Aviva has confirmed it will end its successful sponsorship of UK Athletics (UKA) at the close of 2012, when its current contract comes to an end.
Aviva has confirmed it will end its successful sponsorship of UK Athletics (UKA) at the close of 2012, when its current contract comes to an end.
Aviva’s chief marketing officer, Amanda Mackenzie, said: “We will have had 13 great years with UK Athletics and it has been a fantastic partnership. The support we’ve given has helped athletes such as Jessica Ennis and Jonnie Peacock reach the very top of their sport, with stellar performances in London over the summer.
“The sponsorship has also enabled us to build awareness of the Aviva brand among the millions of sporting fans across the UK and we feel now is the right time to pass on the baton to another organisation. It will no doubt prove as successful for them as it has for us.”
The partnership between Aviva and UKA is one of the longest and most successful sponsorships in UK sport, spanning all levels of athletics and involving millions of pounds of investment. Through this financial investment Aviva has helped pave the way for British athletes within a strong, focused and stable sporting organisation.
“We’ve had the privilege of standing alongside our GB & NI athletics team, and we’ve helped more than three million youngsters take their first steps into the sport at a grassroots level since 1999. We’re confident athletics in the UK will continue to go from strength to strength,” added Amanda.
UKA’s chief executive, Niels de Vos, said: “Aviva has been a superb partner for UK Athletics for 13 years. Without their support over these past years, there is no doubt that athletics would not find itself in the robust good health that it does - as the country's number one Olympic and Paralympic sport with a vibrant commercial programme of televised events and activities from the school playground to elite preparation camps.”
About Aviva and UK Athletics
Since the start of the Aviva sponsorship in 1999, British athletes have achieved some of the best medal tallies ever at international events – 985 won.
The Aviva Series, hosted six times a year, has enabled British athletes to compete against the best international talent in front of a home crowd.
Aviva’s investment has played a vital role in supporting the GB & NI junior and senior teams as they prepare for major championships by funding warm weather and acclimatisation preparation camps abroad, as well as providing performance staff and facilities at home in the UK.
Since the start of the sponsorship, Aviva and UK Athletics have also worked closely to develop a robust grassroots programme that has helped the next generation to get involved in the sport.
Through the seven programmes that make up the Aviva Athletics Academy, more than three million children have been engaged in athletics, with many talented youngsters going on to compete in the GB & NI team.
About Aviva’s sponsorships
In the UK, Aviva has a comprehensive range of sponsorships which reflects the diverse interests of its customers. Its current portfolio also includes Aviva Premiership Rugby, Norwich City Football Club and National Theatre Live. Our sports sponsorships each include dedicated investment into community projects, aimed at providing opportunities for children to stay active and get involved in sport.
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If you are a journalist and would like further information, please contact:
Aviva media relations:
Diane Mangan
Mobile: +44 (0)7800 691714
Email: diane.mangan@aviva.co.uk
Claire Miller
Mobile: +44 (0)7900 276400
Email: claire.miller4@aviva.co.uk
UKA media relations:
Liz Birchall
Mobile: +44 (0)7718 526363
Email: lbirchall@uka.org.uk
Notes to editors:
Aviva provides insurance, savings and investment products to 43 million customers worldwide.
We are the UK’s largest insurer with over 14 million customers and one of Europe’s leading providers of life and general insurance. We combine strong life insurance, general insurance and asset management businesses under one powerful brand. We are committed to serving our customers well in order to build a stronger, sustainable business, which makes a positive contribution to society, and for which our people are proud to work.
We are ranked as one of the UK’s top 10 most valuable brands and Aviva plc is in the top 10% of socially responsible companies globally in the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index. In 2011 we invested £5.3 million into our UK communities. One in three of our employees were involved in community investment activities which included giving nearly 33,000 hours.
Aviva is working in partnership with Railway Children through the Aviva Street to School programme to get children living or working on UK streets back into everyday life. Find out more at www.aviva.co.uk/street-to-school.
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