BC Sponsor Search ‘On Hold' As Olympics Postponed

Coronavirus throws up raft of challenges for governing body, reports James Shrubsall

- James Shrubsall

British Cycling has had to put the search for a new lead sponsor on hold, following the blighting of world economies by the coronavirus crisis in recent weeks. This is a another blow for BC, which only learned in February that it was to lose current sponsor HSBC at the end of the year — halfway through its contract — after the bank announced a drop in profits.

It comes as the governing body was also hit by the postponement of the Olympic Games until July 2021, leaving its top athletes with financial uncertainties.

“It is going to make [looking for a sponsor] much more difficult,” said BC’s CEO Julie Harrington. “And at the moment, I should imagine getting an appointment with any marketing director or chief executive, to talk about their sponsorship budget… we’re not going to get the cut through that we need. So I think that effort is really on hold until the world is ready to talk about it. And that is clearly a challenge.”

Harrington emphasised the coronavirus crisis is clearly devastating for many with consequences that reach further than sport, and BC needs to be “in sync with the national feeling”.

“It’s not really a time for us to go ‘oh woe is us,’” she said. “I think we just need to buckle down, do what we can to support the sector. And then when it looks like we’re coming out the other end we will be going to market with renewed energy.”