Google

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Google joined LA28 as its fifth Founding Partner in October 2025, serving as the Official Cloud Provider for the LA28 Olympic and Paralympic Games and extending its partnership to Team USA and NBCUniversal's U.S. broadcast coverage. The deal positions Google's cloud infrastructure and AI capabilities (including its Gemini model) as the technological backbone of Games operations, athlete preparation, and fan experience.

Google's entry into the LA28 partnership carries a geopolitical subtext. Alibaba, a TOP (The Olympic Partner) Programme member since 2017, has served as the IOC's global cloud partner through "OBS Cloud," providing live broadcast feeds to rights-holding broadcasters worldwide. Congressional concerns about Alibaba's access to sensitive U.S. infrastructure and security data for the LA28 Games created pressure to find a domestic cloud alternative. Google Cloud's LA28 partnership effectively creates a parallel cloud arrangement for the domestic Games experience, while Alibaba's global IOC relationship technically continues.

As the parent company Alphabet generated $402.8 billion in revenue in 2025 (with Google Cloud growing 48% to $17.7 billion in Q4 alone), Google brings both the financial resources and technological depth to deliver an ambitious technology-forward Games. The partnership spans AI-powered athlete training analysis, real-time sports data insights, fan information retrieval via Google Search, and workforce management for 70,000 volunteers and staff.

1. OLYMPIC HISTORY & MARKETING PRESENCE

1.1 Partnership Timeline & Evolution

Google has no prior history as an official Olympic sponsor. The LA28 Founding Partnership, announced October 8, 2025, represents the company's first formal Olympic sponsorship at any level.

Google has, however, engaged with the Olympics informally through: - Google Doodles: Regular Olympic-themed homepage doodles during Games periods - YouTube: Major platform for Olympic content consumption (YouTube is an official NBCU distribution partner for Milano Cortina 2026) - Google Search: De facto information hub for Olympic schedules, results, and athlete profiles during Games - Paris 2024 Ad: An emotional TV spot during Paris 2024 broadcast featuring a father using Google tools to help his daughter emulate sprinter Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone

Alibaba/IOC Global Cloud Context - 2017: Alibaba signed a 12-year TOP Partnership with the IOC as official cloud services and e-commerce platform partner - Paris 2024: All licensed broadcasters received live feeds exclusively through Alibaba-built OBS Cloud infrastructure - U.S. Congressional Concern: The House Select Committee on the CCP warned the Department of Homeland Security about Alibaba's role, calling it "unacceptable exposure to espionage, data exploitation, and foreign influence operations" for a U.S.-hosted Games - LA28 Resolution: Google Cloud's domestic partnership effectively addresses the security concern for U.S.-based operations while Alibaba's global IOC deal remains in place

Milano Cortina 2026

Though Google's formal Founding Partnership is with LA28, the company has activated meaningfully at Milano Cortina 2026:

• Google Cloud AI for U.S. Ski & Snowboard: Built an AI-powered training tool using Gemini and frontier models from Google DeepMind. The platform uses AI video analysis to map athlete motion from 2D video, providing data-backed feedback in minutes. Coaches can "chat" with their data using Gemini's multimodal capabilities (e.g., "How did that takeoff angle compare to the best run yesterday?").
• Google Search Olympics features: Dedicated Search features help fans track upcoming events, results, medal counts, and find live broadcast information.
• Gemini integration: Users can ask the Gemini icon or "Hey Google" questions about the Winter Olympics for real-time answers.
• YouTube as NBCU distribution partner: YouTube serves as an official distribution partner for NBCUniversal's Milano Cortina 2026 content.

1.2 Signature Programs

As a new sponsor, Google does not yet have established Olympic signature programs. Announced initiatives include: - AI-Powered Athlete Training Analysis: Using Gemini and Google Cloud AI to analyze workouts for Team USA athletes preparing for Milano Cortina and LA28 - Real-Time Sports Data: Surfacing complex sports data insights during competition - Google Search "AI Mode": Helping fans discover information during NBCUniversal broadcasts - Workforce Management: AI tools for managing 70,000 volunteers and staff

2. LA28-SPECIFIC INITIATIVES

2.1 Announced Plans & Positioning

• Official Cloud Provider: Google Cloud will power LA28 organizing committee operations, including event management, ticketing infrastructure support, and communications
• Team USA Partnership: AI and cloud tools supporting athlete preparation and training analysis
• NBCUniversal Integration: Google Search and AI features embedded in NBCU's multi-platform broadcast coverage
• Fan Experience: Google Maps, Search, and AI-powered tools to help spectators navigate venues, find information, and engage with the Games
• Volunteer/Staff Management: Cloud-based tools for the 70,000-person operational workforce

LA28 Venue Context: The Games will use 40+ competition venues across the LA metro area, with a dual-venue Opening Ceremony shared between the LA Memorial Coliseum and SoFi Stadium (announced May 2025). SoFi Stadium will be reconfigured for swimming in Week 2 (38,000 capacity, largest swimming venue in Olympic history). Athletics moves to Week 1 at the Coliseum. LA28 will be the first Games since 1948 built entirely on existing infrastructure. Google Maps' navigation capabilities will be particularly valuable given the dispersed venue footprint across the LA metro. The Ticket Draw registration opened January 14, 2026 with tickets from $28. The 50-state Olympic torch relay, beginning April 2028, provides a national showcase for Google's mapping and AI-powered discovery tools.

2.2 Regulatory/Market Context

The Google/Alibaba dynamic is the most strategically significant subplot in LA28's technology partnership landscape. Key tensions:

• Alibaba's global IOC TOP deal technically extends through 2028, covering LA28
• U.S. national security concerns make Alibaba's cloud role in a U.S.-hosted Games politically untenable
• Google Cloud's domestic partnership creates a de facto replacement for U.S.-based operations without requiring the IOC to terminate the Alibaba relationship
• Google's $75 billion AI investment in 2025 signals the scale of its ambitions to use LA28 as an AI showcase

Google also faces regulatory scrutiny unrelated to the Olympics: the U.S. Department of Justice's antitrust case against Google's search dominance. The LA28 partnership provides a high-profile, positive brand association during a period of legal and regulatory pressure.

3. EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP & DECISION-MAKERS

3.1 C-Suite Leadership

• Sundar Pichai: CEO of Google and Alphabet Inc. since 2015 and 2019, respectively. Pichai has overseen the company's pivot to AI-first strategy, including the launch of Gemini and a $75 billion AI investment commitment in 2025.
• Philipp Schindler: Chief Business Officer, Google. Oversees global partnerships, advertising, and commercial relationships.
• Thomas Kurian: CEO, Google Cloud. Leads the cloud business that grew 48% in Q4 2025, driving the LA28 cloud partnership.

3.2 Olympic Partnership Leadership

Specific individuals leading Google's Olympic partnership team have not been publicly identified. Given the recency of the October 2025 announcement, the partnership structure is likely still being staffed.

3.3 Board Members with Relevant Experience

• John Hennessy: Chairman of Alphabet's Board. Former President of Stanford University, with deep connections to Silicon Valley and the broader innovation community.

4. AGENCY & CREATIVE PARTNERS

4.1 Agency Model

Google maintains a hybrid model combining significant in-house creative capabilities with external agency partnerships, particularly for media buying and campaign execution.

4.2 Known Agency/Partner Relationships

• EssenceMediacom (WPP): Google's global media agency of record. Essence has served as Google's digital media agency for over a decade, managing $4+ billion in annualized media spend globally. The 2023 merger of Essence and MediaCom created a combined entity with both digital performance and brand-building capabilities.
• In-House Creative: Google's internal marketing team handles significant creative production, particularly for product-focused campaigns and Google Doodles
• YouTube/NBCU Distribution: YouTube serves as a key distribution partner for Olympic content

4.3 Notable Creative Executions

• Paris 2024 "Dear Sydney" Ad: Emotional TV spot featuring a father using Google AI to help his daughter compose a fan letter to sprinter Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone (drew both praise and criticism for its portrayal of AI replacing human creativity)
• Google Doodle Games: Interactive Olympic-themed games on Google's homepage during Games periods, reaching billions of daily users

5. COMPETITIVE POSITIONING

5.1 Market Share & Competitive Landscape

Google dominates search (approximately 90% global market share) and is a strong #3 in cloud computing behind Amazon Web Services and Microsoft Azure. Google Cloud's 48% revenue growth in Q4 2025 signals aggressive share gains. YouTube is the world's largest video platform by viewership.

Key Competitors and Their Olympic/Sports Technology Strategies: - Alibaba Cloud: Global IOC TOP Partner since 2017; provides OBS Cloud broadcast infrastructure that powers Olympic broadcasting worldwide. Alibaba's cloud deal predates Google's LA28 partnership and operates at a higher tier (global TOP vs. domestic Official Partner). The two companies' Olympic roles are complementary rather than directly competitive: Alibaba handles broadcast infrastructure, Google handles fan-facing search, maps, and AI. - Amazon Web Services: No Olympic partnership. AWS sponsors Formula 1 (data analytics) and the NFL (Next Gen Stats). AWS would be a natural Olympic sponsor but has not entered the space. - Microsoft: IOC TOP Partner through its broader technology products. Microsoft's Olympic category covers productivity and collaboration tools, separate from cloud infrastructure. Azure competes with Google Cloud commercially but the Olympic category delineation avoids direct conflict. - Meta: No Olympic sponsorship but is a digital distribution partner for Milano Cortina 2026 content. - Apple: No Olympic sponsorship. Has invested in MLS (Apple TV+) but lacks Olympic presence.

5.2 Olympic Sponsorship Differentiation

Google is uniquely positioned to integrate its consumer products (Search, Maps, YouTube) with enterprise cloud services in a single sponsorship activation. No other technology sponsor can offer the combination of: - Search and discovery (Google Search, AI Mode) - Video distribution (YouTube, which exceeded $60 billion in revenue in 2025) - Cloud infrastructure (Google Cloud) - AI capabilities (Gemini) - Mobile ecosystem (Android, which powers Samsung's Olympic Edition devices) - Navigation (Google Maps for venue wayfinding)

The Google-Alibaba dynamic is notable: both hold Olympic partnerships in overlapping technology categories but at different tiers and with different operational scopes. Google's consumer-facing products (Search, Maps, YouTube) give it visibility that Alibaba's backend cloud infrastructure cannot match with Western audiences.

5.3 Key Brand Messaging

• AI-Powered Fan Experience: Using Gemini and AI to make the Games more accessible and discoverable
• Technology Enabling Human Achievement: Cloud and AI tools supporting athlete preparation
• Hometown Connection: Google/Alphabet is headquartered in Mountain View, California, making LA28 a home-market Games

6. KEY METRICS & BUSINESS CONTEXT

6.1 Financial Performance

• 2025 Annual Revenue (Alphabet): $402.8 billion (15% YoY increase), exceeding $400 billion for the first time
• Q4 2025 Revenue: $113.8 billion (18% YoY increase)
• Google Cloud Q4 2025 Revenue: $17.7 billion (48% YoY increase)
• YouTube Revenue: Exceeded $60 billion across ads and subscriptions for full year 2025
• Net Income (Q4 2025): $34.5 billion (30% increase)
• Operating Margin: 31.6%
• 2026 CapEx Guidance: $175-185 billion, reflecting massive AI infrastructure investment
• Market Capitalization: ~$2.3 trillion (February 2026)
• Stock: GOOGL / GOOG (NASDAQ)

6.2 Olympic Period Performance

As a new sponsor with no prior Games activation, there are no historical Olympic-period metrics. The Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Games will serve as Google's first activation, with LA28 as the primary strategic target.

APPENDIX: KEY SOURCES

Official Sources

• Google Cloud Press Corner: googlecloudpresscorner.com
• Google Blog: blog.google
• LA28 Official Partners: la28.org/en/our-partners.html
• USOPC Announcements: usopc.org

Industry Analysis

• SportsPro: Google LA28 Partnership Analysis
• The Sports Examiner: LA28 Founding Partner Coverage
• Sports Video Group: Google Cloud Olympics Coverage

Financial Filings

• Alphabet Q4 2025 Earnings Release (February 2026)
• Alphabet 2025 Annual Report (SEC 10-K)

End of Research Brief