At the Sydney Olympics a sideshow was the legal minefield of corporate egos. But Wood said the Sydney Games had given his organisation a major fillip. This will be especially so when the Melbourne organisers late next year start their major recruitment of senior staff, most of whom will have had previous multi-Games experience. Presumably, some will return to Melbourne. Other experienced staff will be sourced from the Goodwill Games, in Brisbane later this year, and the 2002 Masters Games in Melbourne.
Wood heads a team of just eight people.
But come the July Commonwealth Games in Manchester next year, the Melbourne Games outfit will take on a higher profile, with project officers and key department heads hired to oversee what will be a Games-time staff of 15,000 volunteers and 5000 contractors and 400 staff. The marketing plan will be taken to the corporate marketplace, although some companies have already shown interest. But Wood said the Melbourne Games advertising would be aesthetically pleasing. There might be four, five or six key supporters and as part of their exclusive package will be the requirement that the signage is not disarming. The Melbourne Games will feature a couple of new sports, pending ratification by the Commonwealth Games Federation in July.