Lexus took over naming rights of the premium Diamond Club via a three-year deal with an option for two moreSTEVE WATKINS
The Reds are throwing some shade this season at Great American Ball Park through a new three-year sponsorship deal with Humana. The health care company is sponsoring and branding 1,500 seats dubbed the Humana Shade Seats along the first base line and into short right field. “They really wanted to target senior citizens,” said Reds VP/Corporate Partnerships Bill Reinberger. “We have senior citizens days and lot of requests are to sit in the shade. So we presented the idea to them and branding on the back of the seats,” he said. The Reds have also forged new sponsorship deals with Lexus, Chick-fil-A and Jim Beam. Lexus has taken over naming rights of the premium Diamond Club via a three-year deal with an option for two more. “That’s a premiere sponsorship for us,” Reinberger said “It’s great alignment with that brand.” The Lexus Diamond Club is for the first eight rows behind home plate and features a VIP club. Mercedes-Benz previously sponsored the space. Reinberger said Performance Lexus in Cincinnati and its Lexus corporate parent are splitting the naming-rights cost. Local Chick-fil-A franchises also have reached a three-year deal with a two-year option, with the QSR chain sponsoring Chick-fil-A "fowl poles." It is similar to branding at the Rangers' Globe Life Park and the Astros' Minute Maid Park. Meanwhile, Reinberger said Jim Beam is taking over branding for two concourse bars that were previously sponsored Evan Williams Bourbon. He said the bar grew out promotions the team had done with Maker’s Mark bourbon.
