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SPAR, a group of 12,200 stores, the largest voluntary group of convenience stores in the world, has extended their sponsorship with the European Athletics Association through 2015. I am fascinated for two reasons: one, SPAR, is a fascinating business model on its own, and their obvious satisfaction wit the European Athletics events! Nice Job, EAA! Sponsorship in this day and age is pretty difficult to engage, but it is, more than likely, the uniqueness and the opportunity to get grass roots support that makes SPAR and the EAA work together.

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SPAR International extends European Athletics sponsorship until 2015

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SPAR International extends European Athletics sponsorship until 2015

European
Athletics and SPAR International are pleased to announce that SPAR, the
world’s largest organisation of independent food retailers, 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 following
European Athletics events:

– European Athletics Championships 2012 and 2014
– European Athletics Indoor Championships 2013 and 2015
– SPAR European Cross Country Championships 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015

HansjÃ¶rg
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.”

Christian Milz, Director General of
European Athletics, also welcomed the news of the renewal: “The added
value that SPAR brings to promoting athletics in Europe thanks to its
thousands of shops is of huge importance to us.”

“I am sure our
close relationship with SPAR over the next four years will ensure that
we can continue to showcase both our main events and our initiatives in
youth development and mass participation in line with SPAR’s own goals
and values,” he said.

Dr. Gordon Campbell, SPAR International
Managing Director, said: “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.”

SPAR International
was pleased with the brand exposure at the Barcelona 2010 European
Athletics Championships. A television audience of 368 million watched
last summer’s event during live broadcasts (965 million cumulative
audience including news), underlining the continued popularity of
European Athletics’ flagship championships.

“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 ZÃ¼rich in 2014 as European Athletics switches to a
two-year cycle for its main championships,” said Dr. Campbell.

The
sponsorship renewal means SPAR will be principal international partner
for the GÃ¶teborg 2013 European Athletics Indoor Championships and the
to-be-awarded 2015 European event. SPAR also will be the title sponsor
of the annual SPAR European Cross Country Championships through 2012 to
2015.

About European Athletics:
European
Athletics is the governing body for the sport of athletics in Europe
and is based in Lausanne, Switzerland. It has 50 member federations and
runs a comprehensive championship programme which is watched by millions
of people annually.

About SPAR International:
SPAR
is the world’s largest voluntary retail food store chain with 12,200
stores and retail sales of â‚¬29 billion in 2010. SPAR is also the most
international voluntary food retailer, operating in 34 countries in
Europe, Africa, Asia and Australia.

SPAR
is an organisation of independent retailers and wholesalers working
together in partnership. This unique SPAR partnership allows SPAR to
operate locally and offer customers a personal service supported by all
the benefits of global business. This is most clearly seen in the
continuing exchange of expertise and know-how which is one of the
strengths of SPAR.

Author

Larry Eder
Larry Eder has had a 52-year involvement in the sport of athletics. Larry has experienced the sport as an athlete, coach, magazine publisher, and now, journalist and blogger. His first article, on Don Bowden, America's first sub-4 minute miler, was published in RW in 1983. Larry has published several magazines on athletics, from American Athletics to the U.S. version of Spikes magazine. He currently manages the content and marketing development of the RunningNetwork, The Shoe Addicts, and RunBlogRun. Of RunBlogRun, his daily pilgrimage with the sport, Larry says: "I have to admit, I love traveling to far away meets, writing about the sport I love, and the athletes I respect, for my readers at runblogrun.com, the most of anything I have ever done, except, maybe running itself." Also does some updates for BBC Sports at key events, which he truly enjoys. Theme song: Greg Allman, " I'm no Angel."
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