The world’s largest home improvement retailer is ending its Olympic sponsorship. The move by Home Depot also brings to a close a popular Olympic athlete jobs program.
The program allowed aspiring Olympic athletes time to train by working part-time at Home Depot stores, but getting full-time pay and benefits. The move affects nearly 100 employees in the company’s Olympic jobs program.
Atlanta-based Home Depot says during the 16-year Olympic sponsorship, 600 athletes took advantage of the program. Half of that number made Olympic and Paralympic teams, and almost 150 won medals.
The company says ending its Olympic relationship was not due to the downturn in the economy. A Home Depot spokesperson says it was simply the right time to move on to other opportunities. The sponsorship deal was worth between 15-20 million dollars over the past four years.
The program allowed aspiring Olympic athletes time to train by working part-time at Home Depot stores, but getting full-time pay and benefits. The move affects nearly 100 employees in the company’s Olympic jobs program.
Atlanta-based Home Depot says during the 16-year Olympic sponsorship, 600 athletes took advantage of the program. Half of that number made Olympic and Paralympic teams, and almost 150 won medals.
The company says ending its Olympic relationship was not due to the downturn in the economy. A Home Depot spokesperson says it was simply the right time to move on to other opportunities. The sponsorship deal was worth between 15-20 million dollars over the past four years.
