Powerboat company to launch ‘sponsor’ model
Entertainment marketing agency Legion Network is creating a powerboat racing model that will give sponsors the opportunity to carry passengers in the boats during tournaments.
The Sunseeker XS Racing series has been developed with powerboat brand Sunseeker and will launch in 2005. The company has built 12 boats of a new racing class, each with the capacity to carry three passengers.
Legion is now seeking sponsors to sign three-year contracts, with prices running from &£250,000 up to &£1m for the series title sponsorship. Boat sponsors will be able to offer places in the craft during races as competition prizes, or to use them for corporate hospitality purposes.
The boats will be used this year to promote the series and will be present at key events such as the Cannes Film Festival and the Cowes Regatta. Legion is in negotiations with terrestrial and satellite broadcasters for broadcast rights to the XS tournament.
Legion managing director Malcolm Crease, a former head of sponsorship and sales at the FA Premier League, set up the company with Ulf Ekberg, a former member of pop group Ace of Base, in January 2003 (MW January 23, 2003).
Crease says: “The sports marketing industry is in decline but we are creating a brand new sports marketing platform. Nothing on this scale has been launched in the past ten years.”
