COLUMBUS, Ohio - The Columbus Crew announced today the completion of seven new corporate partnership agreements and three multi-year renewals.
Budweiser, Roush Honda, Wendy's, Bob Evans Farms, Kick-Medic, All-Stars Family Sports and Entertainment Center and Xenia Power Equipment have all made new investments in the Columbus Crew of Major League Soccer and the central Ohio community.
"The Crew continues to evolve as a sports and entertainment property and these new partnership programs demonstrate our ability to deliver solutions for a variety of business and marketing needs," said McCullers. "Our marketing strengths lie primarily in a unique attachment and commitment to the maturing central Ohio Hispanic community; a diverse, growing special event audience at Crew Stadium; and our greatest strength, grass-roots, community-driven programs through soccer. With these vehicles and new strategic marketing partnerships in place, we have substantially increased our marketing capacity over the past year."
Budweiser receives designation as the "Official Beer of the Columbus Crew and Columbus Crew Stadium," highly visible in-stadium signage and various in-market promotional rights, including associate sponsorship of Copa Victoria, the Crew's annual 24-team Adult-Hispanic Soccer tournament that is played each summer.
Roush Honda receives designation as the "Official Automobile Dealer of the Columbus Crew," on-site presence on Crew Kicker Plaza prior to home games, associate sponsorship of Copa Victoria, commercial units in Crew television game broadcasts on ONN and recognition as a presenting sponsor of the Crew Soccer Tour, The Crew's new interactive mobile marketing tour. Roush Honda is supplying two Honda Elements for the Crew Soccer Tour that will visit various soccer "hot-beds," tournaments, festivals and events throughout the 2006 season.
Wendy's receives designation as the "Official Quick Service Restaurant of the Columbus Crew," on-site signage, live mentions through Crew English and Spanish language radio game broadcasts and associate sponsorship rights for the Crew Soccer Tour.
Other new partner highlights include: Bob Evans Farms presenting sponsorship of the traditional Buck-a-Brat Nights at Crew Stadium; Kick-Medic's promotional fundraising efforts for the Crew Soccer Foundation via the sales of its soccer training tool; All-Stars Family Sports and Entertainment Center played host to The Crew this past year for indoor training; and Xenia Power Equipment is the Turf Equipment and Supplier for Crew Stadium.
In addition to the notable new partnerships, renewal agreements with Donatos, DSW and Time Warner Cable increase the number of Crew relationships to over 60 corporate partners for the second straight year. Partnerships differ in size and scope and include intellectual and promotional rights, stadium signage, merchandising, advertising, hospitality and grass-roots programming.
Anyone interested in sponsorship, marketing or advertising opportunities with The Crew should contact Chad Schroeder, Senior Director of Corporate Partnerships, at 614-447-4158 or via email at cschroeder@thecrew.com.
