Geico has signed a multiyear title sponsorship for the Bassmaster Classic, beginning with the 2015 event in Greenville, S.C., in February.
An official announcement is expected this week. Financial terms were not available, but the deal marks a change for the event in having a multiyear deal in place. Geico was title sponsor for the 2014 tournament, but only under a one-year deal. Prior to a presenting sponsorship from the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tulsa in 2013, the event was without a title or presenting sponsor dating to Citgo in 2006.
“I think Geico had such a good experience and we had such good feedback from the fans last year that it just made all the sense in the world,” said Bruce Akin, CEO of BASS LLC, which owns the event. “What Geico likes about it, too, is that it’s more than an on-site event sponsorship.”
Akin called the deal, which was negotiated in-house, a multiplatform opportunity for Geico, noting that the brand will have advertising in print, television and online.
“The Bassmaster Classic is a great platform for us to engage with these passionate and loyal fans,” said Ted Ward, Geico vice president of marketing, in a statement.
Josh Carpenter writes for sister publication SportsBusiness Daily.
