Uploaded July 2024 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Hosting the Olympics is usually a money-losing proposition. The cost of staff, fees, facilities, security, athlete accommodations, and infrastructure usually vastly exceed money from ticket sales and tourism. But in Summer 1984, the city of Los Angeles turned that around, holding one of the few profitable games in the modern history of Olympics. And this success was in part because of the corporate sponsorship of companies like Mars, whose contributions made its M&M’s and Snickers brands the official snack food of the Olympics. Not the official snack foods sponsor. The official snack foods of the 1984 Olympics. This is the story of how and why Snickers and M&M’s became the official snack of the 1984 Olympics.
Sources:
“Raisins—Official Olympic Snack?” The Sacramento Bee, Jan 25, 1976
“Olympics President Visits Los Angeles,” Highland Park News-Herald and Journal, Nov 5, 1977
“IOC Gives L.A. Veto Power Over Games Cost Increase,” The Baltimore Sun, Apr 13, 1978
“Miser with a Midas Touch,” Ray Kennedy, Sports Illustrated, Nov 22, 1982
“Whittier Chamber Told Free Enterprise Will Be Winner in LA Olympics,” Terrence Poppa, East Review, Nov 17, 1983
“Nutrition Update: Olympic Candy Endorsement Sours Food Experts,” Gino Del Guercio, UPI via Muncie Evening Press, Dec 6, 1983
“Food Notes,” Florence Fabricant, The New York Times, Dec 14, 1983
“Gamesmanship,” Bernice Kanner, New York Magazine, Feb 27, 1984
“Ueberroth’s Iron Hand Smooths Every Logistical Wrinkle,” Mike McKenzie, The Kansas City Star, Jul 22, 1984
“Sponsoring of Games Appears to Be Successful,” Robert Lindsey, The New York Times, Aug 6, 1984
“Success of Games in Los Angeles Likely to Change Future Olympics,” Robert Lindsey, Aug 12, 1984
“Ueberroth Deserves Games’ Final Medal,” Hall Bock, AP via The Item, Aug 14, 1984
“Bar Wars: Hershey Bites Mars,” Steven Lawrence and Philip Mattera, FORTUNE, Jul 8, 1985
“The Oxford Olympics Study 2016: Cost and Cost Overrun at the Games,” Bent Flyvbjerg, Allison Stewart, and Alexander Budzier, Saïd Business School, University of Oxford, Jul 2016
“Los Angeles 1984: An Influential Legacy,” Internal Olympic Committee, Nov 6, 2019
Hosting the Olympics is usually a money-losing proposition. The cost of staff, fees, facilities, security, athlete accommodations, and infrastructure usually vastly exceed money from ticket sales and tourism. But in Summer 1984, the city of Los Angeles turned that around, holding one of the few profitable games in the modern history of Olympics. And this success was in part because of the corporate sponsorship of companies like Mars, whose contributions made its M&M’s and Snickers brands the official snack food of the Olympics. Not the official snack foods sponsor. The official snack foods of the 1984 Olympics. This is the story of how and why Snickers and M&M’s became the official snack of the 1984 Olympics.
Sources:
“Raisins—Official Olympic Snack?” The Sacramento Bee, Jan 25, 1976
“Olympics President Visits Los Angeles,” Highland Park News-Herald and Journal, Nov 5, 1977
“IOC Gives L.A. Veto Power Over Games Cost Increase,” The Baltimore Sun, Apr 13, 1978
“Miser with a Midas Touch,” Ray Kennedy, Sports Illustrated, Nov 22, 1982
“Whittier Chamber Told Free Enterprise Will Be Winner in LA Olympics,” Terrence Poppa, East Review, Nov 17, 1983
“Nutrition Update: Olympic Candy Endorsement Sours Food Experts,” Gino Del Guercio, UPI via Muncie Evening Press, Dec 6, 1983
“Food Notes,” Florence Fabricant, The New York Times, Dec 14, 1983
“Gamesmanship,” Bernice Kanner, New York Magazine, Feb 27, 1984
“Ueberroth’s Iron Hand Smooths Every Logistical Wrinkle,” Mike McKenzie, The Kansas City Star, Jul 22, 1984
“Sponsoring of Games Appears to Be Successful,” Robert Lindsey, The New York Times, Aug 6, 1984
“Success of Games in Los Angeles Likely to Change Future Olympics,” Robert Lindsey, Aug 12, 1984
“Ueberroth Deserves Games’ Final Medal,” Hall Bock, AP via The Item, Aug 14, 1984
“Bar Wars: Hershey Bites Mars,” Steven Lawrence and Philip Mattera, FORTUNE, Jul 8, 1985
“The Oxford Olympics Study 2016: Cost and Cost Overrun at the Games,” Bent Flyvbjerg, Allison Stewart, and Alexander Budzier, Saïd Business School, University of Oxford, Jul 2016
“Los Angeles 1984: An Influential Legacy,” Internal Olympic Committee, Nov 6, 2019
