London 2012 Olympics: Pride the lion unveiled as Team GB mascot
Baku, September 6 (AZERTAC). The new mascot will be the flagship item for the London 2012 Olympic team and BOA executives hope he will be as successful as the Olympic mascots, Wenlock and Mandeville, The Telegraph reported.
History is on their side for during the Sydney Olympics, the unofficial mascot Fatso the Wombat became a highly sought after collector`s item and the Boxing Kangaroo has become synonymous with Australian sporting success.
But while the mascot is the intellectual property of the BOA, all of the sales up until the end of next year will go to the London organising committee`s budget. Locog is hoping for a total merchandise sale of £1 billion which would generate more than £80 million for their 2.3 million Games budget.
The BOA can only hope that Pride is much loved by the public and sales continue well after the London Olympics when marketing revenue will revert to the BOA.
Pride is obvious, traditional and appears a bit more cuddly than the London organisers` one eyed beasts. But the name?
The gay and lesbian community, which is celebrating World Pride in London from June 23 next year won`t need to look too far for its new icon. But of course pride is the collective noun for many lions, as well as the describing the emotion of pulling on a Team GB shirt.
Team GB Chef de Mission Andy Hunt said of the new mascot “It is fantastic that fans will have a range of items to choose from to get behind Team GB - a brand that stands for commitment, dedication and excellence.
"There will be something for everyone so that every person will have the opportunity to feel included and give British athletes the unique advantage of visible home nation support.”
There are red, white and blue versions of Pride so he is not technically, one of the rare endangered white lions of Africa. Like the wild beasts, he has no clothes.
The Germans might not like that. Their Fifa World Cup mascot lion Goleo VI was criticised as creating a market for teddy-bear erotica with his top half covered in a T-shirt, but naked down below.
Having the Team GB mascot in London 2012 shops was one of the compromise deals forged in the wake of the BOA and Locog dispute`s last year over a distribution of any Games profit.
There will be 10,000 different products with various London Olympic logos, while Pride the Lion will be on cuddly toys.
In total the entire Games merchandise will bring about £80 million revenue to the Games budget on sales of £1 billion.
Locog Chief Executive Paul Deighton said: “The Team GB and ParalympicsGB range is not only a great way to show your support but it also helps fund the staging of the Games. Our Olympic and Paralympic hopefuls have made the ultimate commitment to their sport, their team and their nation and now it`s our turn.”
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