by Larry EderWhile this announcement came last week, yours truly was at the Running Event, checking out new products, learning about the vagaries of our industry and chatting with our business peeps. I was chatting with a particular running store owner, who noted how well HOKA was doing for him. His next comment was what I wanted you to hear: “It is good to see HOKA stepping up to the plate, and sponsoring races, clubs and athletes. This is how HOKA grows, how HOKA helps us grow and how the sport grows. Too many damn brands think there is some mystical method that brings success. It is all about building great product and getting that product to runners. “
USATF announces HOKA as sponsor
of Middle Distance Classic
ANAHEIM, Calif. – HOKA ONE ONE has come aboard as title sponsor of USATF’s 2015 Middle Distance Classic meet, USATF CEO Max Siegel announced Tuesday.
As part of the sponsorship, the newly renamed HOKA ONE ONE Middle Distance Classic will feature double athlete prize money and a television-quality webcast on USATF.tv. Previously a USATF developmental meet, the 2015 HOKA ONE ONE Middle Distance Classic and its webcast will now be part of the USATF Championship Series, USATF’s premier series of international-caliber meets in the United States.
Siegel will officially unveil the partnership to USATF membership during his State of the Sport address Tuesday evening at USATF’s 2014 Annual Meeting opening session, noting that HOKA marks USATF’s ninth sponsor contract since 2012.
“HOKA’s entitlement of the Middle Distance Classic marks a new avenue of sponsorship for USATF and its athletes,” Siegel said. “Event-specific partnerships such as this enable us to elevate developmental meets into events that provide more money and more exposure for U.S. athletes. We are thrilled that HOKA has made this commitment to the sport and our athletes. We look forward to a 2015 HOKA ONE ONE Middle Distance Classic that is bigger and better than ever.”
“HOKA ONE ONE is proud to sponsor one of the most important middle distance meets in the country,” said Jim Van Dine, Brand President. “While HOKA’s roots started in ultra running, we are very committed to the sport of track and field, and believe that sponsoring this meet will introduce HOKA to an entirely new group of track and field athletes and fans.”
Previously held each May at Occidental College, the Middle Distance Classic provides competitive opportunities for elite athletes at distances from 800 through 5,000 meters. Virtually every top American middle-distance runner has competed at the meet the last two years, including Olympic or World Championships medal winners Leo Manzano, Galen Rupp, Jenny Simpson, Matt Centrowitz, Brenda Martinez, Shannon Rowbury and Nick Symmonds, as well as stars such as Molly Huddle, Mary Cain and Will Leer.
In addition to prize money and an upgraded webcast, the partnership includes cross-promotion of the event, HOKA branding as part of the webcast, social media promotion, branding and signage. An event logo for the HOKA ONE ONE Middle Distance Classic will debut in early 2015.
About USATF
USA Track & Field (USATF) is the National Governing Body for track and field, long-distance running and race walking in the United States. USATF encompasses the world’s oldest organized sports, some of the most-watched events of Olympic broadcasts, the country’s #1 high school and junior high school participatory sport and more than 30 million adult runners in the United States. For more information on USATF, visit www.usatf.org.
About HOKA ONE ONE
HOKA ONE ONE is the fastest growing, premium running shoe brand in the world. Two life-long runners launched HOKA in 2009, after years spent handcrafting and shaping lightweight shoes with extra-thick midsoles. Initially embraced by ultrarunners because of their enhanced cushioning and inherent stability, HOKA now offers shoes for all types of runners who enjoy the unique ride the shoes provide. For more information, visit www.hokaoneone.com.
