In the past issues of BarterNews we have reported on the enormous amount of in-kind trading that takes place between the large corporate sponsors and the Olympic Games.

Staging an Olympics is unlike any other sporting event...similar to producing two Super Bowls a day for 14 consecutive days. Thus, the amount of goods and services needed for the Games is staggering.

McDonald’s has been an Olympic sponsor for nearly three decades. And once again they’ve renewed their commitment, paying more than $50 million for the worldwide rights.

Much of the payment will be in meals for the hundreds of thousands of volunteers and athletes attending the Games in Athens, Greece.

The deal enables the world’s largest hamburger chain to use the Olympic rings in its marketing efforts, and entitles McDonald’s to call itself the official restaurant of the Olympic Games.