Verizon Wireless Sponsors World's Largest Corn Maze

Benson Farms' quest for the Guinness Book of World Record's as the world's largest corn maze by a farmer, today announced sponsorship by Verizon Wireless, America's largest and most reliable wireless network. This year's image by the Denton, Nebraska-based farm depicts Verizon Wireless' test man along with the company logo and tagline "America's Most Reliable Wireless Network." While visitors...

Marketing Collaborations around Sponsorship: Think Big

I've noticed two examples of corporations and the properties they've sponsored partnering in big ways on custom web sites around the sponsorship opportunities. Is this the start of a trend? What I like about these examples is that the partners are thinking big, integrating their brands, and creating something of high value to customers – something that wouldn't exist separately and that trul...

Deal Flow 7-31-2009

The Tennessee Lottery have agreed to partner with the Tennessee Titans on a co-branded lottery game that provides a variety of prizes including the chance to win Titans Club season tickets for 20 years, and cash prizes of up to $100,000. The Route 66 Marathon finalized a deal for Williams Companies, a major energy and communications company based out of Tulsa, to become the title sponsor for ...

Study: Sponsors Cutting Budgets, Not Events

A new poll by Event Minds, a UK company that specializes in sales training and coaching for event pros, suggests that the majority (80%) of sponsors are cutting budgets at a 40% clip, but only reducing the number of events that they attend by 10%. We'll wait for the full study to be completed to make conclusions, but here's a couple theories for what this could mean to sponsorship sales pros...

Breaking: Lowe's Will Not Renew @ Charlotte Motor Speedway

Sports Business Journal reports this morning that the 11-year naming rights deal between Lowe's and the Charlotte Motor Speedway will not be renewed. Though there is still 5 months left on the current one year contract extension, and after more than a year of negotiations, the home improvement company has informed Speedway Motorsports of their decision. According to the report, Lowe's current...

Deal Flow 7-30-2009

Winston-Salem-based Lowes Foods has signed on as the presenting sponsor of the 2011 U.S. Figure Skating Championships, to be held in Greensboro. SpongeTech Delivery Systems, Inc. The Smarter Sponge™, (OTCBB: SPNG - News), announced today a strategic sponsorship with the Cincinnati Bengals. Under the agreement, SpongeTech will become an official sponsor of the team and receive an exclusive bra...

Virgin America Gets Feet Wet with AVP

The AVP Pro Beach Volleyball has signed Virgin America as presenting sponsor of the Bud Light Hermosa Beach Open scheduled for August 6th-9th and aired on Universal Sports/NBC. The deal is for this year's event only. An official announcement is planned for tomorrow. Other presenting sponsors of AVP events include Bud Light, Malibu Rum, Kentucky Fried Chicken, Riverside Conventions & Visit...

Who Are These People?

I am being bombarded with questions asking me different suggestions or ideas as to who these people might be that want to sponsor your businesses, so in today’s post I’d like to discuss, WHO these people are...and WHY do they want to hand you their money?? It's been my experience that most folks wanting to sell sponsorships to their properties-their meetings, associations, newsletters and e-zi...

Deal Flow 7-21-2009

IBM has renewed its U.S. Open tennis sponsorship at a value of $20 million over the next four years. Beer company Carling has signed a three-year, appx $130,000/yr deal with the Irish Football Association (IFA) to sponsor the Premiership. The deal is expected to be the biggest investment in Irish League history. The International Tennis Hall of Fame has announced that Campbell Soup Company ha...

Deal Flow 7-29-2009

WWE today announced a major partnership deal with 7-Eleven convenience stores and Pepsi Max to promote the Summerslam PPV on August 23 in Los Angeles. Today, Kia Motors teamed up with ABC.com to produce a five-episode Web series for the network's Web site, ABC.com called "Mysteries of the Universe." Indianapolis' 500 Festival announced today Finish Line signed a multi-year agreement as title...