Media & Brand Guidelines

No business or other commercial entity should use USOPC IP without the express consent of the USOPC. The use of USOPC IP is reserved for official Olympic and Paralympic sponsors, suppliers, and licensees. This includes requests by companies wishing to host an event (seminar, conference, team-building event) with an Olympic or Paralympic theme. Federal law also prohibits the use of OLYMPIC or PARALYMPIC in a company or product name without the USOPC’s permission. 

Only Official Licensees may use:

• USOPC IP as authorized under the applicable license from the USOPC/USOPP.
• Official USOPC/USOPP partners should submit all proposed uses of USOPC IP for approval through authorized channels prior to use.

Please do not:

• Use USOPC IP in any form of advertising (e.g., on a brochure, in a print ad, on your website, in social media, etc.) or put USOPC IP on clothing or other merchandise unless you are an official USOPC partner and such use has been approved by the USOPC.
• Create your own "version" of any USOPC trademarks. For example, the Olympic Symbol should not be simulated using pizzas, onion rings, tires, beverages, basketballs, snowflakes, triangles, smiley faces, fruits and vegetables, etc.
• Use USOPC IP to host a contest or team-building event for your employees or your organization’s members.
• Use OLYMPIC in the name of your company (unless it is a local business on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington state, or the company has been using OLYMPIC in its business name since at least 1950).
• Use OLYMPIC CITY in the name of your business even if it is located in the City of Colorado Springs, which has permission to use the designation "Olympic City, USA."
• Use PARALYMPIC or PAN AMERICAN in the name of your company (unless it has been operating under that name since at least 1998).
• Use USOPC IP in your company’s social media posts because it suggests an association between the company and the Games and/or Team USA. Please see further details in the Social Media section below.

If you still have questions after reviewing these guidelines, please contact LegalIP@usopc.org.

If you are interested in being an official licensee, contact licensing@TEAMUSA2028.ORG.

The USOPC appreciates the interest, excitement and public conversation around the Games. Only official Olympic and Paralympic partners have permission to use USOPC IP in social media unless the organization’s primary business is disseminating news and information. The below guidelines provide acceptable use and guidance on all social media platforms including but not limited to Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, YouTube, Snapchat, TikTok and others.

ON PERSONAL, SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNTS, FEEL FREE TO:

• Cheer for, send good luck to, or congratulate Team USA or other Olympic and Paralympic athletes on your personal social media accounts.
• Talk about Team USA, the Games, or Games-related sports performances on your personal social media accounts.
• Use hashtags that include USOPC IP such as #OLYMPICS, #Paris2024, #TeamUSA, #GoForTheGold, or #GoTeamUSA on your personal social media accounts.

ON JOURNALISTIC OUTLETS’ SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNTS, FEEL FREE TO:

• Post news and information about Team USA, the Games or Games-related sports performances from journalistic outlets’ social media accounts per the Editorial Use Guidelines below.

ON NON-JOURNALISTIC, CORPORATE SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNTS, PLEASE DO NOT:

• Use USOPC IP to cheer for, send good luck to, or congratulate Team USA or other Olympic and Paralympic athletes from corporate social media accounts directly prior to or during the Games. Due to IOC and IPC rules, a business’s use of a participating athlete’s name or image during the “blackout period” without a waiver could potentially jeopardize that athlete’s eligibility for the Olympic or Paralympic Games. Please find the most updated Rule 40 Guidance here.
• Use hashtags that include USOPC IP such as #OLYMPICS, #OLYMPIAN, #TeamUSA, #Paris2024, #GoForTheGold, or #GoTeamUSA to talk about the Games, the athletes, or Games-related sports performances from corporate social media accounts.
• Post images from the Games depicting Team USA athletes or USOPC IP from corporate social media accounts unless your entity’s primary business is distribution of news and information.
• Post images that simulate the Olympic Rings from corporate social media accounts.
• Use social media to suggest any connection between your company or business and the USOPC, Team USA, or the Games without the USOPC’s permission.

Editorial use of USOPC IP is appropriate when it provides context to an article, story or broadcast or is used online for news-related purposes by a journalistic outlet. The use of USOPC trademarks should not promote or publicize the news outlet itself. For example, newspapers should not put the Olympic Rings in their masthead while reporting on the Games. 

Commercial entities whose primary purpose is the sale of goods or services unrelated to disseminating the news may not use USOPC IP under the pretext of editorial content. For example, a soft drink company might post “current news” on its website; however, it is not a media company and its primary business is selling soft drinks. Therefore, it is not appropriate for entities that are not journalistic outlets to use USOPC IP without permission from the USOPC. 

FEEL FREE TO

• Use USOPC wordmarks, such as Olympic and Paralympic, in connection with news coverage about the Games.
• Maintain the integrity of USOPC trademarks; use the full-color version of Olympic Rings only on a WHITE background; use a monochromatic version of Olympic Rings only in a color found in the full-color version. 

PLEASE DO NOT

• Alter, rotate, stretch or distort USOPC trademarks.
• Use full-color version of Olympic Rings on colored background; and do not use a monochrome version of the Olympic Rings in purple, brown, orange or another color not found in the original.
• Use USOPC trademarks to promote a publication or website, for example, putting the Olympic Rings in the masthead of publication, a website banner, or in close proximity to the name of the company that it suggests an official relationship.
• Allow sponsorship of Games "sections" of a news publication or website by a third-party unless that company is an official USOPC partner.

If you still have questions after reviewing these guidelines or wish to request a logo, please contact communications@usopc.org

The USOPC encourages educators to teach students about the Olympic and Paralympic Movements, including their history, purpose and ideals. The guidelines below apply to teachers, administrators and others in non-profit educational settings. For inquires on hosting an Olympic Day, please contact: OlympicDay@usopc.org.

FEEL FREE TO

• Use USOPC IP in teaching students about the Olympic and Paralympic Games, their history, purpose, ideals, and what they mean to the global community.
• Host an Olympic & Paralympic Day celebration in honor of the Olympic & Paralympic Games and Olympic & Paralympic athletes under the USOPC's guidelines found here.
• Request permission to use USOPC IP to honor an Olympic or Paralympic athlete who attended your school (by installing a plaque or other form of recognition).
• Use USOPC IP in a limited way inside a school yearbook in recognition of the Games that occurred during the school year.
• Use USOPC IP in a school newspaper (whether online or in hardcopy) according to the Editorial Use Guidelines above.
• Use USOPC IP in educational projects that are not being published.

PLEASE DO NOT

• Combine any USOPC trademarks with your school's name or logo. For example, please do not call your school’s field day the "Jefferson Elementary Olympics."
• Create and/or sell t-shirts, bumper stickers, or any other merchandise using USOPC trademarks for fundraising, school spirit, etc. This includes using USOPC trademarks on the cover of a school yearbook or to promote yearbook sales.
• Host events called "[Subject] Olympics" such as the Reading Olympics or the Astronomy Olympics.
• Use USOPC IP in any fundraising activities.
• Use USOPC IP in a published educational work without USOPC permission.

If you still have questions after reviewing these guidelines or wish to request a logo, please contact LegalIP@usopc.org

The USOPC recognizes and is grateful for the valuable contributions made to the Olympic and Paralympic Movements by institutions through their sports programs that help develop athletes for the Team USA pipeline. The USOPC has established liaisons to cultivate a culture of cooperation with schools, and it is important that they follow the USOPC’s brand usage guidelines to avoid the appearance that the USOPC has endorsed or approved, or has any other commercial affiliation with, any particular school or program. Accordingly, schools are permitted to use USOPC IP as outlined below.

FEEL FREE TO

• Use USOPC IP in school media for students, faculty, alumni, etc. as set forth in the Editorial Use Guidelines above.
• In your school’s online editorial efforts (social media, websites, etc.) feel free to recognize and celebrate Olympians and Paralympians from your school and the school’s sports programs that contribute to the Team USA pipeline and, when appropriate, linking to www.USOPC.org, www.nbcolympics.com and other news coverage of your student athletes and their accomplishments.
• Use USOPC IP in balanced biographical descriptions that highlight your student athletes’ many and varied achievements.
• Use USOPC IP at a non-commercial school event where an Olympian or Paralympian is speaking or is being honored.
• Celebrate the Olympic or Paralympic Games through non-commercial festivities that do not recognize or associate with third-party commercial partners.
• Request permission to host Olympic or Paralympic viewing parties only in coordination with the local NBC affiliate.  To request permission, please contact Sarah.Wilhelmi@usopc.org.
• Encourage students, faculty, athletes, coaches, staff, etc. to post about the Olympic and Paralympic Games on their individual/personal social media accounts.

PLEASE DO NOT

• Use USOPC IP in any manner that implies your school has a commercial relationship with the USOPC, Team USA and/or the Olympic and Paralympic Movements, unless such use is pursuant to a formal agreement with the USOPC, for example, an agreement that designates your school as an Olympians Made Here or Paralympians Made here school. 
• Imply any association between any of your school’s commercial partners and the USOPC, Team USA and/or the Olympic and Paralympic Movements.
• Use USOPC IP in fundraising activities.
• Create and/or sell any merchandise or giveaways using USOPC IP, for example, t-shirts, bumper stickers, water bottles, key chains or pins.

The USOPC has partnered with more than 130 higher education schools and conferences in an effort to help them celebrate their student-athlete performances. The purpose of the campaign is to change the narrative around Olympic sport programming on campus and to enhance the way schools, conferences, NGBs and the USOPC work together to cover national team student-athletes in the leadup to and during an Olympic Games. More information about the campaign guidelines can be found here.

IF YOU HAVE SIGNED AN OLYMPIANS MADE HERE OR PARALYMPIANS MADE HERE AGREEMENT, FEEL FREE TO:

• Use USOPC IP and the Olympians Made Here logo in a manner that is editorial and non-commercial in conjunction with the campaign.
• Seek USOPC approval before using the campaign marks or USOPC IP in any editorial videos.
• Seek USOPC approval prior to altering any pre-approved templates provided as part of the Olympians Made Here campaign.
• Display the official campaign logo with your school mark on in-venue digital boards with a minimum of one (1) second of spacing on either side of its display and/or between sponsored breaks or PA reads.

IF YOU HAVE SIGNED AN OLYMPIANS MADE HERE OR PARALYMPIANS MADE HERE AGREEMENT, PLEASE DO NOT:

• Alter the campaign logo or USOPC IP in any manner.
• Share any of the campaign marks or USOPC IP with third-parties, including athletes, coaches, alumni, professors, etc.).
• Develop any materials that will be sold in conjunction with the campaign.

Community institutions include libraries, cities or townships, camps, social clubs, churches and other organizations. Non-commercial organizations who wish to engage in activities, host events, or publish articles about the Games in a manner that is not affiliated with a commercial third party, may do so in accordance with the guidelines below.

FEEL FREE TO:

• Use USOPC IP in order to inform people about the Olympic and Paralympic Games, their purpose, history and ideals, and what they mean to the global community.
• Use USOPC IP in a publication for members as set forth in the EDITORIAL section above.
• Use USOPC IP at a non-commercial event where an Olympian or Paralympian is speaking or is being honored, so long as USOPC IP is not combined with a third party’s name or logo in such a way as to create a false association between the two.
• Celebrate the Olympic or Paralympic Games through non-commercial community festivities that do not recognize or associate with third-party sponsors.
• Request permission to host large-scale community-based Olympic or Paralympic viewing parties only in coordination with the local NBC affiliate.
• Request permission to use the Olympic Symbol on a scout patch that can be earned by individuals demonstrating knowledge about the Olympic Movement.

PLEASE DO NOT:

• Combine any USOPC IP with your institution's name or logo.
• Create and/or sell any merchandise or giveaways using USOPC trademarks, for example, t-shirts, bumper stickers, water bottles, key chains or pins.
• Use "Olympics," "Paralympics" or "lympics in the name of your event, such as the "Reading Olympics" for a summer reading program or "Biblympics" for a church camp.
• Use USOPC IP in fundraising activities without the USOPC’s consent.

If you still have questions after reviewing these guidelines or wish to request a logo, please contact LegalIP@usopc.org.

USOPC trademarks should not be used in fundraising for charitable organizations or initiatives outside of officially approved USOPC fundraising efforts.  

FEEL FREE TO:

• Use Olympic or Paralympic references to identify an athlete and his/her accomplishments, along with other non-Olympic/Paralympic achievements, if an athlete is involved in promoting a charitable organization.  For information on athlete guidelines, please click here.

PLEASE DO NOT:

• Use USOPC IP for fundraising or public awareness campaigns except as described in the “Feel Free To” section above.
• Host events with "Olympics," "Paralympics" or "-lympics" in the name.
• Use an athlete's Olympic or Paralympic medals, footage or photos of Games competition that incorporate the USOPC trademarks, or any of the USOPC’s copyrighted materials if an athlete is involved in promoting the organization.
• Use the USOPC IP in promoting any fundraising events, whether for charitable causes or for athletes aspiring to compete in the Games, except as described above in the “Feel Free To” section.

If you still have questions after reviewing these guidelines or wish to request a logo, please contact LegalIP@usopc.org

A separate portion of Team USA’s website hosts resources and guidelines for athletes seeking to raise funds for their own training or travel. Please see the USOPC Athlete Services section where you will find the USOPC’s Athlete Endorsement Guidelines. This section also includes IOC and IPC guidelines for athletes on the use of social media and other related matters.

If you would like to submit a formal request to license and/or obtain Olympic or Paralympic footage, please do so here.

The Olympic Rings and Paralympic Agitos represent the goodwill associated with the Olympic and Paralympic movements.  Please do not submit artwork that incorporates or alters the Olympic Rings or Paralympic Agitos as we cannot use it and will ask you not to use it as well.

A: Below is a list of quick contact information:

• For inquiries about editorial and media please contact:communications@usopc.org
• For inquiries about obtaining a commercial license please contact: licensing@TEAMUSA2028.ORG
• For inquiries about using USOPC IP, please contact: LegalIP@usopc.org
• For inquiries about Olympic & Paralympic Day, please contact: OlympicDay@usopc.org
• If you have any questions regarding Olympic and Paralympic footage or Olympic and Paralympic-themed programming, please contact: Tamera.Reub@usopc.org
• For permission to host Olympic and Paralympic viewing parties, please contact: Sarah.Wilhelmi@usopc.org
• For information on Olympians Made Here and Paralympians Made Here, please click here

A: For more information about the Los Angeles 2028 games, please visit www.la28.org