NOCs News -- USOC Offices Branching Out

The USOC is still working to find a new home for their headquarters. (ATR)As the U.S. Olympic Committee continues negotiations to keep its headquarters in Colorado Springs, Colo., despite ending three agreements with the city and a developer, its marketing division has quietly gone its separate way.

"We are in the process of reorganizing our Marketing Division," USOC spokesman Darryl Seibel tells Around the Rings. "The reorganization will include the addition of several new positions, primarily in sponsorship sales and support. As to where those positions will be based, we have not made a final decision, but our priority is to operate from markets that create the best opportunity for success for the USOC and our Corporate Partners."

Lisa Baird, who took over as chief marketing officer in January, will remain in New York City, but Seibel said the other staffers could be based elsewhere.

"Of course, if Chicago is fortunate enough to earn the honor of hosting the 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games, that will have some bearing on where these positions are located," he says.

The USOC's international relations offices are based in Irvine, Calif., a move originally designed to be close to the home of former chairman of the board Peter Ueberroth.

Late last month, the USOC severed three agreements with the city of Colorado Springs and LandCo Equity Partners regarding a $53 million plan to provide new office buildings for the USOC and some national governing bodies and a refurbishing of the U.S. Olympic Training Center. The headquarters recently had The USOC is looking at several locations for its marketing division. Lisa Baird, chief marketing officer, will remain in New York City. (USOC)a completion date of late September.

"The USOC has terminated the Economic Development Agreement, the DesignBuild Agreement and Affiliation Agreement amongst the City, LandCo and the USOC," Seibel says. "That said, we are still in discussions with the City and LandCo to find a resolution to the open issues and, if possible, see

these projects fully developed and delivered."

In the past, the USOC had considered the possibility of moving to another city, but Colorado Springs stepped up its incentives to keep the organization, which moved from New York in 1978. The current economic climate could discourage cities from again wooing the USOC.

"It's our star; it's our crown jewel," Colorado Springs councilman Tom Gallagher said in media reports earlier this year. "It doesn't belong in Chicago. It doesn't belong in New York. It doesn't belong in Houston or Los Angeles. It belongs in Colorado Springs."

LandCo filed suit against the USOC and the city in March accusing them of breach of contract.

No Rings for You

While the USOC hasn't written off Colorado Springs, the city has lost the right to use its stationery and business cards with the Olympic five-ring logo.

"The right to use our logo was extended as part of the original agreementwith both the City and LandCo," Seibel tells ATR. "As those agreements have now been terminated, so too has the right to use the mark."

Sue Skiffington-Blumberg, a city spokeswoman, told the Colorado Springs Gazette that not using the logo will have a "minimal" impact at this point. "The stationery and business cards and things like that will have to just revert to our backup," she said. "We already have dual pieces. It's not appropriate sometimes to use the Olympic rings, so we have dual stationery

Process and Timeline Set for New USOC Director

The USOC is now accepting applications for a new independent director on its board Applications are being accepted to replace Acting CEO Stephanie Streeter on the USOC's board. (USOC)to replace Stephanie Streeter, who is acting CEO.

Applications, including a resume and cover letter, will be accepted until June 2 through the USOC General Counsel Office via e-mail at generalcounseloffice@usoc.org .

The new board member, who is expected to be named by September, will serve a four-year term, with the possibility of a two-year extension.

The two people now leading the USOC -- Streeter and chair Larry Probst - both came from outside the Olympic Movement via the path of independent director.

According to the USOC, an individual is "considered to be 'independent' if, during the past two years, he or she -- plus immediate family members -- has not held any paid or volunteer governance position within the USOC, its member organizations, or councils, or any Olympic family entity; is not an officer, senior management member, controlling shareholder or partner of a corporate entity that does business with the USOC; and is not an officer, employee, director or trustee of a nonprofit organization to which the USOC or U.S. Olympic Foundation makes payment in any year in excess of $100,000."

After reviewing the applications, the Nominating and Governance Committee, chaired by Olympic gymnast Jair Lynch, will conduct in-person interviews with the finalists.

The specific requirements for independence are set forth in section 3.4 of the USOC Bylaws, which are available online.

Written by Karen Rosen

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