11-03-2004: Chevrolet Renews USSA Partnership Bringing 'An American Revolution' To Unique Venues
DETROIT
- Chevrolet has announced it will renew its current partnership through 2007
with the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association (USSA), the national governing body
for Olympic skiing and snowboarding. The sponsorship, in its 10th season,
supports the development of world-class U.S. Ski Team and U.S. Snowboarding
athletes and offers Chevrolet another high-profile partnership to highlight its
product portfolio with key audiences.
The three-year agreement will support the Team through the 2006 Olympic
Winter Games in Torino, Italy and beyond. The partnership positions Chevy as
"The Official Vehicle of the U.S. Ski Team and U.S Snowboarding,"
providing Chevrolet the opportunity to reach young and upscale consumers through
dynamic sport and lifestyle events.
For 2004 and 2005, Chevrolet will title events such as the U.S. Snowboard
Grand Prix, the premier snowboard competition series in the country and part of
the Olympic selection criteria; freestyle World Cups that bring together more
than 200 athletes from 28 countries to compete; Super Series and Junior
Olympics, both feeding America's Olympic pipeline. Associate sponsorships will
take the Chevrolet brand to at least nine unique mountains each year for events
including snowboard World Cups and big air competitions, Freestyle Challenges
and U.S. Championships for alpine, freestyle, disabled, cross country and ski
jumping/nordic combined. Most of these marquee events will be broadcast this
season on NBC and the Outdoor Life Network.
The agreement also includes an opportunity for consumers to experience Chevy
vehicles at various resorts tied to USSA events. Specifically the SSR, Colorado,
Uplander, Equinox, TrailBlazer and Suburban will make their way to east and west
coast resorts for 66 days this winter, allowing consumers to interact with the
product lineup while exploring each vehicle's unique features and offerings.
Additionally the partnership provides Chevrolet logo ID on Team uniforms,
Team appearances, inclusion on the USSA's three Web sites (usskiteam.com,
ussnowboarding.org and ussa.org)
and the utilization of Chevrolet products for all official Team and event
business activity.
"The renewal of this successful partnership emphasizes our commitment
toward the future accomplishments of U.S. athletes," said Mac Whisner,
director, Chevrolet sponsorship and promotion. "This sponsorship gives both
parties great visibility and further solidifies Chevy as the vehicle of choice
for snowsports enthusiasts and like-minded consumers." Further, he added,
"There is great synergy between Chevrolet's global presence and the Team's
quest to be the best in the world." The relationship provides a great
platform for us to introduce consumers to Chevy's exciting lineup of cars and
trucks."
Although appearances for the year are yet to be determined, members of the
U.S. Ski Team and U.S. Snowboarding have been used before in national television
and print ads, participated in various event activities and product brochures.
Top Team athletes include alpine racers Bode Miller and Daron Rahlves, freestyle
skiers Jeremy Bloom and Toby Dawson, and snowboarders Lindsey Jacobellis, Steve
Fisher and Hannah Teter.
"Because of our partnership with Chevrolet, we have been able to
develop, support and help U.S. athletes reach the podium and build on successes
each year," said Bill Marolt, USSA president and CEO. "The sponsorship
validates our vision: To make U.S. athletes the best in the world in Olympic
skiing and snowboarding - a revolution of our own in winter sports."
About Chevrolet
Chevrolet is in the midst of a product assault, launching 10 new vehicles in
20 months. Next up: the Chevy Cobalt, an all-new premium small car, available in
dealer showrooms later this fall.
Chevrolet is a division of General Motors (NYSE: GM), the world's largest
vehicle manufacturer, which employs about 325,000 people globally. Founded in
1908, GM has been the global automotive sales leader since 1931. GM today has
manufacturing operations in 32 countries and its vehicles are sold in 192
countries. In 2003, GM sold nearly 8.6 million cars and trucks, about 15 percent
of the global vehicle market. GM's global vehicle headquarters are at the GM
Renaissance Center in Detroit. More information on GM and its products can be
found on the company's corporate website at www.gm.com.
About USSA
The U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association (USSA) is the national governing body
for Olympic skiing and snowboarding. USSA manages year-round nationwide
development and elite programs, including the national teams, in six distinctly
different Olympic sports: alpine, cross country, freestyle, nordic combined, ski
jumping and snowboarding, as well as two Paralympic sports - disabled alpine and
disabled cross country. USSA is based in Park City, Utah.