ConocoPhillips Renews USA Swimming Deal, Increases Support
By Tripp Mickle, Staff Writer, SportsBusiness Journal
USA Swimming has announced a sponsorship renewal and upgrade with longtime partner ConocoPhillips. The energy company, which has been a partner since '73, has signed a 10-year extension and increased its support from what was a partner to an official sponsor. Financial terms of the agreement were not available, but USA Swimming CMO Matt Farrell said the agreement puts ConocoPhilips in the "upper echelon" of the NGB's corporate sponsors. The deal will see ConocoPhillips maintain its role as title sponsor of the USA Swimming National Championships and continue to donate to the USA Swimming Foundation. It also expands the company's support to USA Swimming's Make A Splash program, which promotes water safety and swimming instruction nationwide. ConocoPhillips will air six commercials featuring Make A Splash spokesperson and Olympian Cullen Jones during NBC's broadcast of this year's National Championships in Indianapolis July 7-11. ConocoPhillips Manager of Brand & Creative Services Ed Burke said, "We don't do a lot of sports, but the thing we like about the sponsorship is it really supports one of our core values, safety. In refining natural gas, we are keenly aware of safety. We can support that and sponsor the competitive side (with the National Championships)."
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