ESPN’s sales team negated about $5 million in losses from the departure of three Winter X Games partners by adding one gold-level and three associate-level partners ahead of this week’s event in Aspen.
Winter X Games added its first gold-level theatrical partner in 20th Century Fox, which will promote its film “Jumper” during the event. Zune, Olevia and Oakley became associate-level partners in the digital music hardware, HDTV and sunglasses categories, respectively.
The additions filled holes left by Mountain Dew and New Balance, two gold-level partners that declined to return this year, and the Office of National Drug Control Policy, a former associate-level partner.
“This allowed us to take a step back and ask: How do we broaden our category reach?” said Ed Erhardt, ESPN president of customer marketing and sales. “We’ve been pleased with what we’ve been able to do as a result.”
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| Winter X added a new top-level sponsor, 20th
Century Fox, and three associate-level partners. |
Gold-level partnerships are valued at $2 million per X Games, while associate-level deals fall in the $1 million range, according to industry sources. Both sponsor packages include on-site signage, activation space in the X Games village, rights to marks and media across all ESPN platforms, including print, online and TV.
As part of its buy, 20th Century Fox will have 140 co-branded 30-second promotional spots featuring “Jumper” and the X Games in the month of January. A “Jumper Cam” will offer replays of events during X Games broadcasts, and stars Hayden Christensen and Rachel Bilson will appear on TV during one of the competitions.
New associate-level sponsor Oakley will have a 20-by-20-foot tent on site for athlete signings and will air an ad featuring skier Tanner Hall and snowboarders Gretchen Bleiler, Danny Kass and Shaun White.
Olevia, the official presenting sponsor of the first HD broadcast of Winter X, will put up its televisions throughout the venue.
Microsoft’s Zune sponsorship is timed to the release of its new line of MP3 players. An interactive shop in downtown Aspen will promote its “Zune Originals” concept, which allows consumers to customize their players with laser-engraved artwork.
Kathleen Sullivan, senior director of ESPN’s sports management group, managed the sales.
