Erich Swatzerl from The Wall Street Journal wrote a piece this week entitled “2022 Beijing Olympic Games Loom as Test for Corporate Sponsors“, which neatly encapsulates not just the looming headaches for Olympic sponsors, but the current landscape for doing business in China. In fact, while the whole piece is worth a read, the sub-header pretty much says it all:
“Silence on human-rights issues risks alienating U.S. consumers; speaking up could earn the host nation’s ire.”
You could swap out “human-rights issues” for a host of other controversial topics du jour and the sentiment would remain, although increasingly this applies to global consumers, not just those in the US.
Nowhere has this been illustrated better than in the case of the NBA, with the “Morey Tweet” incident still dogging the league in China. That situation was particularly notable because it brought an international brand’s dealings in China into the mainstream consciousness for really the first time – and put the league in an impossible situation. Previously, if western brands had fallen afoul of Chinese keyboard warriors for using an incorrect map or making a geographical typo, they could issue a groveling apology – in Chinese only – and wait out the storm until another brand slipped up and took their place in the hot seat. Most people elsewhere in the world would have been none the wiser.
But’s that no longer the case.
Back in 2019, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver had the unenviable task of trying to appease both sides at the same time – and ended up doing neither. As far as the Chinese were concerned, his initial comments on the tweet didn’t go nearly far enough, but he was still seen as being far too pandering by many in the US. Because the issue blew up so dramatically at the time and made global headlines, it put a much brighter spotlight on foreign companies’ dealings with, and in, China – something that has carried through into the Olympic build-up.
Suffice to say, there will be some uncomfortable discussions in global boardrooms this year weighing up the pros and cons of silence vs speaking up on the more highly-charged China-related issues, not just for Olympic sponsors – although they will bear the brunt of the attention – but for international companies in general. See also: How one tweet derailed the NBA’s China game plan [BBC]
Weekly Roundup
- How the IOC’s Olympic Agenda refresh may affect Beijing.
- The latest developments on international calls for a boycott of the Games.
- Social media takes center stage – with Snapchat leading the way.
- Other features and stories in the build-up to 2022.
Olympic Agenda for Beijing
The IOC announced 15 recommendations this week as part of its Olympic Agenda 2020+5, essentially a refresh of its original 2020 plan. Here they are:
- Strengthen the uniqueness and the universality of the Olympic Games
- Foster sustainable Olympic Games
- Reinforce athletes’ rights and responsibilities
- Continue to attract best athletes
- Further strengthen safe sport and the protection of clean athletes
- Enhance and promote the Road to the Olympic Games
- Coordinate the harmonisation of the sports calendar
- Grow digital engagement with people
- Encourage the development of virtual sports and further engage with video gaming communities
- Strengthen the role of sport as an important enabler for the UN Sustainable Development Goals
- Strengthen the support to refugees and populations affected by displacement
- Reach out beyond the Olympic community
- Continue to lead by example in corporate citizenship
- Strengthen the Olympic Movement through good governance
- Innovate revenue generation models
No specific Games or countries were mentioned, but here are a few thoughts on how they may relate to China and/or Beijing 2022:
2. Foster sustainable Olympic Games – Sustainability is a big issue for Beijing on two fronts. Firstly, Beijing scores very highly on the fact that it is reusing six of its venues from 2008, including the iconic Water Cube, which is very creatively transforming into the Ice Cube for curling.
But when it comes to environmental issues, which are also highly prioritized under the heading of sustainability, there is far more cause for concern. In particular, the water needed to manufacture the fake snow used for the Olympic ski resorts has to be diverted from somewhere else, something that China can ill afford given its ongoing water crisis. This issue may well get more attention this year, as Beijing’s pollution problem in the build-up to 2008.
3. Reinforce athletes’ rights and responsibilities – This isn’t aimed at China specifically, but with Beijing one of the next Games (or conceivably the very next one, depending on what happens with Tokyo), it will be interesting to see how protests or political statements by the athletes are handled. The IOC’s Rule 50 effectively outlaws protests inside sporting arenas, even though its Athlete Commission is currently re-examining this issue. But with kneeling and other gestures of respectful protest now commonplace at sports events around the world, and the US saying that it won’t sanction its athletes for raising their fists or kneeling on the podium, this could potentially set a collision course for various parties involved.
4. Continue to attract best athletes – I covered this at length in last week’s round-up, but if NHL players don’t compete in Beijing, both the Olympics and the fans will be deprived of seeing dozens of superstars, directly contradicting this stated objective.
8. Grow digital engagement with people & 9. Encourage the development of virtual sports and further engage with video gaming communities – Earlier this month, I moderated a (virtual) panel at Global Sports Week in Paris on China’s esports boom and some of the numbers involved are staggering, with China’s esports industry already the world’s largest by number of gamers. Esports will also be included as a full medal sport for the first time at next year’s Asian Games, which will be held in Hangzhou. This is also a nod to Alibaba – one of the IOC’s TOP sponsors – which has been a big supporter of the esports industry in China. There is also an interesting line about “the addition of physical virtual sports in the Olympic Programme” which will be considered, although the document makes clear the distinction between physical virtual sports (eg cycling) and non-physical forms of virtual sports (eg football). On first thoughts, that sounds like a slightly strange idea, unless the Olympics themselves were to be held virtually. Why not just have the real (i.e. non-virtual) thing?
Boycott Watch
As I said last week, I don’t think a boycott will happen. But the media continue to cover the topic because it is still a possibility and there’s little else to talk about. In Calls grow to relocate 2022 Beijing Winter Games [Reuters], Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is quoted as saying that “the International Olympic Committee, the Canadian Olympic Committee, the Canadian Paralympic Committee and others are looking very closely at this issue”. Not exactly a smoking gun. Any guesses as to what the IOC might conclude?
Opposition politicians in Canada have been having a field day, as expected, but with the Biden administration and the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee both already saying they are not looking at a boycott, it’s harder to see Canada going it alone. See also: If the West boycotts China’s Olympics, the Games could end forever. Fingers crossed. [Washington Post], Can the world’s democracies really take part in the Beijing Olympics — while genocide is taking place? [Washington Post], Pull the U.S. from the 2022 Beijing Olympics [The Bulwark]
Snapchat Coming to Beijing Games
Discovery and Snap are teaming up to showcase Discovery+ and Eurosport’s Olympic Games content and coverage from both the Tokyo and Beijing Olympics to a wider audience through a new Eurosport Olympics daily program on Snapchat’s Discover platform.
Discovery+ and Eurosport already have rights to the Games in Europe, but plan to extend their Olympic storytelling to reach Snapchatters throughout the continent. They also plan to grow and sustain engagement throughout the Olympic calendar, as opposed to only airing clips during the Olympics. Content will include:
- Two daily episodes every day during the Olympic Games, available to Snapchatters in Europe and featuring highlights of the day.
- Twice-daily episodes aired in French, German, Italian, Spanish and English, featuring highlights from athletes in those respective countries.
- ‘Road to Beijing’ content in the run up to the Games, following teams and athletes from around the world.
- Content created by athletes and influencers, combined with a focus on the most relevant local stories and national heroes.
Other Stories and Links
- IOC president sends greetings to Xi on Spring Festival [Beijing 2022/Xinhua]
- Preparations on track for 2022 Beijing Winter Olympic Games: FM [China Daily]
- Adapted testing program in place for Beijing 2022 [China Daily]
- ‘Frog princess’ Eileen Gu spawns new era [China Daily]
- “THIS IS A MOMENT THAT IGNITES HOPE” Skiing world champion Petra Vlhová on Beijing 2022 [Olympic.org]
- Cross-country skiers’ Chinese new year wish [Xinhua]
- Kenyan skier Wanjiku eying Beijing Winter Olympics [Xinhua]
- Winter sports boom for children during holiday season in NW China [Xinhua]
See also:
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