The opening panel Friday at the ’17 AXS Sports Facilities & Franchises conference from Atlanta revolved around sponsorship assets that matter inside and outside of venues. All three brands on the panel have heavy representation at Atlanta venues -- particularly the new SunTrust Park and Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Georgia Power Dir of Electronic & Creative Media Mayu Arita discussed helping get the Falcons’ new stadium up to Platinum LEED certification, which is the highest level for a building. She noted the venue had installed 4,000 solar panels as part of the process, as well as advanced LED lighting. Arita noted one goal of the sponsorships is to help “drive traffic” to Georgia Power websites, where the company sells energy-efficient products and smart-home products.
BANK JOB: SunTrust Banks Senior VP/Marketing Activation & Engagement Krista Massey noted the company had long-standing relationships with the Braves and Falcons, but what is new is a relationship with Atlanta United, which is wrapping up its debut MLS season, via the club’s youth programs. Massey also discussed her bank’s naming-rights deal with the Braves. She noted the company “underestimated” the level of success at The Battery Atlanta around SunTrust Park. Massey: “We deliberately went for that name ‘park’ because we wanted it to be a gathering place. It is very much that. It is a family place. At night, it turns into something very different. We’re incredibly happy.”
CLOSE FRIENDS: Coca-Cola Group Dir of Sports Management John Cordova noted his company is no stranger to the Atlanta sports scene, and “it almost feels like sometimes I work for the Braves and Falcons because I get so involved in their discussions and in the planning, whether it be The Battery or Mercedes-Benz Stadium. We’re talking about a 3-5 year discussion leading up to that.”
