Spar Extends Athletics Sponsorship
European Athletics and SPAR International have announced that SPAR has extended its commitment to athletics on the continent for a further four years until the end of 2015. SPAR International has been the principal sponsor of European Athletics since 1996.
The new contract commences in January 2012 and will incorporate the European Athletics Championships, the European Athletics Indoor Championships, the SPAR European Cross Country Championships and the European Team Championships until 2015.
Hansjörg Wirz, President of European Athletics, said: ‘We are delighted that SPAR will continue as our main partner. We have had a fantastic relationship with SPAR over the past 15 years and we value the company’s continued support as we continue to address our ambitious plans for athletics in Europe’.
Dr. Gordon Campbell, SPAR International managing director, explained: ‘European Athletics’ championship events provide SPAR with a cost effective, good level of brand exposure’.
‘Through our partnership with European Athletics, the SPAR brand is closely aligned with energetic and healthy people competing at the pinnacle of sport on the continent, and this combined with our support of national and local athletics events is the right synergy for us’.
The Barcelona 2010 European Athletics Championships reached a television audience of 368 million during live broadcasts underlining the continued popularity of European Athletics’ flagship championships.
Dr. Campbell added: ‘European Athletics events are a great platform for building the SPAR brand worldwide. We are very much looking forward to the next championships in Helsinki in 2012 and then Zürich in 2014 as European Athletics switches to a two-year cycle for its main championships’.
The sponsorship renewal means SPAR will be principal international partner for the Göteborg 2013 European Athletics Indoor Championships and the to-be-awarded 2015 European event as well as the 2013, 2014 and 2015 European Team Championships.
SPAR also will be the title sponsor of the annual SPAR European Cross Country Championships through 2012 to 2015.
