Japanese giant Honda is now an official founding partner of the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games, as well as the official automotive sponsor of Team USA, Ad Age reports. The long-term partnership, which also includes a multi-platform collaboration with NBC Universal, will see Honda showcase its wide range of products – from electric cars and scooters to motorcycles and ATVs – across venues, fan zones, and Olympic infrastructure.
Here are five key takeaways from this high-profile sponsorship:
- Honda Replaces Toyota
Toyota was previously the Olympic Games’ global ’mobility ’ sponsor, with a deal reportedly worth $835 million covering the 2018–2024 Olympic cycle. However, the partnership ended on a sour note: Toyota chairman Akio Toyoda publicly criticized the IOC, saying the Games had lost focus on people and athletes, stating: ’The Olympics should simply be about watching athletes achieve their impossible’.
- Honda to Spotlight Visibility and Electrification
Unlike most auto brands, Honda brings a diverse product portfolio to the Games – expect to see e-scooters, motorcycles, ATVs, and even boats in action. The focus will be on electrified mobility, with Acura, Honda’s premium brand, also expected to have a strong presence throughout the event.
- A Local Story With Global Impact
Despite being a Japanese company, Honda has deep roots in the U.S. – it opened its first American office in Los Angeles back in 1959, and has been headquartered in Torrance, California, since 1990. With over 30,000 employees in the U.S. and 12 local manufacturing plants, Honda sees the LA28 partnership as a chance to reinforce its American identity, particularly in a political and economic climate shaped by tariffs and shifting trade dynamics.
- NBCUniversal Collaboration and “The Power of Dreams”
Honda’s Olympic activation will be fully integrated across NBC’s broadcast and streaming platforms, starting with the 2026 Winter Games in Italy. Creative and media planning will be led by Honda’s U.S. agency, RPA, with the brand’s longtime tagline, ’The Power of Dreams’ expected to take center stage in campaign messaging.
- Who Else Is Backing LA28?
Honda joins Comcast and Delta Airlines as founding partners of the LA28 Games. Global IOC sponsors include industry giants such as Coca-Cola, Visa, Samsung, Airbnb, Procter & Gamble, and TCL. On the Team USA side, recent new sponsors include Saatva (mattresses) and Snowflake (data cloud services).
