Great Run Series Seeks New Title Sponsor

The Great Run Company has announced it is seeking a new title sponsor for the Great Run Series, a group of running events staged across nine cities in the UK and Ireland.

Current title sponsor, grocery retailer Morrisons, took over from Bupa in 2014 and will conclude its sponsorship at the end of 2015.

ESP Properties will represent The Great Run Company in its search for a new title sponsor for 2016 and beyond. The search will be supported with analytics and consultancy delivered by sports marketing agency, Two Circles.

The Great Run Series attracts 250,000 runners, 750,000 spectators and 5.5m TV viewers every year.

Mark Hollinshead, chief executive at The Great Run Company, said: “We are confident that the Great Run Series, with its unrivalled reach across the UK throughout the year, and our ability to engage the UK’s largest running community, is an attractive proposition for companies looking to promote a positive image to the families of Britain.

“We are delighted to have ESP Properties help us find the next title sponsor for the Great Run Series, which itself has become a movement; it is truly at the heart of mass participation in the UK. Our runners raise millions for a huge range of charities and represents Britain at its best – active, open to all and a great sporting spectacle staged on the streets of our cities.

“We selected ESP Properties because of both their extensive network and expertise across the sports industry, and because sponsorship has evolved. It is now about data-led engagement of specific audiences, great content, and high quality digitally native delivery – both Two Circles and ESP Properties understand this better than anyone.”

Jonathan Hill, global commercial director & head of EMEA at ESP Properties, said: “We are very excited to be representing such an iconic property and one with genuine mass appeal.

“What makes our role alongside The Great Run Company even more exciting is that Mark and his team share our vision for sponsorship and have repositioned the property as a media and content platform as well as a leading series of national events. Progressive brands will love what they have to offer, all year round.”