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Updated at 12:58 p.m., Monday, November 17, 2008

Olympics: Johnson & Johnson out as sponsor

Associated Press

NEW YORK — The International Olympic Committee can't put a Band-Aid on this financial cut: Johnson & Johnson won't be renewing its lucrative global sponsorship deal.

The IOC confirmed Monday that the health care conglomerate would not renew its top-level sponsorship worth up to $100 million, after the news was first reported by Sports Business Journal.

"The IOC is proud to have worked in a successful partnership with Johnson & Johnson for both the (Turin) 2006 and Beijing 2008 Olympic Games," IOC spokeswoman Emmanuelle Moreau said.

Johnson & Johnson's deal for 2005-08 was worth between $60 million and $80 million, and Sports Business Journal said the IOC would have gotten $100 million in its renewal over four years. That would have helped the committee achieve its goal of $1 billion for The Olympic Partnership program, or TOP, running from 2009-12.

Now the IOC needs to find another top-level sponsor in Johnson & Johnson's category as official health care products provider.

A Johnson & Johnson representative did not return a call seeking comment.

Olympic TV and sponsorship revenues for the 2005-08 cycle — covering the 2006 Turin Winter Games and 2008 Beijing Olympics — totaled about $3.5 billion.

Twelve companies signed up for the 2005-08 global sponsorship program generating nearly $900 million in revenues. TV rights fees, with the largest chunk from U.S. network NBC, provided the other $2.6 billion.