McDonald’s has ended its four-decade run as an Olympic sponsor to “focus on different business priorities.” The global fast-food chain ended its sponsorship three years early, having been among 13 top-tier sponsors signed through the 2020 Summer Games in Tokyo. It will, however, remain a domestic sponsor of the 2018 Winter Olympics and operate restaurants at the Olympic Park and Olympic Village in Pyeongchang, South Korea. McDonald’s had been a sponsor of the U.S. Olympic Committee since 1976 and a top-tier partner of the IOC since 1998.
Intel is close to announcing a global sponsorship deal with the IOC, SportsBusiness Daily reported. While terms haven’t been released, top global sponsors typically pay about $200 million over a four-year cycle that includes a Summer and Winter Olympics.