Bridgestone and the NFL have inked a five-year extension of an integrated marketing sponsorship designating the company as the “Official Tire of the National Football League.”
The initial three-year deal began in 2007.
Bridgestone will continue to work with the NFL through numerous exclusive promotional opportunities, including title sponsorship of the gala halftime show extravaganzas for Super Bowls XLV through XLIX.
“Having this relationship with the NFL has already proven to be a tremendous asset in elevating the Bridgestone brand’s consumer awareness and visibility,” says John Baratta, president of the company’s consumer replacement tire sales division for the U.S. and Canada.
“Continuing this sponsorship is a key component of our sports marketing strategy and an incredible opportunity for us to reach a highly influential audience of sports fans,” Baratta points out.
The agreement also includes trademark rights plus broadcast and online media elements.
Bridgestone plans to continue its support of the NFL sponsorship with an integrated marketing plan that includes national advertising along with other consumer-oriented programs and promotions. The company will also maintain sponsorship rights in Japan, one of the NFL’s international territories.
“We are excited to continue to align the NFL with a premium brand like Bridgestone,” says Keith Turner, the NFL’s senior vice president of sponsorship and media sales.
The tire maker “has helped elevate the image of the Super Bowl Halftime Show over the past three years,” notes Turner, “and we look forward to growing this tradition.”
Along with its sponsorship of the NFL, Bridgestone is also the Official Tire of the NHL and NHLPA and title sponsor of the last two Bridgestone NHL Winter Classics; the Official Tire of the PGA Tour; it also sponsors the World Golf Championships – the Bridgestone Invitational played at the Firestone Country Club in Akron, Ohio
Bridgestone’s Firestone division is the Official Tire of Major League Baseball, the Indianapolis 500, the IZOD IndyCar Series and the Firestone Indy Lights Series.
The firm also has local and regional sponsorships with teams such as the NFL’s Tennessee Titans and hockey’s Nashville Predators. It also has a five-year naming rights agreement for the Music City’s downtown entertainment complex: The Bridgestone Arena is the Predators’ home rink.
For more information, visit www.bridgestone-firestone.com.
