Frontier Airlines Dropping Sponsorships With Four Denver Teams

Denver-based Frontier Airlines yesterday said that it has "dropped its sponsorship of four Denver sports teams" -- the Nuggets, Avalanche, AFL Crush and NLL Mammoth -- and is "evaluating its agreement" with the Rockies, according to Greg Griffin of the DENVER POST. Frontier, "which is cutting expenses in bankruptcy, ended its Nuggets sponsorship earlier this year." Frontier said in a court filing last week that it is "rejecting its sponsorship agreement" with Kroenke Arena Co., which owns the Pepsi Center, where the teams play. Frontier Airlines Dir of Corporate Communications Steve Snyder: "We had a very successful and productive business partnership with Kroenke, but given our current restructuring efforts as well as current economic conditions, we felt it was necessary to end the partnership." Griffin notes Frontier "provided air travel to the Crush and Mammoth," which "could be a problem for the Mammoth." The team's '09 season begins January 9 in Portland, Oregon. Snyder said that Frontier "stopped sponsoring university sports teams in Colorado" earlier this year (DENVER POST, 12/9). Pepsi Center spokesperson Lindsey Purves said that Frontier "had a package sponsorship to advertise in the arena and provide travel to the teams." Purves declined to disclose the terms of the deal. BLOOMBERG NEWS' Christopher Scinta notes Frontier signed the agreement in July '06 and it was "rejected as of last Thursday" (BLOOMBERG NEWS, 12/9).