Cooler start for 2008 Games

The International
Organising Committee has decided to put back the start of the 2008 Olympic Games by two
weeks.. Originally due to be held from July 25 to August 10, the rescheduling was in
response to a request from the Beijing local organising committee that the start be
defeated to August 15, in order to avoid the heat and humidity of high summer in the
city.
The international committee also said that it was in talks with several Chinese
firms about joining the 'top 10' sponsorship patters for the Olympics. The committee has
already signed sponsorship deals with eight companies Kodak, Coca-Cola, John Hancock
Financial Services, Panasonic, Samsung. Visa, Schiumberger Sema and Swatch. A top
sponsorship deal covers one summer and one winter Games and typically -. costs the firm
around US$50m.