BMW backs Canada’s Olympians on road to Rio

18 January 2013 | Posted in Sponsorship, Olympics, North America | By David Cushnan

BMW Group Canada has signed a four-year sponsorship deal with the Canadian Olympic Team, a partnership which will run until the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.

The news was announced on Friday during simultaneous events in Montreal and Toronto. BMW will also support Canada's high-performance sporting programme by sponsoring two as-yet unnamed national sport federations in the country.

“Much like our Canadian Olympic heroes, BMW is an innovative performance brand with a legacy of excellence,” said Marcel Aubut, president of the Canadian Olympic Committee.

“We are delighted to welcome this amazing corporation as an official National Partner of the Canadian Olympic Team and look forward to driving together toward an even more exciting future for our Canadian athletes.”

• BMW becomes first foreign auto sponsor of USOC

Eduardo Villaverde, president and chief executive of BMW Group Canada, added: “Our two organisations share many of the same beliefs and values, and we believe working together will bring tremendous benefits to both of our teams.  

"Over the next four years, we look forward to creating innovative programmes that provide substantial financial support to Canadian athletes. Our retailers look forward to this as well; they will be a major force in our overall contributions and programming. At the same time, we know that our associates and customers will be mightily engaged in this partnership, as well.”

BMW is already a partner of the United States Olympic Committee, a deal struck in 2010 which also runs to the end of 2016.