NY-based JetBlue Airways has reached a deal to become
an official sponsor of the Bills' 23-day training camp in
Rochester this summer, according to Leo Roth of the
ROCHESTER DEMOCRAT & CHRONICLE, who writes that JetBlue
joins ten other local companies as a Bills corporate sponsor
during the camp. JetBlue's two-year deal, "which goes year
round," is worth between $750,000-900,000. JetBlue
spokesperson Gareth Edmondson-Jones: "JetBlue is a young
brand and the Buffalo Bills [are] a very strong brand,
regionally and nationally. It's a great association for us
and the timing's spectacular." Meanwhile, the local
business community "has given an enthusiastic high five" to
the Bills' decision to relocate their three-week summer
training camp from Chautauqua County to Rochester this year,
"where marketing opportunities are much greater." So far,
the team has "finalized" deals with 18 sponsors and seven
more "are close to being completed." Wegmans Food Markets,
which inked a five-year marketing agreement with the Bills
last year, "is once again the camp's title sponsor." Team
officials said that each sponsorship for training camp
"began with a base of $50,000," and that tradeoffs "comprise
a large part of each agreement." This year, there are nine
"presenting" sponsors and seven "camp" sponsors. Among the
local groups backing the team, Roth reports that the "most
glaring company missing from the sponsorship list" is
Rochester-based Eastman Kodak, the city's largest employer.
Kodak spokesperson Jim Blamphin, on why the company has yet
to align with the Bills: "It's a logical question to ask,
but this is a global corporation. While this is our
hometown and will continue to be our technology center, our
brand is global. Our customers in San Diego ... are just as
important." However, there is "ongoing dialogue" between
the two sides about a potential deal (ROCHESTER D&C, 5/26).
