Alltel Wireless Announces Sponsorship of Tyson Gay

Alltel Wireless bumped up their pr window and so did the sport of track & field today with the announcement that Alltel will sponsor Tyson Gay, the three time gold medalist from Osaka’s World Champs and the man to watch in Beijing.
The significance of the release below is that sponsors are looking at track & field outside of the footwear company sector. For the sport to grow, for the top athletes to
gain recognition, we need more such opportunities as below!

Alltel Wireless announces sponsorship of world champion American sprinter Tyson Gay

2007 World Athlete of the Year will be featured in marketing initiatives for Arkansas-based Alltel Wireless
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Alltel Wireless, America’s largest network, today announced that it has entered into a sponsorship agreement with three-time World Champion Tyson Gay, the 2007 International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) Male World Athlete of the Year and winner of the 2007 Jesse Owens Award as the outstanding male American track-and-field athlete. The agreement, which runs through 2008, provides Alltel the rights to incorporate Tyson Gay’s image, name and likeness into brand-related marketing initiatives, including comprehensive multi-media experiences, exclusive mobile content and retail store appearances.
“Alltel Wireless is proud to support Tyson Gay on his quest to become the World’s Fastest Man and win gold this summer in Beijing,” said Frank O’Mara, chief marketing officer at Alltel Wireless. “Our network provides Alltel customers with superior coverage across the nation, and is recognized for its ability to consistently deliver speed and reliability. Similarly, Tyson Gay has always displayed these traits in his performance on the track, and we hope to emphasize this connection through marketing initiatives featuring this talented athlete in the coming months.”
“As a student at the University of Arkansas, I have fond memories of my time in Fayetteville and I’m proud to represent an Arkansas-based brand like Alltel Wireless,” said Tyson Gay. “I have always been impressed with Alltel’s commitment to their customers, and their superior service has helped me stay connected with those who matter most to me as I take this memorable journey to represent my country.”
Gay was named the 2007 IAAF Male World Athlete of the Year and the 2007 United States Olympic Committee (USOC) Sportsman of the Year after winning three gold medals at the 2007 World Championships. The former University of Arkansas star became only the second man in history to win the 100-meter dash, 200-meter dash and 4×100-meter relay at the World Championships. Gay also broke Michael Johnson’s 200m World Championships record. His career best times of 9.84 seconds in the 100m and 19.62 seconds in the 200m, make him the fastest 100-200m combination runner in history.
Alltel Wireless has a rich tradition of supporting amateur and professional athletics with an extensive sports sponsorship portfolio that includes partnerships with Daytona 500 Champion Ryan Newman and the No. 12 Alltel Dodge team, the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC), Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) and numerous collegiate and professional sports teams.
Alltel Wireless continues to provide choice and control to the customer’s wireless experience with its exclusive “My Circle” feature, giving customers unlimited calling to and from any five, 10 or 20 numbers on any network for free. Alltel Wireless was also the first to offer Anytime Plan Changes, giving customers the flexibility to change their calling plans at any time, without extending their current contract.
Alltel is owner and operator of the nation’s largest network and has more than 13 million customers. For more information about Alltel, please visit www.alltel.com.