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Marketing and Sponsorship

Wipeout: Nike Ending Its Four-Year Run As U.S. Open Of Surfing Title Sponsor

Nike last week informed IMG execs that the company would discontinue its sponsorship of the U.S. Open of Surfing. The company had been the title sponsor of the IMG-managed event in Huntington Beach, Calif., since '09. Its subsidiary, Hurley, sponsored the event in '08. Sources valued the title sponsorship at $2-3M a year. Nike used the U.S. Open as one of its primary marketing vehicles as it raised the profile of its action sports lines like Nike SB and Nike 6.0. It also promoted its other lifestyle brands, Hurley and Converse, at the event. IMG Senior VP & Dir of Action Sports James Leitz said, "We worked really well with those brands. They helped us elevate that event to a whole new level. We had fun doing it." Nike communication officials did not return calls seeking comment. In an interview with shop-eat-surf.com, which first reported Nike's decision, Nike Global Action Senior VP Sandy Bodecker said, "We are always looking for new ways to connect with athletes and consumers. In the spirit of evolving, we are exploring new opportunities to help elevate the sport beyond the sand to new audiences around the world." Leitz said that IMG has begun looking for a new title sponsor. Previous events were title sponsored by Honda, Phillips and Bank of the West. Title sponsorships include national media and "an immersive partnership" that allows the sponsor to help shape and organize the event, Leitz said. IMG will continue working with Nike on the Hurley Pro competition in Australia. Leitz said, "We're grateful for our four years."

SBJ Morning Buzzcast: March 25, 2024

NFL meeting preview; MLB's opening week ad effort and remembering Peter Angelos.

Big Get Jay Wright, March Madness is upon us and ESPN locks up CFP

On this week’s pod, our Big Get is CBS Sports college basketball analyst Jay Wright. The NCAA Championship-winning coach shares his insight with SBJ’s Austin Karp on key hoops issues and why being well dressed is an important part of his success. Also on the show, Poynter Institute senior writer Tom Jones shares who he has up and who is down in sports media. Later, SBJ’s Ben Portnoy talks the latest on ESPN’s CFP extension and who CBS, TNT Sports and ESPN need to make deep runs in the men’s and women's NCAA basketball tournaments.

SBJ I Factor: Nana-Yaw Asamoah

SBJ I Factor features an interview with AMB Sports and Entertainment Chief Commercial Office Nana-Yaw Asamoah. Asamoah, who moved over to AMBSE last year after 14 years at the NFL, talks with SBJ’s Ben Fischer about how his role model parents and older sisters pushed him to shrive, how the power of lifelong learning fuels successful people, and why AMBSE was an opportunity he could not pass up. Asamoah is 2021 SBJ Forty Under 40 honoree. SBJ I Factor is a monthly podcast offering interviews with sports executives who have been recipients of one of the magazine’s awards.

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