The European Olympic Committees (EOC) have taken a significant step toward professionalizing their commercial landscape by appointing PACE, a Swiss-based sports business agency, as their exclusive marketing partner. This strategic move is designed to maximize the commercial potential of the EOC’s entire event portfolio, with a primary focus on the 4th European Games, set to take place in Istanbul, Turkey, in 2027.
A Paradigm Shift in Sports Marketing
The partnership represents a fundamental shift in the EOC’s approach to brand relations. Rather than traditional “visibility-led” sponsorships, PACE and the EOC aim to build “value-driven partnerships” that focus on:
- Purpose-Led Content: Aligning with brands committed to societal impact, youth, and sustainability.
- Scalable Rights Packages: Creating flexible and professionally managed platforms that offer higher ROI for international rights holders.
- Institutional Positioning: Strengthening the identity of the European Games alongside the European Youth Olympic Festival (EYOF).
Focus on Istanbul 2027
With the Host City Contract and Host Country Agreement already signed with Turkish authorities, the focus now turns to momentum. PACE will work with the EOC to define “priority narratives” for Istanbul 2027, ensuring the event serves as a premier platform for athletic excellence and brand engagement on the road to the LA 2028 Olympics.
Dr. Jan Lehmann, CEO of the EOC, highlighted the importance of this operational boost:
“This partnership gives us the commercial structure and execution capacity to accelerate our plans… ensuring our multisport events deliver meaningful impact for athletes and host cities.”
The Wider Portfolio
Beyond the European Games, PACE will oversee commercial development for:
- EYOF (Summer & Winter): The premier youth multisport events in Europe.
- EOC Strategic Initiatives: Developing long-term commercial routes to market for the continental body.
This appointment comes at a time of high engagement for European sports following the success of Paris 2024. By partnering with a “sports business catalyst” like PACE, the EOC is positioning the Istanbul 2027 games to be the most commercially successful edition since the inaugural games in Baku.