Olympic Legacy of Sochi-2014. Professor Belousov said, that RIOU will become important part of integral Olympic education system along with other sport universities, school and bodies of mass education. Professor Lev Belousov said: «Russian International Olympic University will train professional sport managers, which includes managers for national Olympic Committees, many of them are represented here as participants of our workshop. RIOU will present its final curriculum during Olympic Games in London in 2012. And it means that our first graduates will be able to implement their knowledge during Winter Olympic Games in Sochi».
President of International Ice Hockey Federation and Association of Winter International Federations René Fasel pointed out during the workshop that sport marketing – it is more than just selling of rights. He made complex analysis of different investment and marketing strategies in ice hockey on the example of world championships under the aegis of IIHF: among youth, women and men. He devoted much attention to the future of ice hockey and the most promising leagues such as Continental Hockey League and Canadian Hockey League.
Owner of the successful sport wear brand Bosco Sport, Chairman of the board of directors Bosco Di Ciliegi Michael Kusnirovich shared with participants of the workshop his experience of increasing effectiveness of sponsor investment in sport. Today Bosco Sport is the official partner of Olympic Committees of Russia and Ukraine in the sphere of sport wear for national teams and general partner of the Organising Committee «Sochi 2014».
CEO of Autonomous non-commercial organisation «Sport broadcasting» Vasily Kiknadze thinks that sport and especially its most spectacular kinds, has high potential of profitability. Famous sport observer, head of one of the biggest Russian broadcasting companies told how it is possible to use this potential and what media can do for the development of sport.
Head of John Tibbs Associated John Tibbs thinks that along with the development of sport industry it is important to develop similar professional spheres. He is sure that this process must deal with communications and public relations in the first place. Sport organisations must constantly increase professional level and position themselves as brands with sustainable target audience and clear PR-strategy. In this connection it is necessary to use experience of experts from countries with more developed sport market. John Tibbs offered to sport organisations new global approach, which will allow increasing effectiveness of communication and strengthening brand.
International consultant in the sphere of branding and experimental marketing, associate partner ICM Advisors Carlo Faei and lawyer, senior partner of R&P Legal – Rossotto, Colombatto&Partners, Ricardo Rossotto declared the triumph of brand concept. They think that in this new age everything can become a brand: states, political parties and even an employee in organisation. Experts consider: «Brand is becoming key asset not only for sport industry companies. From one side, sport plays main role in the most strategies of brand promotion, from the other side- sport uses the most popular non-sportive brands. Active brand development is becoming essential condition of successful development for specialist in football marketing».
Executive director of the International Golf Federation Antony Scanlon sees his main task in bringing back this sport to the Olympic programme of the Games Rio-2016. He compared the level of golf popularity in different countries, said about positive changes of including golf in the Olympic programme, role of International Golf Federation in golf's promotion. Moreover, he attracted audience's attention to projects (real and possible) and opportunities which brings the development of golf, the new kind of sport for most countries-participants of this workshop.
In the conclusion of the workshop Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation, President of the Russian Olympic Committee Alexander Zhukov shared his confidence that this meeting and workshop contributed not only to the strengthen of connections between National Olympic Committees but to the development of new approaches towards support of sport in these countries with the implementation of international experience of performed experts.
Representatives of National Olympic Committees and sport ministers of 20 countries – altogether more than 50 participants took part in the workshop. They also visited Sochi sport venues under construction in the mountain and coastal regions: media-village and media-center, alpine center, cross-country skiing and biathlon center, big ice arena, central stadium, and ice palace.
