Clothing and Homeware will become a tier one category, meaning there are now six tier one categories available to potential sponsors.

 

They are: telecoms, automotive, airline, sportswear, oil and  gas and clothing and homeware

 

Lloyds TSB is the official Banking & Insurance partner and EDF is the official Utility Services partner.

 

In addition to the Games related marketing rights, it is anticipated that the prospective partner would provide suits for Team GB and Paralympics GB for both Vancouver 2010 and London 2012.

 

In addition, they would also provide Team GB and Paralympics GB with uniforms for the opening and closing ceremonies of Vancouver 2010 and London 2012 as well as soft furnishings for the Olympic Village in 2012.

 

Chris Townsend, commercial Director for the London Organising Committee for the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) said: “The commercial programme for London 2012 has made a terrific start.

 

"With two partners already on board and discussions with others at advanced stages, we are well ahead of schedule.

 

"It has become apparent over the last year or so that there was a great deal of interest from clothing and homeware companies so we decided to create this new category to harness that interest.”

 

Paul Deighton, the chief executive of LOCOG, welcomed the addition, “Our budget for organising the Games is £2 billion, all of which has to be privately raised.

 

"The commercial programme is therefore hugely important and has got off to a very good start.

 

"The addition of a new category demonstrates that there is a huge appetite from commercial companies to be part of 2012.”