Soft-drink brand 7Up Ten has signed on as a first-time sponsor and Harley-Davidson has upgraded to an official sponsor of ESPN’s Winter X Games, which are being held Thursday through Sunday in Aspen, Colo.
The Winter X Games retained its top-tier sponsors in GoPro, Jeep, U.S. Navy and Monster Energy. 7Up Ten is the only new sponsor, while DuPont Kevlar, Harley-Davidson, Microsoft Lumia, Oakley, Polaris and Skype return from 2014. The motorcycle brand first sponsored the event last year at an exclusive-sponsor level.
Terms of the deals were not disclosed.
Four 2014 sponsors — Gildan, Phunkshun Wear Facemasks, Repreve and Cub Cadet — chose not to renew.
Sponsors receive rights to on-site activation and X Games marks and logos. Some sponsors receive a media presence during event telecasts and on X Games digital platforms as well as VIP hospitality experiences. Among activation plans, Jeep will have a booth where fans can get social media photos printed on a block of wood and Harley-Davidson will display its Jumpstart Rider Experience. Monster Energy and GoPro will sponsor athlete signings.
There will be additional on-site activation by Skype, DuPont Kevlar, Microsoft Lumia, Go Puck, LifeProof and Project Almanac.
ESPN signed a deal in January 2014 to keep the Winter X Games at Aspen’s Buttermilk ski area through 2019. Buttermilk has hosted the event since 2002.
