Inside the deal

THE DEAL:

Gallery Furniture signs as an official sponsor of theHouston Texans.

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ESTIMATED VALUE:

$1.1 million to $1.5 million a year in promotional and sponsorship value

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LENGTH:

Six years

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DEAL MAKERS:

Jim McIngvale, co-owner, Gallery Furniture; Steve Rosner, partner, 16W Marketing; Jamey Rootes, senior vice president and chief sales and marketing officer, Houston Texans; David Peart, vice president corporate sales, Houston Texans

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KEY ELEMENTS:

Championship Partner status

Scoreboard sign panel in both end zones

Ad space on rotational fascia signs (one minute per quarter) plus pre- and postgame exposure

Concourse sign panels (six)

Title sponsor of one of four entry gates with identification on exterior and directional signs

Concourse wall ad area (14 feet by 80 feet) adjacent to titled entry gate

Exclusivity in furniture retailing category

Use of suite (22 people) plus game tickets

Presenting sponsor of pregame show on English game broadcasts

Ad spots during Spanish-language radio game broadcast

Right to use Texans trademarks for promotional purposes

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BACKGROUND:

The deal started in August 2001 and runs through the end of the 2008 season. The signs will remain in place for virtually all events in Reliant Stadium. In addition to Texans football games, the stadium is expected to host more than 100 events that will attract 3.5 million spectators. (The other Championship Partner sponsors are Anheuser-Busch, Siemens, Reliant Energy and the Houston Metro Ford Dealers.) 16W Marketing represented Gallery Furniture in the contract negotiations.

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ANALYSIS:

A classic example of symbiotic marketing, to coin a phrase. In the bridge period of the deal before the team starts play, the Texans will rely on Championship Partners to promote the team and create a buzz for the new franchise. With Gallery Furniture, the team can tie in with the city's most visible marketer, McIngvale. His experience in leveraging sports promotions (Gallery has deals with the Astros and Rockets, among other local sports properties) assures that the Texans will get as much benefit from this deal as their partner. Everybody in Houston knows about Gallery Furniture, and this deal ensures that the Texans will soon achieve the same ubiquitous presence.

Alan Friedman (alanf100@earthlink.net) is the founder of Team Marketing Report.