JUNE 23, 2004

Bernie to get a number two

Michael Payne, the International Olympic Committee's director of global broadcast and media, is leaving his position after the Olympic Games this summer in Athens and is joining Formula One Management as a special advisor. This is a very significant move as Payne is one of the top sports marketers in the world, having been involved with the Olympic Games for more than 20 years., although he only joined the IOC in 1988 after the Seoul games. Payne is known to have been less than happy about the restructuring of the IOC's marketing after Jacques Rogge took over the organization and Payne was spotted at the Italian GP at last year's Italian Grand Prix. Reports in Sports Business magazine suggest that Payne will come in as Bernie Ecclestone's second-in-command and the intention is to develop the full potential of all aspects of the F1 package.