by Larry Eder
The race, in its’ present evolution, has 50,000 runners (it was over 30,000 back in 1986), and 150,000 spectators. It is one of the BIG ONES, like a moving, breathing entity. The wave start was one of their first innovations and BolderBOULDER 10K has been at the forefront of the road running movement.
Saucony, working in partnership with Dick’s Sporting Goods, will sell Saucony footwear and apparel developed for the Bolder Boulder road race. Dick’s Sporting Goods is becoming a larger and larger player in running footwear sales. Developing a program around the 200,000 fans and runners who will populate Boulder, Colorado race weekend shows once again, just how big the running footwear and apparel business is.
A $7.5 billion running footwear business, with $6 billion of the sales under $65 a pair, is the focus of many industries. The most committed runners, whether they run 10-15 miles a week or 60 miles a week, are creatures of habit. They have favorite running trails, favorite races, favorite workouts, and favorite running footwear and apparel. The core runners are also huge influencers in the sport. They are asked about footwear, training, apparel, how running affects their lives.
They are the ten percent who influence the ninety percent.Yet, in races like this, the Big Races, like BolderBOULDER 10K and the BaytoBreakers, are made up only by ten percent of committed runners, the rest are runners or walkers who run, but race once or twice a year! These fitness runners see running as part of their life, but juggle running with other activities for fitness and just do not see the benefit of running a road race every weekend.
Running continues to grow, and evolve, and races like the BolderBOULDER will continue to play a huge part in the sport. Sponsorships such as Saucony and Dick’s Sporting Goods are creative ways to build more revenue and opportunities for the running community.
Saucony® Announces Sponsorship of BolderBOULDER® 10K
Brand commits to long-term partnership as exclusive footwear and apparel sponsor of ‘America’s All-Time Best 10K’
LEXINGTON, MA (April 6, 2011) –
Saucony, Inc,
a leading global supplier of performance athletic footwear and apparel,
today announced its long-term exclusive footwear and apparel
sponsorship of the
BolderBOULDER, recently named by
Runner’s World magazine as “America’s All-Time Best 10K.” The
event is the 3rd largest running race in the United States and the 5th
largest in the world. The race
attracts more than 50,000 participants and draws professional racing
teams from all over the world. More than 150,000 spectators watch the
festivities at this Memorial Day tradition in Boulder, Colorado.
“We couldn’t be more
excited to partner with the BolderBOULDER, America’s premier 10K race
held in a city that could only be called a runner’s Mecca,” said Mark
Bossardet, vice
president of sports marketing for Saucony. “At Saucony we strive to
inspire runners every day, but it’s events like these that continue to
inspire us. We look forward to further enhancing the ultimate race
experience for both runners and spectators,” he added.
As
part of its “boldest” level sponsorship, Saucony will outfit race
officials and volunteers in the brand’s award-winning footwear
and apparel. Saucony will also provide a line of Dick’s Sporting Goods BolderBOULDER 10K co-branded merchandise available for sale at
the Dick’s Sporting Goods BolderBOULDER SportsExhibit over Memorial Day weekend.
In
addition to supplying footwear and apparel for the event, Saucony will
provide local training clubs and the BolderBOULDER10K middle school
training program
with merchandise.
“The
BolderBOULDER is thrilled to welcome Saucony, a leader in innovation
and performance running, to the race family,” said Cliff
Bosley, race director of the BolderBOULDER. “Saucony’s commitment to
inspiring every runner, on every run, on every day, makes them an
invaluable partner to us as we work tirelessly to create an unparalleled
experience for our participants, spectators and
community.”
The
BolderBOULDER 10k road race was first held in 1979 in the area around
North Boulder Park. The course has varied over the years,
but has long finished at the University of Colorado’s Folsom Field.
From the first-year field of about 2,700 runners, it has grown into the
sixth-largest road race in the world, with more than 50,000 finishers in
2010. In order to allow for such a large and
divergent field, the race features a wave start with the fastest
runners leaving first, followed by 91 additional waves.
The
2011 race introduces a new start line located at 30th and Walnut in
Boulder. The first wave of runners launches at 7:00am. The
Women’s and Men’s Pro Race Starts are at 11:00am and 11:11am,
respectively. The Dick’s Sporting Goods SportsEXHIBIT will be on Pearl
Street Mall in Boulder, May 28th-29th, from 10:00am-6:00pm.
About Saucony, Inc.:
Saucony,
Inc., a subsidiary of Collective Brands, Inc., is a leading global
running lifestyle brand that fuses performance, innovation
and style to create compelling footwear and apparel with its widely
recognized brands Saucony and Saucony Originals. Founded in 1898,
Saucony continues to inspire runners everywhere with its award winning
innovations, including Flexion Plate™, ProGrid™, Arch-Lock®,
and ViZiPROâ„¢ apparel. For more information, go to www.saucony.com.
About BolderBOULDER 10K:
The
DICK’S Sporting Goods BolderBOULDER 10K, a Running USA Founding Member,
is the 3rd largest running race in the USA and the
5th largest in the world. The race attracts over 50,000 runners,
walkers, and wheelchair racers, and draws professional racing teams from
all over the world to compete for one of the largest non-marathon prize
purse in road racing. The race starts at 30th
Street and Walnut in Boulder, winds through neighborhoods with live
music and entertainment at every corner, and finishes in the University
of Colorado’s Folsom Field. More than 150,000 spectators watch the
festivities from inside the stadium and along the
course. The 33rd BolderBOULDER will be held on Memorial Day, May 30, 2011.
About Collective Brands, Inc.:
Collective
Brands, Inc. (NYSE: PSS) is a leader in bringing compelling lifestyle,
fashion and performance brands for footwear and related accessories to
consumers worldwide. The company operates three strategic units
covering a powerful brand portfolio, as well as multiple price points
and selling channels including retail, wholesale, ecommerce and
licensing. The company operates three strategic units covering
a powerful brand portfolio, as well as multiple price points and
selling channels including retail, wholesale, ecommerce and licensing.
Collective Brands, Inc. includes Payless ShoeSource, focused on
democratizing fashion and design in footwear and accessories
through its nearly 4,500-store retail chain, with its brands Airwalk®,
Dexter®, Champion®, Zoe & Zac™, the first-ever affordable green
footwear brand, and designer collections Lela Rose for Payless,
Christian Siriano for Payless and Isabel Toledo for Payless,
among others; Collective Brands Performance + Lifestyle Group, focused
on lifestyle and performance branded footwear and high-quality
children’s footwear sold primarily through wholesaling, with its brands
including Stride Rite®, Keds®, Sperry Top-Sider®,
Robeez®, and Saucony®, among others; and Collective Licensing
International, the brand development, management and global licensing
unit, with such youth lifestyle brands as Airwalk®, Vision Street Wear®,
Sims®, Lamar® and LTD®. Information about, and links
for shopping on, each of the Collective Brand’s units can be found at www.collectivebrands.com.
