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- JPMorgan would become 12th company on the TOP programme
- Programme income of US$560m in 2025 was lowest for IOC since 2020
JPMorgan Chase is reportedly in negotiations to join the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) top-tier sponsorship programme.
According to the Financial Times (FT), the US financial services titan is closing in on a deal to sign up for The Olympic Partner (TOP) programme. The agreement would begin ahead of the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, which would give the US company significant exposure in its home market.
JPMorgan would become the 12th company on the IOC’s top-tier sponsorship roster, joining the likes of Airbnb, Coca-Cola, Procter & Gamble and Visa.
The addition of the banking firm would be a boost for the Olympics governing body. After the Paris Summer Olympics, five companies chose not to renew their TOP deals in 2024: Atos, Bridgestone, Intel, Panasonic and Toyota.
Since then, the IOC has added Chinese electronics company TCL to the programme, while Anheuser-Busch InBev (AB InBev) and Allianz have signed long-term renewals to their respective deals.
The TOP programme currently features 11 sponsors, which is the lowest number for the initiative since 2015. Last year, the sponsorship tier generated US$560 million in revenue – the lowest figure since 2020.
While the initiative is under review by the IOC, it remains bullish about TOP’s future, with one official proclaiming in February that the programme is in a “good place” despite the fall in financial returns.
As for JPMorgan, a top-tier Olympics sponsorship would be its latest significant move into sport. It already has partnerships with the US Open tennis Grand Slam, the England national soccer teams and League One Volleyball (LOVB).
Last month, it announced a new initiative to help athletes manage their money, with the programme to involve sports icons such as Tom Brady, Dwyane Wade and Alex Morgan.
SportsPro says…
The IOC has struggled to find replacement companies for the TOP programme in the wake of losing five partners after Paris 2024. It has recognised the need to evolve the initiative, with IOC president Kirsty Coventry noting sponsors want more frequent connection points with the Olympics, rather than every two years.
At this year’s Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Games, it was noticeable that sponsors gained greater visibility during events. For instance, Procter & Gamble were featured prominently at the figure skating.
The increased branding opportunities, as well as strong viewership for both Paris 2024 and Milan-Cortina 2026, has raised the appeal of the Olympics for companies. Evidently, JPMorgan has seen enough to consider signing up as a TOP partner ahead of a home Summer Olympics in 2028.
Sponsorship remains the most powerful commercial force in sport, yet as investments soar, the ROI gap widens. This April, SportsPro London will deliver frameworks for proving impact beyond logo placement. Learn more here.