JetBlue and USC have agreed to a multiyear sponsorship that will be announced today at the Long Beach Airport. USC AD Pat Haden, JetBlue CEO David Barger, USC’s band and Traveler, the USC horse mascot, are expected to attend the news conference at the airport. Fox Sports, the multimedia rights holder for USC athletics, sold the deal to JetBlue. It includes an array of assets, such as status as the Trojans’ official domestic airline partner, presenting sponsorship for a handful of football and basketball games, JetBlue-branded seats in the L.A. Coliseum, signage at many of USC’s fields and venues and a partnership with the USC alumni association. JetBlue will have the ability to extend special offers to USC alums for road football games and other occasions.
JetBlue’s only other college deal was a long-running sponsorship at the Univ. of Texas, but that deal ran out this year. “The unique nature of the deal is the integration of athletic and alumni association assets,” said Dan Shell, Fox’ VP & GM of the USC property. “You’re starting to see more and more of that across the country, where assets from across campus are incorporated into deals with athletic assets.” The Long Beach Airport was chosen as the site of today’s announcement because several daily JetBlue flights originate from there, and the airline wanted to help the airport show off some of its recent renovations.
