Fast Track Secures $0.5m Sponsorship Deals for World Indoor Athletics
National commercial deals for next year's 9th IAAF World Indoor Championships in Athletics are now the biggest in the event's 16-year history, despite the poor health of the sports marketing industry.
British Airways, and the University of Birmingham are the latest companies to come on board as national partners and Cadbury Trebor Bassett will be official suppliers to the event, which takes place at the National Indoor Arena in Birmingham from March 14 to 16, 2003.
The consortium behind Birmingham's bid for City of Culture status in 2008 is also backing the Championships.
More than half a million dollars has now been raised from the sale of UK rights to the Championships by Fast Track, the sports marketing firm led by former Olympic athlete Alan Pascoe.
Pascoe said: 'To raise this much financial backing in the current climate really is an achievement. As well as an awful lot of hard work, I think we have also benefited from the high media exposure that athletics currently holds after the hugely successful Commonwealth Games and European Championships and the 21-gold medal haul of the British athletes at these championships.
'After the achievement of Manchester, the World Indoors in Birmingham will once again prove how capable we are in the UK of hosting a world class, commercially viable sporting event.'
Fast Track head of business development Marc Hope added: 'This is great news for the Championships and for the sport in general. It is also important to stress that we have not finished yet. There are still limited opportunities available for companies to get involved with this showpiece event so the final figure will be even higher.'
Through its backing of the live televised event British Airways hopes to promote their new European flights from Birmingham International Airport.
Cadbury's involvement builds on their successful sponsorship of the Commonwealth Games baton relay.
Meanwhile the global TV audience for the event offers the University of Birmingham the chance to increase its intake of overseas students.
Other national partners for the biennial Championships are Adecco - who will be enlisting 1,000 volunteers for the event - Birmingham International Airport, Birmingham Post & Evening Mail, Heart FM, and the regional development agency Advantage West Midlands.
British athletes competing include Dwain Chambers, Jonathan Edwards, Ashia Hansen and Colin Jackson as well as the world's fastest man - America's Tim Montgomery.
A further announcement of a major commercial backer is expected later this month.
For further information please contact:
Marc Hope
Fast Track
T: 020 7932 1700
British Airways, and the University of Birmingham are the latest companies to come on board as national partners and Cadbury Trebor Bassett will be official suppliers to the event, which takes place at the National Indoor Arena in Birmingham from March 14 to 16, 2003.
The consortium behind Birmingham's bid for City of Culture status in 2008 is also backing the Championships.
More than half a million dollars has now been raised from the sale of UK rights to the Championships by Fast Track, the sports marketing firm led by former Olympic athlete Alan Pascoe.
Pascoe said: 'To raise this much financial backing in the current climate really is an achievement. As well as an awful lot of hard work, I think we have also benefited from the high media exposure that athletics currently holds after the hugely successful Commonwealth Games and European Championships and the 21-gold medal haul of the British athletes at these championships.
'After the achievement of Manchester, the World Indoors in Birmingham will once again prove how capable we are in the UK of hosting a world class, commercially viable sporting event.'
Fast Track head of business development Marc Hope added: 'This is great news for the Championships and for the sport in general. It is also important to stress that we have not finished yet. There are still limited opportunities available for companies to get involved with this showpiece event so the final figure will be even higher.'
Through its backing of the live televised event British Airways hopes to promote their new European flights from Birmingham International Airport.
Cadbury's involvement builds on their successful sponsorship of the Commonwealth Games baton relay.
Meanwhile the global TV audience for the event offers the University of Birmingham the chance to increase its intake of overseas students.
Other national partners for the biennial Championships are Adecco - who will be enlisting 1,000 volunteers for the event - Birmingham International Airport, Birmingham Post & Evening Mail, Heart FM, and the regional development agency Advantage West Midlands.
British athletes competing include Dwain Chambers, Jonathan Edwards, Ashia Hansen and Colin Jackson as well as the world's fastest man - America's Tim Montgomery.
A further announcement of a major commercial backer is expected later this month.
For further information please contact:
Marc Hope
Fast Track
T: 020 7932 1700