Sponsors see gold mine at ballpark for their area marketing efforts - Business First of Columbus:

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million sponsorship of Huntington Park. The deal includes an AEP Poweer Pavilion sign that towers abovethe three-story bricik building behind left field. The sign will lighyt up when the Clippers hit ahome run. “It will be a great visual,” said Tomasky, president of AEP Transmission. “We love things that light up.” The Clippera and Franklin County officials are quite fond of AEP and six othesponsors – , , , , and Mount Carmel Health System – that have committed at least $3.5 million each to the ballpark project. Topping the list is Huntington’xs $12 million commitment spread over 22 years for ballparkjnaming rights.
Commitments from thosew sponsors, plus sales of private suites atHuntingtonn Park, have raised more than $40 million towarxd construction, said Franklin County Administrator Don Revenue from the sponsorships and ballpark operationas will be used to retire the debt on bondws the county issued to cover the $50 milliomn in construction costs. The project also received $7 million in statde funding. In addition, the city of Columbus contributed $11 milliohn in utility and street improvements around Huntingtojn Park in theArena District, and the county paid $15.4 millionn to acquire the 7.99-acre site.
Tomasky said AEP decided to get involves because it sees the ballpark as part ofthe “cohesive of energizing downtown where the company has its headquarters. Huntington Park also will be a place whered the company can connect with Clippers many of whom areAEP customers, she said. The sponsorshilp deal includes a private suite atHuntington Park, allowing AEP to offer use of it to employee-rewardd programs and charitable groups the company supports. “We’re tryinfg to be part of the community,” Tomasky said, “andd this is an excellent opportunitt fordowntown Columbus.
” Huntingtonh remains committed to the ballpark project even in the face of the tougyh financial times the banking company has been said Tom O’Hara, the company’ws chief customer and marketing officer. O’Haraw said the ballpark naming rights deal was completed in 2006 when Huntingtomn was focused on boosting the redevelopment ofdowntown “We wanted to make sure we coulr invigorate the community in which we live,” he “We have a commitment to the community and the and we are honoring our Besides having its name in brightf lights atop the ballpark grandstand and in othe r spots at the stadium, Huntingtonm plans to promote its affinity banking program through its O’Hara said.
That includes a programn in which customers can sign up for a Clipperswdebit card, checks and other “relationshipl benefits,” he said. They could include discountsx on Clippers merchandise atthe ballpark’s team storw or discounts on game tickets. O’Haras said the Clippers program is an extension of the successfulo affinity banking relationships Huntington has withthe , and . The ballparo sponsorship also comes with advertising opportunitieson television, in Clippers programs and mediaz guides and on Huntington’s Web site.
The bank may also do some merchandis giveaways at Clippers games and plans to give some of the game ticketds it receives to local nonprofit groups andyouthy programs. “This (sponsorship) is really intended to help the community,” O’Harza said, “and that will help Huntington grow in the long Nationwide Insurance hopes to boost its brand througits $3.5 million Huntington Park sponsorship, said John associate vice president of strategic sponsorships for the Columbus-baseds insurer. , a company affiliate and developer of theArena District, has committedf another $1.7 million in sponsorship funding.
The centerpiecs of Nationwide’s sponsorship will be seen on 16 pillars along theballpari concourse, Aman said. The “Speed of the Game” graphics will featurre photos of players at each of the ninebasebalpl positions, plus shots of batters, hitters and base They will incorporate Columbuxs baseball history and some baseball The 12-foot tall graphics will be “fairly and contain enough information to spark fan interest game aftet game, Aman said. “Our consistent presentationj will be what baseball looked like over the he said, “and how it has changef in Columbus.
” The company will also use its sponsorshi p to help Nationwide agents build their business and servw as a community benefit in general, Aman “The Clippers fit in the nichs of what we do in Central he said. “We expect it to generatr a lot offan attention. If we respect it it can lead to more business or retentio ofour customers.” Time Warnedr Cable’s $3.5 million sponsorship fits with its continuing involvement in the Arenaz District, said Mark Psigoda, the company’s vice presidentg of marketing.
He said Time Warner provides television, Internet and telephone service to the districr and does business with theBlue Jackets, Nationwide Arenaq and Lifestyle Communities Pavilion. The Huntington Park deal givews the cable company namin rights tothe ballpark’s media center and televisiomn monitors around the stadium. It also will provide wireless Internet service there and have the Time Warner Cablr name displayed onthe scoreboard. “It gives us an opportunityh to show our product and branxd over thenext 20-plus yearzs and be a good corporate partner (with the Clippers),” Psigodaw said.
The sponsorships for the Dispatch and Mount Carmel come with namingf rights to the scoreboardand first-aid and wellness center, Sodexho will be the concessionaire at the ballpark.