Newest TOP sponsor Toyota is making it clear: They are going big with Team USA heading into Pyeongchang 2018.
Last week, the automaker signed a series of deals extending its global rights into the American grassroots, signing new sponsorships with U.S. Figure Skating and U.S. Speedskating, and also renewing its 5-year-old relationship with USA Hockey. Separately, Toyota also has signed endorsement contracts with freestyle skiers Gus Kenworthy and Torin Yater-Wallace, who will join Team Toyota. Snowboarder Chloe Kim signed with Toyota last year.
“We are committed to making an impact with our winter sports presence in the United States,” said Jack Hollis, Toyota Motor Sales group vice president, marketing.
In each case, Toyota will help market the sports and lend its technical expertise to the national governing bodies’ elite athlete programs. Team USA’s previous car sponsor, BMW, played similar roles with several sports during its run from 2010 to 2016.
Speedskating Executive Director Ted Morris said he is especially excited to have access to Toyota’s experience in NASCAR, which will help inform race strategy in long-track team pursuit, short-track and relay events. “They’re going to be taking a really scientific approach to that, which for eternity has just been coaches’ feeling and what they’ve seen before,” Morris said. “But to be able to have some outside experts looking at it, with some expertise from NASCAR, is really exciting for us.”
The flurry of new deals follows three months after Toyota signed on as a sponsor of the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association, which includes title rights to the USSA’s Grand Prix snowboarding/free ski tour. All told, Toyota now has relationships with four of the eight U.S. winter sports NGBs.
— Ben Fischer
