UPS is donating $5M to the Univ. of Louisville's athletic department for "leadership training for student-athletes," and as part of the agreement will extend is naming rights to the upper deck of Cardinal Stadium for an "additional 13 years," according to Justin Sayers of the Louisville COURIER-JOURNAL. The upper deck has been known as the "UPS Flight Deck" since the company committed $3M toward "stadium expansion" in '09. The announcement has "no bearing on the title sponsorship of Cardinal Stadium," which dropped the Papa John's moniker this summer amid controversy regarding founder John Schnatter (COURIER-JOURNAL.com, 2/22). In Louisville, Marty Finley noted the first UPS Leadership Academy will "include a keynote speaker and five workshops spread across several topics, including leadership styles and roles, enhanced career opportunities, servant leadership and goal-setting." Furthermore, the new academy will look to add what UL "calls high-level internships at UPS." UL AD Vince Tyra said that the academy will "help make student athletes more marketable and viable as job candidates." UPS officials said that there also will be "mentoring opportunities for the athletes" (BIZJOURNALS.com, 2/22).
