The list of founding sponsors includes a number of financial companies and real estate firmsGETTY IMAGES
Worcester (Mass.) City Manager Ed Augustus said that the Triple-A Int'l League team set to begin play in '21 wants founding sponsors to pay at least $100,000 a year, and as of Thursday, 19 entities were "willing to be public with their commitments, and two more were close," according to Jon Chesto of the BOSTON GLOBE. Assumption College on Thursday unveiled its sponsorship plans, and school President Francesco Cesareo said that the partnership will "lead to internships with the team for Assumption's students, and after-school programs and English-as-a-second-language courses for city residents at the ballpark." Assumption will also get to "hang its name on the new ballpark's outfield wall." Most sponsors until now "haven't gone public." Polar Beverages was the "first and most obvious," inking a naming rights deal for the new ballpark to be called Polar Park. Worcester-based Fallon Health also "previously disclosed its support" for the team. The list of founding sponsors "includes a number of financial companies," such as Berkshire Bank, Unum, Hanover Insurance, UniBank and Country Bank. MGM Springfield is also on the list, as are "real estate firms Fontaine Brothers and Stonegate Group." The Worcester Telegram & Gazette has also "signed on," as well as the city's "favorite dessert factory, Table Talk Pies." The team is "hopeful" it can tap into sponsors from its current home market, Pawtucket, R.I. Some corporate names -- Bank of America, Dunkin', CVS -- are major chains that "could benefit from exposure in Worcester" (BOSTON GLOBE, 10/26).
