Alaska Airlines in arena naming rights deal with University of Washington

Alaska Airlines and the University of Washington have announced a partnership to rename UW's on-campus basketball arena Alaska Airlines Arena at Hec Edmundson Pavilion.

The arena sponsorship is part of a five-year agreement to support University of Washington Athletics, as approved by the university's Board of Regents.

Alaska Airlines has committed $525,000 annually in cash and trade for the arena naming rights, in addition to the airline's $175,000 ongoing athletics' sponsorship.

"We are thrilled to expand our long-standing relationship with the University of Washington and that the Alaska Airlines name will be associated with the proud history of Hec Edmundson Pavilion", said Alaska Airlines President Brad Tilden. "Husky basketball is a time-honored tradition enjoyed by many in our community, including our customers and our employees".

Court signage, including the Alaska Airlines logo, was unveiled at a recent game and exterior signage will be installed within the next eight weeks.

"The Alaska Airlines brand mirrors the excellence that the University of Washington and UW athletics is known for", said UW Athletic Director Scott Woodward.

"We are very pleased to grow this partnership with Alaska Airlines, and proud to have their name attached to the arena at one of our most-cherished icons, Hec Edmundson Pavilion".

Hec Edmundson Pavilion is the primary home for the Husky men's and women's basketball teams, volleyball team, and gymnastics squad. The beloved historical building is a monument to Husky athletics.

Now in its ninth decade of service, the Washington men's basketball team will be competing in the building for the 82nd season, a stretch that has allowed the UW men's team to compile more wins in the building (883) than any other team in the nation has won in its current arena.

Originally completed in 1927, the arena underwent a $40 million, 19-month renovation between March 1999 and November 2000 to reconfigure its interior. The arena has a seating capacity of 10,000.

CIBC clients have access to more than 1,100 branches and offices across Canada. These branches reflect the communities in which CIBC operates, with many offering service in a number of languages, including Urdu, Punjabi, Hindi, Sinhala, Farsi, Telugu, Marathi, Gujarati, Bengali (Bangla) and Tamil.

"Our sponsorship of IIFA is just another example of how CIBC, together with our employees and clients, embrace Canada's diversity. At the same time, we are excited to honour the cultural, artistic and business contributions of the global South Asian community", said Ms. Baxendale.

In addition to being a presenting sponsor for the International Indian Film Academy Awards in Toronto in 2011, CIBC has a long history of supporting South Asian community events and organizations, including the Indo-Canada Chamber of Commerce (ICCC), Punjabi Virsa Day, Diwali Mahautsav in Toronto, ON, Vaisakhi celebrations in BC and various Diwali, Eid and other cultural celebrations in Vancouver, B.C., as well as the Mosaic - South Asian Heritage Festival in Mississauga, ON.

Jeffrey Gottfurcht has been climbing mountains since his teens, but at twenty-eight he was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis, an autoimmune disease which attacks the joints and causes inflammation, joint pain and stiffness, while leading to fatigue and permanent joint damage. Buoyed by a personal quest and the goal of inspiring others, the thirty-seven year-old founder of the Jeffrey Gottfurcht Children's Arthritis Foundation (JGCAF) and former finance executive, plans to be the first patient with RA to climb Mount Everest at 29,035 feet.

Well before his RA diagnosis, Gottfurcht had conquered other peaks, including Mt. Elbrus (Russia, 18,500 feet), Mt. Rainier (Washington, 14,400 feet) and Pico de Orizaba (Mexico, 18,400 feet). Gottfurcht, the father of three young children, created the JGCAF, a wish-granting organization that grants dreams - ranging from requests to help cover educational and medical costs to requests for big screen computers or Wii systems to helping a child cope with limited visibility or mobility. Some dream requests are from juvenile arthritis patients seeking a moment to connect with a revered sports or pop culture icon to help them endure the intense pain of everyday life and medical treatment.

"We are pleased to sponsor Jeffrey on his historic Everest climb. We want people to become aware of rheumatoid arthritis and Jeffrey's Foundation", explained Rik J Deitsch, Chairman and CEO of Nutra Pharma Corporation. "We want all chronic pain sufferers to understand that, if Nyloxin can be effective in this extreme use and in this extreme activity, imagine how effective it will be to manage their own everyday pain and inflammation. This sponsorship will prove invaluable to inform chronic pain sufferers and medical professionals of the power and efficacy of Nyloxin, as well as building awareness of Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis", he added.

Nyloxin, which was first introduced in November 2009 as a treatment for moderate to severe, Stage 2, chronic pain, is currently available in the United States as an oral spray for treating back pain, neck aches, headaches, joint pain, migraines, and neuralgia and as a topical gel for treating joint pain, neck pain, arthritis pain and pain from repetitive stress. In addition to its everyday strength formulation, Nyloxin is also offered in an extra strength formula for more advanced, Stage 3, chronic pain.

"It's been a pleasure working with Nutra Pharma as I've been planning my climb", commented Jeffrey Gottfurcht. "I have seen some personal benefits in using Nyloxin on my own pain, stiffness and inflammation. Most drugs for rheumatoid arthritis have side effects, including loss of mental function, which would make the climb even more difficult. Nyloxin lacks these side-effects, making it much easier to use", he added.

Gottfurcht, who lives in the San Francisco area, will begin his journey to the world's highest mountain in the Spring of 2011, accompanied by a guide and a Sherpa on what is typically a six-week climb, subject to favorable weather conditions.

"We are so proud to partner with Women's Professional Soccer as the league's official hot dog", said Joe Sahlen. "The league reaches the targeted family demographic for our products and brand that makes it an attractive property". The Sahlen brand is known for deli meats and hot dogs and is carried in all WPS markets. Sahlen is the owner of the Western New York Flash, a WPS expansion team in 2011.

Other national sponsors of Women's Professional Soccer include PUMA, Citi, Playtex, MedImmune and the U.S. Coast Guard, which has sponsored the WPS All-Star Game the past two years.

The 2011 WPS Season will kick off with its first game on Saturday, April 9 as the Atlanta Beat host the Boston Breakers at KSU Soccer Stadium in Kennesaw, GA. The full 2011 WPS Season schedule will be announced in February. The league's six clubs will contest eighteen regular season games from April through August, which will be followed by a four-team playoff and the 2011 WPS Championship presented by Citi on August 27th-28th.

"Golf is one of the key drivers of RBC's brand momentum", said Jim Little, Chief Brand and Communications Officer at RBC. "As a leading global financial institution, we have the opportunity to partner with world class sports professionals like Furyk, Kuchar and Els. These players are well-respected and have global recognition; they will be great ambassadors for RBC and the charitable causes we support. By leveraging our golf sponsorship and the ambassador program, we are able to reinforce our brand relevance in Canada and increase our brand presence around the world".

RBC becomes the official banking and financial services partner for each athlete and, as part of Team RBC, all players will carry RBC branded golf bags and be featured in RBC marketing and advertising planned for the U.S., Canada, and international markets. They join Anthony Kim, Fred Couples, Luke Donald, Stephen Ames, Mike Weir and Morgan Pressel as RBC's golf ambassadors.

In 2011, RBC will continue to leverage its golf program to raise funds for important charitable causes, in particular children's charities. Each player, event and partnership with which RBC is associated will be used to help give back to local communities, as well as increasing the prominence of RBC's brand.

"RBC is one of the strongest and most stable banks in the world and I am impressed with their leadership and reputation", said Ernie Els. "I'm proud to represent their brand, meet with their clients and support worthwhile charitable causes with them".

"I am honoured RBC has selected me to be an ambassador for them on the PGA TOUR", said Jim Furyk. "Having won twice in Canada, I am excited to see the impact RBC has had on their national championship and look forward to supporting them in their efforts both on and off the golf course".

"After playing in the RBC Canadian Open last summer and witnessing first-hand what a dynamic organization RBC is, I am very excited at the opportunity to partner with them", said Matt Kuchar. "They have become a big name in golf in a short period of time and I'm looking forward to helping grow their brand in the south-eastern states where I'm from and where their retail banking business is based".

In 2010, Kuchar, Furyk and Els finished first, second and third respectfully on the PGA Tour's Official Money List, with Jim Furyk capturing the 2010 FedEx Cup and the PGA of America's Player of the Year title.

Since its inception, more than a hundred Olympic and World Championship medalists have competed in the event, which has also played host to six world records, nine American records and nineteen other national records. Team New Balance athletes Jenny Barringer Simpson, Maggie Vessey and Andy Baddeley, among others, will all be participating in this year's meet.

"Over the last fifteen years, the Boston Indoor Games have become known for world-class achievement by the local, national and international athletes who frequent the Reggie Lewis Center", said meet director Mark Wetmore. "We are excited about the relationship with New Balance and our new Indoor Grand Prix. You can count on the 2011 event delivering the same athlete performance and excitement to Boston-area track fans".

"USANA is one of the world's leading vitamin and health supplement manufacturers that through the years has met the WTA and WADA's rigorous standards and is a vital partner in helping us ensure that women's tennis remains a clean sport", said Stacey Allaster, Chairman and CEO of the WTA. "It speaks volumes that more than 150 WTA players use USANA products today, and we are thrilled to have USANA on board for three additional years. Today's announcement is another great indication of the investment value that sponsors are finding in the WTA".

"It's an honor to continue our sponsorship of the WTA", said Dave Wentz, CEO of USANA Health Sciences, Inc. "This will be the fifth year of our partnership and we are thrilled to announce that six of the WTA's elite athletes, who have experienced USANA's products for several years, will now be joining us as Brand Ambassadors to help us further enhance the USANA brand image worldwide".

Since the beginning of the WTA-USANA partnership in 2006, more than 150 WTA players have chosen to be supplied with USANA vitamin and supplement products in order to maintain the optimal health and fitness required to compete at the highest level of professional tennis without fear of violating the rigorous WADA (World Anti-Doping Association) standards to which the WTA adheres.

Players that participate in the program are provided with an "Athlete Guarantee" by USANA under which USANA commits to pay the player up to $1,000,000 should she test positive for a substance prohibited by WADA due to her use of USANA products.

"Women's tennis is an incredibly physically demanding sport and the level of player fitness and endurance today is higher than it's ever been. I rely on USANA products to keep myself healthy and for me, having my health and immune system at the highest performance level is very important. It's great to have USANA on board for three more years as they are a big part of my health plan", said World No.6 Sam Stosur.

USANA's renewal of their sponsorship follows the 2010 renewal by the WTA of lead global partner Sony Ericsson, the signings of major new partners Oriflame (cosmetics) and Peak (sports apparel) in each of the European and Asia-Pacific regions respectively, and the renewal of Travelex.

"The recent growth of the DDIFO was the focus of the meeting United Now ... More Than Ever because we all know that with greater numbers and greater unity comes greater strength for the organization", explained DDIFO President Jim Coen.

Glacial Energy says it is looking forward to working alongside the DDIFO to provide Dunkin Donut franchisees with competitive energy pricing. The Glacial Energy advantage is month to month agreements and indexed based pricing aimed at providing customers with savings of up to 20% on their current utility bills.

Glacial Energy supplies energy to commercial, industrial and institutional customers in sixteen deregulated electricity markets and eleven natural gas markets.

"I am absolutely delighted Pepsi is going to be our partner for The X Factor in America", said Cowell. "It feels like the perfect fit, and I love their ambition and excitement".

"We are thrilled to welcome a beloved, innovative brand like Pepsi to The X Factor family", said Peter Rice, Chairman, Entertainment, Fox Networks Group. "Throughout its history, Pepsi has been known for being unique, fun and refreshing – and that is exactly the type of talent that The X Factor celebrates".

"With Pepsi as an official sponsor, we have the opportunity to introduce incredibly exciting, one-of-a-kind initiatives that complement the creative spirit of The X Factor", said Jean Rossi, President of Fox One and Executive Vice President of Sales for Fox Broadcasting Company. "Our marketing partnership with Pepsi will showcase more groundbreaking integrations and promotions that we continue to build at Fox".

"The best partnerships are always the most organic ones, and we feel a strong creative fit between Pepsi's brand positioning and The X Factor", said Keith Hindle, CEO Americas, FremantleMedia Enterprises. "The scale of Pepsi's ambition for the show is as high as ours, so this is a great opportunity to further build the brand together in the U.S."

The X Factor is a competition series that gives viewers the opportunity to help choose the next musical megastar. The judges will travel the nation searching for undiscovered talent of any age – both solo artists and groups – who are willing to brave the panel of experts and the American public for a chance to make it big.

The X Factor raises the bar and takes the initial auditions to an exciting and explosive new level as the hopefuls will audition not only for the judges, but also in front of a live audience of thousands in venues across the country. The concert-like atmosphere will bring a new dimension to the performances, giving the contestants an opportunity to prove they have the whole package – vocal ability, charisma and stage presence – from the moment they step on stage.

Those contestants who survive the first auditions graduate to “boot camp” and will then be divided into four categories: girls under 25, boys under 25, individuals over 25 and groups. Each category will be mentored by one of the show’s judges, including the inimitable Cowell. The contestants will be put through the paces and mercilessly whittled down until the top acts remain. Not only is it a battle between the hopefuls to stake their claim for the coveted win, but it's also a showdown among the judges as to whose acts will dominate and make it to the finals. The judges may have their say in how the competition progresses, but it will be up to America to decide who ultimately has The X Factor.

The X Factor is produced by Syco Television and FremantleMedia North America. Simon Cowell, Cecile Frot-Coutaz (American Idol, America’s Got Talent), Richard Holloway and Andrew Llinares serve as executive producers.

The X Factor has been produced or licensed by FremantleMedia in more than twenty territories to date, including Australia, Belgium, Colombia, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Russia, Spain, Turkey and the U.K. The X Factor has proved a global ratings success, with the recent U.K. finale capturing a phenomenal twenty million viewers with a 60% audience share.

Additionally, Crowne Plaza® Hotels & Resorts will extend its title sponsorship of the PGA TOUR's Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial through 2015.

Crowne Plaza has served as title sponsor of the historic event since 2007. Crowne Plaza is known to business travelers as "The Place to Meet" and golf courses have a storied history as informal meeting places, which Crowne Plaza will continue to leverage through its relationship with the PGA TOUR and Colonial Country Club across all IHG brands.

"We are extremely pleased to announce this new long-term relationship with the PGA TOUR, which includes extending our sponsorship of the Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial," said Jim Abrahamson, President, The Americas, IHG. "This partnership provides a terrific opportunity for IHG to showcase all its eight brands and bring to life our award winning loyalty program for fans as well as the PGA TOUR's membership base of players from around the world."

"We are delighted to extend our tournament sponsorship with Crowne Plaza and to expand our relationship with InterContinental Hotels Group," said PGA TOUR Commissioner Tim Finchem.

"The Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial is one of the most storied tournaments on the PGA TOUR, as well as one of the leading tournaments in terms of charitable giving, and Crowne Plaza's sponsorship is important to continuing this legacy. Also, by welcoming IHG as an Official Marketing Partner, our players - as well as their families and caddies - will receive valuable benefits and room options throughout the year".

As an Official Marketing Partner of the PGA TOUR, IHG will provide a variety of benefits to players, including:

• A designated number of room nights for players across all three Tours

• Platinum status in the Priority Club® Rewards program for all members caddies, media partners and PGA TOUR staff across all of IHG's brands

• For several players who participate in a special program that includes personal appearances with IHG guests at tournaments and/or use of their name and likeness, additional benefits will include an increased number of complimentary room nights per year

IHG also will invest in PGA TOUR assets including media, special events, TPCs and charitable activities. PGATOUR.COM will feature a "hotel finder" on the tournament pages that will allow fans to easily book hotel rooms at one of IHG's 4,500 properties when traveling to these events.

"Golf continues to be a great strategic fit for the Crowne Plaza brand and we are extremely proud to be extending our title sponsorship of the Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial," said Gina LaBarre, Vice President, Brand Delivery, IHG. "We're particularly pleased to continue our relationship with the Colonial Country Club in Fort Worth and be associated with its sixty-five years of rich tradition, commitment to excellence and charitable giving".

"We are excited to continue to build on the level of excellence our title sponsor, Crowne Plaza, has brought to this storied championship", added Chuck Scherer, Colonial Tournament Chairman. "Our members, fans, volunteers, sponsors and charities are all very thankful for Crowne Plaza's commitment to our community through this partnership".

The 2011 Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial, captured in 2010 by Zach Johnson, will be held May 19-22 at Colonial Country Club. Dating back to 1946, the Invitational at Colonial Country Club in Fort Worth, Texas is the longest-running PGA TOUR tournament held at the same venue.