Is it all down to money?

[anotheoldgit]

http://www.dailymail....ng-sponsors-toes.html

It doesn't seem to matter how lax the security is at the Olympics just so long as you are not caught selling the good old British chip when you should be selling the MacDonald's fries.

[bazwillrun]

The olympics has now reached the pinnacle of corporate sponsorship greed.

[jno]

yes

[Gromit]

I am guessing you do not want the taxpayer to fund the Olympics. So they have to pay for it through sponsorship. Large companies pay a great deal of money for their product to be exclusively used at the games. If McDonald's have given £millions and Fred's Chippy not a bean, then McDonalds calls the shots.

[MaryDou]

Badly set up - riddled with corruption - and still it's not enough. Where is the true Olympic spirit. I am dreading the constant TV coverage sold to us as almost compulsory! I will not be watching!

[craft1948]

I'll be watching every day, but won't be eating MacDonalds.............

[EDDIE51]

I applied to become an Olympic volunteer I am now glad I did not get it.
My daughter has been accepted as a driver of an Olympic car to collect VIPs . She is very proud but it is going to cost her a fortune. Originally she was told that travel expenses would be refunded, now it turns out she only gets an oyster card. She lives 35 miles outside London and will have to travel in every day, the oyster card is only valid within London so it's going to cost £25 a day just to get there . Then there is food, she was told food would be provided but that turns out to be a voucher a day for Macdonalds it might just cover a single burger. Even volunteers can not take any food or drink with them not even water. The cars have to be returned to the Olympic garage after her shift ends which is nearly an hour away from Kings Cross and her train home. All in all she expects to be away for 12 hours at a time on just a burger to eat.

[bazwillrun]

"I am guessing you do not want the taxpayer to fund the Olympics. "

as a londoner I already pay through taxes . that scumbag livingstone added a precept to the council tax.

and when people moaned he said something along the lines of "its nothing, everybody can afford it"

[Gromit]

baz,

As a Londoner, how much extra spend will come into the local economy?

I did not know Livingston still set London Council tax five years after he left office. Even when he was in office, the local council's set the Council tax rate not the Mayor.

[Brenden]

AOG, am in breach of the olympic trading rules with my avatar? I would not on principle buy any olympic goods because of this ruling - how greedy can you get -

[Bazile]

//as a londoner I already pay through taxes . that scumbag livingstone added a precept to the council tax. //

I'm not a londoner , so i'll take your word for it , that a precept has been added .

However if the current Mayor was the incumbent ,in power at the time - are you saying that Londoners would not be contributing to the costs ?

[Brenden]

I think taxes should have gone up throughout the uk not just london to fund these games.

[sandyRoe]

MacDonalds & Coke, you couldn't find two products more likely to harm the health of young people.

[Gromit]

Benson and Hedges?

[LazyGun]

It is draconian, they way they attempt to enforce these franchises. That having been said, they have spent a lot of money, and one would imagine that within that contract is a condition of exclusivity.Whilst I can understand the business logic, it still grinds my gears that such corporate giants have also enjoyed large tax breaks for their sponsorship -in addition to these draconian brand protection measures.

I just hope the negative PR that they are receiving works to bite them in the backside, and that consumers vote with their feet.

It would be a much better scenario were you to have 100s of small local sponsors contributing to the costs, rather than just a few corporate giants. It would help local economy and offer some genuine choice to the consumers.

[bazwillrun]

http://www.harrowtime..._pledges_no_tax_rise/

first link i came to, theres plenty of others if you want them

[bazwillrun]

"It is draconian, they way they attempt to enforce these franchises"

only because LOGOC or whatever its called allowed them to negotiate these deals and enforcement policies.

Coe just rolled over

i'm sure after the games there will be some news stories about brown envelopes, some have already surfaced re tickets and people buying access to the dignitaries and competitor only travel lanes

[Gromit]

baz.
That is a 6 year old link. Livingston has been out for 5 years. Labour have been out of Government for 2 years.

Are you trying to say Blair and Livingston are still running the country?

[bazwillrun]

"I am guessing you do not want the taxpayer to fund the Olympics"

Its pretty clear.

i'm a taxpayer and I am already paying a tax to fund the olympics foisted on me by livingnstone.

your comment implies that if it werent for these sponsors the taxpayer would have to fund the games, well I and millions of others are helping to fund the games through tax

[Bazile]

Ah - never mind you Londoners - just think of YOUR legacy

http://www.communitie...mpiclegacyeastlondon/

[Answerprancer]

"MacDonalds & Coke, you couldn't find two products more likely to harm the health of young people".
...and the world.
They're an evil pair of globalising greedy ethically challenged cesspits (IMO).