UPS Nearing Sponsorship Deal With Big Brown For Triple Crown

By Liz Mullen, Staff Writer, SportsBusiness Journal

UPS Nearing Sponsorship With Desormeaux, Big Brown Throughout Triple Crown Races

The owners and jockey for Kentucky Derby winner Big Brown are close to finalizing a deal with UPS -- the company the horse was named for -- to sponsor Big Brown throughout the Triple Crown, according to the agent for Big Brown's owners and jockey. “We are very, very close to finalizing a deal for an endorsement between IEAH Stables, jockey Kent Desormeaux and UPS,” said Kelly Wietsma, president of Equisponse, a horse racing marketing agency that represents Big Brown’s owner, IEAH Stables, and Desormeaux. Paul Pompa, a trucking company owner who bought the horse before selling a majority stake to IEAH, named the horse Big Brown because he had a business relationship with UPS. Wietsma said she is confident that the deal will be finalized today. UPS Motorsports Marketing Manager Laura Kouns, who is handling the sponsorship negotiations for the company, said she too was “hopeful” the deal will be closed today, but added it had not been finalized. Desormeaux wore the UPS logo on his pants and baseball cap at the Derby, but the original sponsorship was a one-race deal. Kouns said it was possible that UPS may also negotiate sponsorship deals with Pimlico, where the Preakness Stakes is run, and Belmont Park, home of the Belmont Stakes. However, finishing an endorsement with the horse was a priority. Kouns: “Obviously, the sooner we have it done, the sooner we can put our activation plans into place."

UPS EXPOSURE: Sponsorship Research Int'l has released data stating UPS received 17 seconds (0:17) of legible on-air exposure during NBC's coverage of the Kentucky Derby. Meanwhile, Joyce Julius also released data indicating that UPS' placement on the pants of Desormeaux garnered the company 0:56 of on-screen time, equivalent to $635,335 worth of media exposure (THE DAILY).