by Larry Eder
Peter Ciaccia/NYRR, Rob De Martini/NB, Jenny Simpson, Tom Carleo, NB, Michael Capiraso/NYRR, photo by Getty Images
Updated 11 pm 12/8/15
In a fifteen minute live streaming broadcast from New York, Robert De Martini, President & CEO of New Balance announced a ten year partnership with the New York Road Runners Club this morning.
“Next year, New Balance will be one hundred and ten years old” noted De Martini. De Martini noted how appropriate to begin this new relationship in such a historic year for the brand.
The relationship will begin in 2016, as New Balance and the New York Road Runners working on races, training support and infrastructure, including a NB store in the new New York Road Runners facility. In 2017, New Balance will become, for ten years, the footwear and apparel sponsor of the New York City Marathon.
Michael Capiraso, President & CEO of the NYRR, and Peter Ciaccia, President of Events at the NYRR, both gave praise to the new relationship, with Ciaccia welcoming New Balance into the NYRR family.
Capiraso spoke about the willingness of the New Balance brand to support NYRR’s program to get one million people running in the Big Apple.
Peter Ciaccia noted in a phone interview, that the New Balance involvement is “This is truly exciting for both New Balance and the NYRR. The core values, and mission align so perfectly. We are working with a partner that is part of the NYRR family. In 2016, we will work in Bronx and Fifth avenue miles, and especially with the youth program. The Youth program is important to both of us. We want healthy and fit kids running now, in New York, then across the US, and around the world, and also running in New Balance Shoes.”
Tom Carleo, VP of Running at New Balance reminded the media that New Balance has supported running in New York for years, with the support by Jim and Ann Davis of the New Balance Armory.
In a quick phone interview, Carleo noted “The fact that we are already able to tap into existing relationships with the Armory and New Balance Ambassadors to create more movement in this city of young kids is huge to us. The second piece of what makes this so important, as we continue to do great things with our footwear and apparel, is to show our products to this highly influential stage. Being in New York highlights us in front of an important constituency and in key countries around the world. The global stage and supporting kids are key to us.”
The announcement brings to an end the twenty-five year sponsorship of ASICS America with New York City Marathon. The New Balance sponsorship will include a store, licensed products, many more races and an actual sponsorship of the New York Road Runners. More details to come.
Some specifics below:
Today, New Balance and New York Road Runners (NYRR) announce a new multi-year agreement that features year-round engagements with NYRR events, programs and youth running initiatives. The new relationship, which will launch gradually in 2016 and reach full engagement in 2017, covers a wide range of areas including event sponsorship, youth programming, global licensing as well as e-commerce and retail rights for footwear and apparel.
In 2016, New Balance will expand upon its current official footwear and apparel sponsorship of the Airbnb Brooklyn Half by becoming the title sponsor of the New Balance Bronx 10-Mile and the New Balance 5thAvenue Mile. Then in 2017, New Balance becomes an NYRR foundation partner and the Official Athletic Footwear and Apparel Partner of NYRR. The year-round engagement will feature sponsorship of the NYRR Five-Borough Series (United Airlines NYC Half, Airbnb Brooklyn Half, NYRR Queens 10K, New Balance Bronx 10-Mile and NYRR Staten Island Half), NYRR Heritage Races (NYRR New York Mini 10K, New Balance 5thAvenue Mile and the NYRR Midnight Run) and the TCS New York City Marathon.
