After the 2012 London Games when U.K. Athletics "commanded a rare place at the centre of British sporting life, it must now fill a gap left by the exit of long-term sponsor Aviva," according to Keith Weir of REUTERS. U.K. Athletics new Commercial Dir Sophia Warner is "aiming to recruit a core group of up to six sponsors to replace the insurer," the sport's main backer for the past 13 years. According to media reports the deal with the insurer was worth around £8M ($12.8M) per year, a "modest sum compared to the kinds of money companies plough into higher profile sports" like football and F1. Warner said, "Athletics is very much in its early stages of sponsorship and development. It hasn't been exploited, it hasn't been over-utilised, it's still a relatively poor sport with much potential." Sponsors will be able to "put their name to various categories" such as major meetings, Paralympics, road running and community events. Warner: "We've come to the conclusion that one sponsor couldn't possibly deliver everything" (REUTERS, 11/7).
