Sponsor Spotlight: Speedo, NBC, Samsung

Michael Phelps and Natalie Coughlin were two of the elite athletes who helped develop Speedo’s LZR Racer. (Getty Images) Gold or Silver, Speedo Can Help

Speedo this week released what it calls the "world's fastest swimsuit." The LZR Racer suit was designed with the help of several elite swimmers including American Michael Phelps and Australian Grant Hackett. The company launched the design on Feb. 12 in New York City, Tokyo, and Sydney.

The suit's three-piece design makes for a more streamlined shape and less drag, increased speed and overall performance, according to Speedo.

Seams are "ultrasonically welded together", rather than sewn.

The suit's launch coincides with the Olympic six-months to go mark as well as Speedo’s 80th anniversary.

"In our 80th year, Speedo is pushing the boundaries of swimwear and equipment design to enable swimmers to swim their fastest,” said David Robinson, Speedo co-president.

The LZR Racer was developed in consultation with specialists in fields including engineering and medicine.

Speedo suits such as the S2000, Aquablade, and FASTSKIN have all been worn by Olympic champions.

NBC Offers More to U.S. Fans

For the first time ever, the Olympics will be broadcast in Chinese and Korean in the U.S. The offering is the result of a deal between U.S. Olympic broadcaster NBC and Multicultural Radio Broadcastings, Inc., a privately held radio, print and television operator.

The two companies will coproduce the new language coverage. They also will produce daily highlights in Korean, Mandarin and Cantonese. Multicultural Radio Broadcasting has exclusive Chinese and Korean terrestrial and satellite radio broadcast rights to the Games within the U.S

The coverage will focus primarily on team events, such as soccer, baseball and basketball, which are popular with Chinese and Korean Americans in the U.S, according to Arthur Liu, president of MRBI.

NBC also is showing much of its English language coverage in Spanish on its Telemundo network.

Oxygen – a female-oriented network recently acquired by NBC – also will air several Beijing events during weeknight primetime.

Oxygen coverage will focus on equestrian, tennis, rhythmic gymnastics and synchronized swimming.

The selected sports appeal to women, according to Oxygen president Lauren Zalaznick.

The network plans to cover the “emotion and drama of stories as they’re happening,” Zalaznick says.

Emergency Cell Phone Users Win Relay Spots

Five U.S. residents have won places in the San Francisco leg of the 2008 Olympic Torch Relay after winning the Samsung Mobile Phone Samaritan contest.

The Olympic Flame crosses the San Francisco Bay during the 2002 Salt Lake City Torch Relay. (Getty Images) The five winners will carry the torch on its only stop in the U. S. They were selected by a panel of judges for helping others by using a mobile phone to call for help.

“Each of these individuals is a Mobile Phone Samaritan in very different ways, but they have the same result – helping someone in need," says DJ Oh, President and CEO of Samsung Electronics America.

The Olympic Torch Relay begins March 25 in Olympia, Greece, and reaches San Francisco April 9. The torch will reach Beijing August 6.

Sponsor Briefs

USA Gymnastics has announced a multi-year contract with Cover Girl and Venus, two of Procter & Gamble’s most recognized brands. The personal care and beauty care sponsorship includes the presenting sponsorship of the Pacific Rim Championships in 2008, TV advertising, print and online programs, and promotional and hospitality opportunities.

Procter & Gamble has advertised on USA Gymnastics network event coverage since 2003. USA Gymnastics is the only sports team P&G sponsors.

BHP Billiton, a natural resource company, will sponsor the 2008 Indian Paralympic Team. The company also will provide the raw materials for the Olympic and Paralympic medals, as it is the official diversified minerals and medals sponsor of the Beijing Games.

Written by Laura Grundy

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