ASO, AEG Partner Tour de France, Amgen Tour of California Races

AEG, ASO Form Partnership To Cross-Promote Tour Of California And Tour De France

AEG and the Amaury Sport Organisation (ASO) have announced a marketing partnership that calls for the two organizations to develop and initiate cross promotional platforms around the ASO-owned Tour de France and the AEG-owned Amgen Tour of California. The multi-year agreement will begin with the '08 Tour de France and the '09 Tour of California. ASO will assist AEG with the int'l distribution of Tour of California TV and digital media rights, while AEG will assist ASO with the sales of specific sponsorship packages for the Tour de France (AEG). USA TODAY's Sal Ruibal writes the deal "has the potential to eventually bring the California race to grand tour status." It also "places AEG and the Tour of California firmly on the side of ASO in an ongoing battle for control of professional cycling" with the Union Cycliste Int'l (USA TODAY, 6/16). However, AEG Sport President Andrew Messick said that he "didn't see AEG's partnership with ASO as choosing one side over another." Messick: "That isn't the case. I characterize (the agreement with ASO) as a commercial relationship. We can keep those as separate things." VELO NEWS' Neal Rogers reported AEG "isn't concealing the fact that it would like to see the [Tour of California] broadcast across the world, which would greatly increase both its visibility and sponsorship marketability." The race aired on ESPN2 during its debut '06 edition and has aired on Versus the past two years (VELONEWS.com, 6/15).