Aviva Ends UK Athletics Sponsorship
Aviva has announced it will not renew its lead sponsorship of UK Athletics, ending a 13-year collaboration with the organisation.
The financial services company will end its reported £8 million per year investment in British athletics at the end of 2012, despite the success of the London Games – which saw the likes of Mo Farah and Jessica Ennis take gold on the athletics track during the Olympics.
According to media reports, it is believed that UK Athletics will now seek to move away from the commercial model of employing one main partner by agreeing deals with a host of organisations.
Aviva’s chief marketing officer, Amanda Mackenzie, said: ‘We will have had 13 great years with UK Athletics and it has been a fantastic partnership. The support we’ve given has helped athletes such as Jessica Ennis and Jonnie Peacock reach the very top of their sport, with stellar performances in London over the summer.’
‘The sponsorship has also enabled us to build awareness of the Aviva brand among the millions of sporting fans across the UK and we feel now is the right time to pass on the baton to another organisation. It will no doubt prove as successful for them as it has for us.’
UK Athletics chief executive Niels de Vos added: ‘Aviva has been a superb partner for UK Athletics for 13 years. Without their support over these past years, there is no doubt that athletics would not find itself in the robust good health that it does – as the country’s number one Olympic and Paralympic sport with a vibrant commercial programme of televised events and activities from the school playground to elite preparation camps.’
