BIG EAST Announces 2019 Tournament Partners
The Jeep® Brand, returns as the Presenting Sponsor for 22 BIG EAST Conference Championships, highlighted by the Men’s Basketball Tournament at Madison Square Garden
League welcomes back nine long-term partners with new sponsors Rothman Orthopaedics, Northwell Health Hospital and Boston Beer for #MarchToMSG
NEW YORK – The BIG EAST Conference, in conjunction with FOX Sports Media Group (FSMG), announced new and returning partners for the 2019 BIG EAST Men’s Basketball Tournament and future conference championships, led by the Jeep
® Brand, who returns as the presenting sponsor for all 22 BIG EAST championships. The BIG EAST Men’s Basketball Tournament is celebrating its 37th consecutive year at Madison Square Garden in 2019, March 13-16.
Jeep continues its broad partnership with the BIG EAST, maintaining category exclusivity as the presenting sponsor with national use of the league marks across all marketing channels as well as on-site marketing activation opportunities at each conference championship. In addition to comprehensive media buys on FOX, Jeep will support #MarchToMSG, the conference’s men’s basketball marketing campaign, and expand the promotion of the men’s basketball tournament’s 37th year at Madison Square Garden, the longest running college basketball tournament held in one location. As presenting sponsor, Jeep is featured in the league’s multi-platform campaign including national and local television, social and digital media, out of home advertising and grassroots marketing to promote the tournament and tournament ticket sales.
“Our partnership strategy is based upon building deep relationships with our partners, organizations which promote the tournament and utilize the league’s marks to activate their sponsorship of the Conference,” said BIG EAST Chief Marketing Officer Ann Wells Crandall.
The BIG EAST and its partners continue to move forward in long-term agreements providing for deeper engagement with the BIG EAST brand and an increase in spending levels with category exclusivity.
Returning sponsors also include
SoFi, GEICO, Nike, Gatorade, Continental Tire, SUNKIST, Primesport, Westwood One and
Stout NYC.
SoFi, the official financial partner of the BIG EAST and the presenting sponsor of the league’s digital network, BEDN, returns for the third year of a multi-year partnership. SoFi receives prominent recognition leading up to and including the tournament, out of home advertising, thirty-second television spots during BEDN live streamed broadcasts, as well as on-court branding at MSG. In addition, SoFi will have an extensive presence with an on-site fan experience and a significant hospitality event for SoFi customers on each day of the tournament.
GEICO, one of the longest-running BIG EAST partners, is the league’s exclusive auto insurance partner and also sponsors the women’s tournament, which is being held in Chicago at the Wintrust Arena for the second straight year.
Nike is in the second year of a three-year partnership extension and is the official and exclusive basketball and apparel partner of both the men’s and women’s tournaments.
Gatorade returns as the official sports fuel of the BIG EAST.
SUNKIST is also continuing their presenting sponsorship of the BIG EAST’s Scholar-Athlete of the Year awards, which are announced during the men’s and women’s basketball tournaments. SUNKIST also sponsors the annual #GetMeToMSG Scavenger Hunt for men’s basketball tournament tickets.
Both
Continental Tire and
Primesport extended their current agreements to new three-year partnership extensions.
Stout NYC continues to be the restaurant partner of the BIG EAST and was recently the host of a BIG EAST Digital Network
Shootaround pregame special.
The Conference expanded its sponsorship portfolio this year with new partners
Rothman Orthopaedics as the official orthopaedic physicians of the BIG EAST for the next two years,
Northwell Health Hospital as the official hospital partner of the BIG EAST and
Boston Beer, which brews more than 60 styles of beer.
Westwood One is the first year of a new, three-year national radio deal. Westwood One distributes the conference’s 10-episode weekly
This Week In The BIG EAST radio show, hosted by John Rooke and Kevin McNamara. Westwood One also had six BIG EAST games on air this season and will broadcast the semifinals and championship game courtside at Madison Square Garden.
Primesport renewed its partnership for four years as the official VIP Hospitality and Travel Package Provider of the men’s basketball tournament.