Blue Angels: Red Sox Sign JetBlue As New Airline Partner
The Red Sox have struck a three-year sponsorship deal with JetBlue, replacing longtime partner Delta in the airline category. While Delta’s pact was up for renewal following a nine-year run with the club, the Red Sox were not actively shopping the category. But CAA Sports, which represents JetBlue, arranged a meeting and a deal was quickly born, motivated significantly by JetBlue’s aggressive plans at Logan Int'l Airport. The carrier earlier this week announced plans to increase flights out of Boston, and the market now represents JetBlue’s second-largest overall behind N.Y. A formal announcement of the sponsorship is planned for this afternoon at Logan, despite winter storms forecast for most of the Northeast. JetBlue Exec VP & Chief Commercial Officer Robin Hayes said, “We see Boston as a big growth market for us. We’re looking for ways to build our brand there, and how better than with the Red Sox?" JetBlue already has an existing multi-year sponsorship deal with the Dodgers, as well as relationships with the Clippers and Bills. Financial terms were not disclosed, but industry sources pegged the deal’s average annual value at roughly $1M. Red Sox Exec VP and Chief Sales & Marketing Officer Sam Kennedy said, “We’re very enthused. A lot of folks are re-examining their marketing spend and this was a situation where you had somebody really making a big commitment to this area. That’s not to say this was a bidding war. We value the relationship we had with Delta, but this was a situation where our strategic interests [with JetBlue] are really aligned.”
ACTIVATION PLANS: Activation will primarily be in traditional forms, such as home plate and outfield signage at Fenway Park, designation as the club’s official airline, and exposure on the club’s schedule page within MLB.com. But other elements, such as fare discounts for Red Sox Nation members, are being developed, similar to existing activations with the other teams. With today’s announcement, JetBlue is also offering a nine-hour sale today of fares as low as $9 -- in part in honor of Ted Williams’ uniform number 9 -- between Boston and the seven AL cities it serves for travel between January 6 and February 10 next year (Eric Fisher, SportsBusiness Journal).
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JetBlue In Discussions With Red Sox To Be The
Team's Airline Provider During The MLB Season |
BOOKING A FLIGHT: Kennedy said that the team also is "in discussions with JetBlue" about being the team's airline provider during the season, which has yet to be determined. In Boston, Nicole Wong reports the Red Sox "expect to make a decision next month." Delta, which currently handles the team's charter business, said that it also is "in negotiations to be the charter carrier for the next few years." However, the airline added that it "made 'a business decision' not to renew its marketing sponsorship because of both the deteriorating economy and its merger" with Northwest Airlines, which is "resulting in the world's largest airline." Delta said that it is "picking up all of Northwest's marketing sponsorships" (BOSTON GLOBE, 12/19).
CASH COW: REUTERS' Ben Klayman noted analysts and sports bankers have indicated that N.Y. Times Co. "could raise at least" $200M if it sold its 17% stake in the Red Sox to "raise cash to counter the advertising decline that is gouging U.S. newspaper publishers" (REUTERS, 12/17).
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