USOC Kicks Off "Road to Sochi" Tour

The U.S. Olympic Committee has announced details of the celebrated 100 Day Countdown event to the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games taking place Tuesday, Oct. 29, in New York City’s Times Square, which also serves to kick off  the Road to Sochi Tour presented by Liberty Mutual Insurance that will circle the country through the Sochi Games. The 100 Days event and the tour will bring the spirit and excitement of the Games to Team USA fans with high-flying athlete demonstrations, meet-and-greet autograph sessions, fan sport experiences, interactive elements, Team USA giveaways and sponsor engagement.

100 Day Countdown: The 100 Day Countdown event has become a celebrated commemoration prior to each Olympic Games. In 2013, the event will include athlete demonstrations on a towering ski and snowboard ramp; an ice rink for curling, figure skating, speedskating and hockey demonstrations; and the Flying Ace All-Stars performing ski and snowboard tricks on trampolines – all in the heart of Times Square. The event will also include 12 interactive sport elements for fans to try, and more than 40 athletes are expected to participate in autograph sessions, demos and on-stage interviews, including the following Sochi 2014 hopefuls:

• Kelly Clark – snowboarding (halfpipe)

• Sarah Hendrickson – ski jumping

• Steven Holcomb – bobsled

• Hannah Kearney – freestyle skiing (moguls)

• Ted Ligety – alpine skiing

• Taylor Lipsett – sled hockey

• Evan Lysacek – figure skating

• Elana Meyers – bobsled

• Tom Wallisch – freestyle skiing (slopestyle)

• Torin Yater-Wallace – freestyle skiing  (halfpipe)

The 2012 event welcomed more than 170,000 visitors into the event footprint and resulted in more than 150 million media impressions. For 2013, the event is growing even larger to include a third block of Times Square, now spanning 45th-48th Street.

New to 2013, the USOC is working with Pilobolus, a modern performance company that creates inventive, athletic performance works on stage and screen using the human body as a medium for expression. At the event, Pilobolus and the USOC will premiere a film on the iconic Times Square billboards that celebrates human achievement through the sports of the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. It will be followed by a live performance finale to create a larger-than-life spectacle in support of the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Teams. 

“We’re delighted to once again bring the excitement of the Olympic and Paralympic Games to fans throughout the country through the 100 Day Olympic milestone in Times Square and the Road to Sochi Tour,” said USOC Chief Marketing Officer Lisa Baird. “The U.S. Olympic Committee and our generous sponsors are actively engaging the American public in more ways than ever before, while generating important revenue for America’s elite athletes. These events are true celebrations of Olympic and Paralympic sport, of Team USA’s inspiring athletes, and of the spirit of the Winter Games.”

Road to Sochi Tour, presented by Liberty Mutual Insurance: The Road to Sochi Tour, presented by Liberty Mutual Insurance, will continue the celebration with stops in 12 more cities across the country between November 2013 and February 2014. The interactive sport elements will welcome fans to try out their Olympic and Paralympic skills with a curling strip, a hockey slap shot test, a ski jump and bobsled photo opportunity, a street luge ramp, a cross-country roller ski course and more. 

In 2012, the Road to London tour engaged a total audience estimated at 700,000 people.

All of the Road to Sochi Tour stops are free and open to the public. The tour will make the following stops in 2013-2014:

“It’s truly an honor for us to bring the Road to Sochi Tour to Olympic and Paralympic fans across the country starting on Oct. 29th,” said Paul G. Alexander, Liberty Mutual Insurance chief communications officer.  “Team USA’s Olympians and Paralympians deserve our support and admiration for their dedication to represent our country at the highest level of competition in the world.  They are the embodiment of the Olympic spirit and inspirations to us all.”

USOC Marketing Activation Growth: The USOC has continued to grow and enhance its marketing activation platforms in recent years to bring the Olympic Movement to life and showcase Team USA athletes well in advance of the Games, while providing USOC sponsors with opportunities to engage with fans.

100 Day Countdown: The USOC’s first 100 Day Countdown event took place prior to the Vancouver 2010 Games with six sponsors, as well as six prior to the London 2012 Games. This year’s Sochi 100 Day Countdown event will feature 12 prominent sponsors, including Coca-Cola, AT&T, Budweiser, Chobani, Folgers (Smucker’s), The Hartford, Hilton, Jif (Smucker’s), Kellogg's, Liberty Mutual Insurance, United and Smucker’s jams.