byLarry EderUpdated September 8, 2011
Well, it seems that the Tokyo Bid Committee means business. In naming Masato Mizuno as the CEO of the Tokyo 2020 Bid Committee, the committee wants the IOC to see that they are serious about their bid. Masato Mizuno is one of the major players of the global sports business.
Masato Mizuno, courtesy of the Mizuno corporation
As former CEO of Mizuno, Mr. Mizuno used to show up at the Super show, the largest sports trade show (from 1985-2000) in Atlanta, GA, and not only take pictures with many of his clients, but send personal notes with the photos, astounding business associates and clients alike. Mr. Mizuno did not talk about relationships, he did it the old fashioned way: he built them over decades.
Mr. Mizuno gave an extraordinary talk on sports cultures in the mid nineties, and how Mizuno worked with local heroes who understood the local sports culture. I found him fascinating and was fortunate enough to meet him through an introduction by Pat Devaney, Head of Mizuno Running in the early to mid 1990s at Mizuno.
What an astute move by the bid committee. Masato Mizuno and his family, who run one of the major sports businesses in the world, obviously want the Tokyo bid to succeed. Competition is pretty tough, as six cities are making bids for 2020.
At this time, the bidders are Rome; Madrid; Tokyo; Istanbul; Doha, Qatar; and Baku, Azerbaijan. These six cities will bid for the 2020 Olympics. Bids are due February 2012. In April 2012, the IOC will meet to cut cities or designate final bidders. Decisions will be made in 2012. There will be no US bids in 2020 (announced by USOC two weeks ago). Stay tuned.
Having just returned from the World Championships in Daegu, Korea, I do like seeing major sporting championships held around the world I do believe that events such as World Championships and Olympics give local cultures a chance to shine and also give the world a chance to see sport at its best.
The IOC has, at the top of their bucket list, the influencing of younger generations to aspire to Olympic sports. Bringing young people to major events, as they did in Daegu for the World Championships and as the plan is for London 2012 (to offer tickets at reduced prices), is a great investment in the future of global sports.
Image via Wikipedia
MASATO MIZUNO APPOINTED CEO OF TOKYO 2020 BID COMMITTEE
Norcross, GA – (September 7, 2011) Former Mizuno
Corporation Chairman of the Board and Representative Director, Masato
Mizuno, has been appointed to the position of CEO of the Tokyo 2020 Bid
Committee by the Japanese Olympic Committee (JOC)
Executive Board. As a result, Mr. Mizuno resigned from his position
with Mizuno Corporation on September 5th, in order to avoid conflict of interest, as described in the International Olympic Committee (IOC) code of ethics.
Mr. Mizuno, 68, first began working for Mizuno
Corporation in 1966. He was appointed President in 1988, and became
Chairman in June of 2006. Under his leadership, the organization
experienced global growth in key regions. In 2010, sales
and profits both rose for Mizuno Corporation, while net income was up
77%. The overseas operations also sustained strong performance in
Europe (120.2%) and the Americas (116.1%), on a currency neutral basis.
This post is a great achievement for Mr. Mizuno and a reflection of the Corporation’s support of the Olympic movement over the years. He
will play an instrumental role in securing an Olympic Bid for Japan,
which has not hosted a Summer Olympics since the 1964 XVIII Tokyo
Games. The country most recently hosted the Winter
Olympic Games in 1998 at Nagano.
“We wish Masato well in
his endeavor to secure a bid for Japan in 2020,” said Bob Puccini,
President and CEO, Mizuno USA, and Chairman of the Board, Mizuno Canada
Ltd. “He has served as a tremendous leader to
our entire company, which has blossomed globally under his leadership.
His new endeavor certainly embodies the spirit of our brand, and our
mission of contributing to society through the advancement of sporting
goods and the promotion of sports.”
Mizuno Corporation will maintain a two
Representative Director system with Akito Mizuno, President and current
Representative Director, and Jotaro Ueji, its newly appointed
Representative Director and EVP.
Mizuno USA, Inc. is a
wholly owned subsidiary of Mizuno Corporation, one of the largest
specialty sporting goods manufacturers in the world. Mizuno USA, Inc.
manufactures and distributes golf, baseball, softball,
running, track & field, and volleyball equipment, apparel, and
footwear for North America. Mizuno USA, Inc. is based in Norcross,
Georgia.
