The Hartford Not Renewing Its NCAA Sponsorship At Year's End

The Hartford, an NCAA corporate sponsor since '04, is "not renewing its sponsorship with college sport's governing body," according to sources cited by Lefton & Smith of SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL. The Hartford's five-year deal "expires at the end of this year." The company first "came on board eight years ago as a corporate partner with rights in the financial services category." After an initial three-year deal, The Hartford "signed on for five more years, which took the agreement through the end of 2011." Corporate partner deals with the NCAA "run from the high seven figures to eight figures annually."  Activation of its NCAA rights included an "extensive media schedule during the NCAA tournament on Turner and CBS; entertainment of brokers at games; and the 'Playbook For Life' educational program, where The Hartford brought a message of financial planning to NCAA athletes." There was "no word on why The Hartford jettisoned its NCAA rights, especially considering that the NCAA deal was its most visible sports sponsorship." Company officials "did not comment when reached last week." The loss of The Hartford "leaves the financial and insurance categories wide open for the NCAA." Earlier this year, State Farm announced that it "had dropped its NCAA corporate partnership, which was first formed in 2005" (SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL, 11/7 issue).