Spending On U.S. Marathons And Other Running Events To Total $86.1 Million in '09

North American-based companies will spend an estimated $86.1 million to sponsor marathons, triathlons, 10Ks and other running events this year, a 2.5 percent increase from the $84 million spent in '08, according to IEG, the world's leading authority on sponsorship.

Chicago, Ill. (PRWEB) November 5, 2009 -- North American-based companies will spend an estimated $86.1 million to sponsor marathons, triathlons, 10Ks and other running events this year, a 2.5 percent increase from the $84 million spent in '08, according to IEG, the world's leading authority on sponsorship.

While the projection is down significantly from the nearly 9 percent increase in spending from '07 to '08, it outpaces IEG's expected .7 percent spending increase on overall sponsorship of sports properties.

The reason: Increasingly sophisticated sponsorship sales techniques by marathons and other types of running events, as well as the upscale demographic of runners and other endurance sports athletes.

"Corporate marketers continue to be enthralled by endurance sports' affluent participant base," said William Chipps, senior editor of IEG Sponsorship Report.

Corporate interest also has been fueled by a new player on the scene: Competitor Group Inc. New York City-based private equity firm Falconhead Capital, LLC formed CGI in January '08 following its acquisition of four media and event companies in the endurance sports space: Competitor Publishing, Elite Racing, Triathlete Magazine and Inside Communications.

The acquisitions gave CGI a number of assets - including the Rock 'n' Roll Marathon Series, the Muddy Buddy Series, Inside Triathlon and Velo News - around which it is offering multi-dimensional marketing platforms.

Those packages have caught the interest of corporate marketers, with CGI this year securing new deals with Brooks Sports, Inc.; Nissan North America, Inc.; Amway Corp.'s Nutrilte vitamins; and MillerCoors, LLC's MGD64 brand.

Other new deals in '09 include The Procter & Gamble Co., which inked presenting status of the Cincinnati Flying Pig Marathon, and the Jamaica Tourist Board, which partnered with the Nautica New York City Triathlon. Manhattan's Hospital for Special Surgery and T-Mobile USA, Inc. both signed new deals with the ING New York City Marathon.

About IEG, LLC

IEG is the world's leading provider of independent research, consulting, training and analysis on sponsorship. Founded in 1981, IEG provides corporations and properties with the strategies and tools to harness the sales and marketing power of sports, arts, entertainment and cause marketing.

IEG offers services that include sponsorship consulting, competitive intelligence and valuation. IEG also publishes IEG Sponsorship Report, the international biweekly newsletter on sponsorship; the IEG Sponsorship Sourcebook, the definitive guide to sponsors, properties and agencies; and other industry publications and sources.

IEG also is the leader in sponsorship training. Its internationally renowned Sponsorship Conference, now in its 26th year, attracts a capacity crowd of delegates each year. Through its conferences, seminars and webinars, IEG has trained more than 45,000 sponsorship executives worldwide.

For more information about IEG and the sponsorship industry, please visit www.sponsorship.com or call 800/834-4850 (outside the U.S. and Canada, 312/944-1727).

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