Insurance Rider: Hancock May Seek Help On Boston Marathon

Boston Athletic Association May Sell Advertising Along Boston Marathon Route

John Hancock Financial Services, which spends $4.5M a year as the Boston Marathon’s principal sponsor, and the Boston Athletic Association (BAA) “may raise more money by allowing companies to advertise along the Marathon route, even on the finish line tape, which right now is off-limits to corporate logos,” according to Keith Reed of the BOSTON GLOBE. But BAA Exec Dir Guy Morse “ruled out selling a title sponsorship” to the event. Reed noted the race “for years has relied on one company [Hancock] for the bulk of its funding,” a structure that “allowed the Marathon to be relatively advertising-free compared to other races and gave Hancock premium billing” on the event. Hancock covers about 60% of the Marathon’s roughly $6M annual budget. But Hancock and BAA execs said that “keeping the current financial structure is increasingly unrealistic because of the rising cost of travel and appearance fees for elite runners.” It can cost “as much as $500,000 in appearance fees and other expenses to lure a top marathoner.” Hancock CEO John DesPrez III was “adamant that his company does not plan on ending or scaling back its commitment to the race,” which runs through 2018 (BOSTON GLOBE, 4/13).