By Paul Nicholson
December 9 – CONCACAF has announced Scotiabank as the first official partner of its revamped sponsorship programme. In an initial four-year deal, the bank will become the title sponsor of the CONCACAF Champions League, the official bank of the confederation, and a main sponsor of the Gold Cup.
Announced at the Mexican Stock Exchange in Mexico City, CONCACAF president Jeffrey Webb said it “was a historic day and a milestone” for the confederation.
The deal marks the region’s governing body as a major competitor in the sports sponsorship market with a set of properties that can command premium prices.
While no figure was announced for the sponsorship, the scale of the announcement and the fact it was done in Mexico – an important market for Scotiabank – with Mexican football president Justino Compéan on the podium stressing its importance, indicates the significant strategic value for the bank and the confederation.
“Two years ago we started a reform process in CONCACAF. That reform has blossomed into a full transformation of CONCACAF,” said Webb.
“Scotiabank is built in trust and integrity and transparency. The new CONCACAF is built on trust and transparency and a commitment to developing and empowering football through the confederation.
“On behalf of CONCACAF I thank Scotiabank for the trust and confidence in our football.”
As well as CONCACAF’s marquee events of the Gold Cup and Champions League, Scotiabank will also support multiple additional tournaments through to 2018, including 2016 Olympic Qualifying events, and men’s and women’s tournaments at the under-20 and under-17 levels, starting with the CONCACAF Men’s Under-20 Championship Jamaica 2015, set to kick off in January.
The deal further includes sponsorship for the next two editions of the CFU Caribbean Cup and the UNCAF Central American Cup, as well as upcoming CONCACAF championships in Beach Soccer, Futsal and at the Girls’ and Boys’ under-15 levels.
John Doig, Scotiabank’s Chief Marketing Officer, said: “Scotiabank operates in most of the CONCACAF markets and we’re proud of the deep roots we have in these regions — supporting customers, businesses and communities across these countries going back more than 180 years.”
The deal was brokered by CONCACAF’s marketing agency Traffic Sports USA which has recently renewed its agreement and re-organised its sales effort to reflect the regenerated confederation.
“When we extended our agreement with CONCACAF in late 2013, we focused on restructuring the sponsorship programme in line with global standards led by CONCACAF Partners,” said Traffic Sports USA president Aaron Davidson. “Scotiabank is the perfect founding CONCACAF Partner thanks to their footprint across the region and their commitment to sport and the communities they serve.”
Scotiabank is Canada’s leading international bank with operations in 55 countries employing 86,000 people. The bank is not a newcomer to sport, sponsoring cricket in the Caribbean, ice-hockey in Canada and baseball in the Dominican Republic.
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