The Boston Marathon’s search for a new primary sponsor might “also lead to a new name” with John Hancock “departing as the race’s principal sponsor after next April’s race,” according to Michael Silverman of the BOSTON GLOBE. The Boston Athletic Association may be “headed for a very real crossroads between the event’s long-term financial security and a tweak to its 135-year-old name.” The last time the BAA “went on the hunt for a primary partner was 37 years ago.” Then, when the race was “losing its luster” and the BAA’s president feared that intrigued sponsors such as McDonald’s and Coors would be "overcommercializing the race, John Hancock saved the day.” It agreed to keep its name and signature logo “in the shadows of the race’s name, its sponsor, and that ubiquitous unicorn logo.” The future “holds three possibilities: another principal sponsor like John Hancock, a presenting sponsor like the Moderna example, or a title sponsor like Dunkin’ Donuts.” Considering the race’s “rich history, the enviable demographics within Boston and the seven other towns along the route, plus the 30,000-plus participants themselves,” the next sponsor will “want to share space with the Boston race.” John Hancock VP/Corporate Communications David D’Alessandro “mentioned three potential sponsors -- Moderna, State Street Bank, and Vertex -- as plausible Boston-based candidates.” D’Alessandro said, “The BAA should take the longest-term deal they can get for the maximum amount of money with the least amount of commercial penetration” (BOSTON GLOBE, 10/13).
