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≡ HONDA SPONSORS LA28, USOPC ≡
The LA28 organizing committee has been steadily signing corporate partners at the lower levels for more than a year, but had not announced a first-tier sponsor since 2021 … and Salesforce withdrew in 2024.
On Monday, with the International Olympic Committee Coordination Commission coming to Los Angeles for another visit this week, LA28 and the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee announced a new, first-tier partner in American Honda Motor Company. From the announcement:
“Honda will help the world’s greatest athletes pursue their dreams in 2028 as a Founding Partner of the LA28 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Honda, which established its first U.S. operations in Los Angeles in June 1959, will also serve as the Official Automotive Partner of Team USA, supporting the United States Olympic and Paralympic teams during the LA28 Games and upcoming Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026.”
In terms of what Honda will provide for the Games:
“Honda will offer a wide range of mobility products for usage throughout the Games, maximizing the use of electrified vehicles like the upcoming Honda 0 Series and Acura RSX.
“Honda also will provide powersports products including motorcycles, ATVs and side-by-sides, as well as Motocompacto e-scooters plus Honda Marine engines. Additionally, LA28 plans for Honda and Acura vehicles to act as the official pace vehicles for all LA28 endurance events.”
The agreement was announced at American Honda headquarters in Torrance, California, also including becoming the Official Automotive Partner of Team USA, for the 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Italy and in 2028. Honda and NBC also agreed to work together on an advertising and promotional program for the 2026 Winter Games and LA28.
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The importance of this deal cannot be underestimated.
LA28 had signed three Founding Partner deals, with Comcast/NBC coming on thanks to its mammoth rights deal with the IOC through 2032 (now through 2036), and then Delta Airlines joining back in March of 2020 and Salesforce signing on in June 2021.
Salesforce pulled out in April of 2024 and LA28 had signed no first-tier sponsors since.
The “mobility” category as it is now called opened up with the decision of Toyota Motors not to renew its IOC “TOP” sponsorship at the end of 2024. When LA28 was awarded the Games in 2017, there was an expectation that not only would Toyota renew beyond 2024, but that the renewed deal could be worth as much as $200 million to LA28.
That money is not coming from the IOC now, but Milan Cortina 2026 signed a deal with Stellantis in March 2025, with its Fiat, Alfa Romeo, Lancia and Maserati brands all part of the program.
The deal also sent the signal that LA28 was free to make its own agreement in the automotive sector, and Honda made excellent sense given its long history – and high popularity – in the Southern California area.
Honda’s agreement will not only bring a significant cash contribution to LA28, but also thousands of vehicles for use during the Games, a critical supply area that would have cost the organizations millions if a sponsor was not available.
Honda has been an active sponsor in the sports space, sponsoring three Paralympic athletes in 2024 and as the title sponsor of the annual Honda Awards in college sports, honoring the top performer in multiple sports and the Honda Cup for the college athlete of the year.
The company is also the naming sponsor of the Honda Center in Anaheim, home to the Anaheim Ducks of the NHL and the site for indoor volleyball in 2028. As a sponsor of the Games, look for the IOC to allow the site to be called the Honda Center instead of the current “Arena in Anaheim.”
The Honda announcement will help the continuing LA28 sales effort, and should have a positive impact especially among other national brands which have headquarters or significant hubs in the Southern California area.
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