Colonial Life Arena pact builds national brand recognition
Colonial
Life and the University
of South Carolina have agreed to extend the Colonial
Life Arena naming rights sponsorship for another 10 years. The
renewed agreement, which runs Oct. 1, 2015 through Sept. 30, 2025, was
announced at a news conference at noon today at the arena.
The $6.5 million agreement includes exterior and interior signage at the
Colonial Life Arena as well as promotional packages with the Gamecock
athletics program.
“The sponsorship represents both a major ongoing commitment to this
community and a significant component of our brand-building efforts,”
said Tim Arnold, Colonial Life’s president and CEO. “Colonial Life is in
an elite group participating in a limited number of collegiate naming
rights opportunities nationwide. The growing success of the University
of South Carolina’s women’s basketball program and the major talent acts
the arena attracts are getting increasing national attention.”
The $65 million Colonial Life Arena is the largest building ever
constructed at the University of South Carolina, with more than 330,000
square feet. It’s the 10th largest on-campus basketball arena in the
country and has hosted an estimated 1,500 events with 6.6 million people
in attendance. In addition to serving as the home of Gamecock men’s and
women’s basketball, the Colonial Life Arena also has developed into one
of the Southeast’s premier entertainment venues. It was the nation’s
third-highest grossing university arena last year, based on concert and
event sales.
The company became the University of South Carolina’s first corporate
naming rights sponsor in October 2003. Other partnerships with the
university have included the Colonial Life Fellowship Fund with the
Arnold School of Public Health, the Darla Moore School of Business
capital campaign fund, placement of a major sculpture at the Moore
School, the Colonial Life Scholars program, student internships and
career opportunities for many graduates. Colonial Life has a long
history of business, civic and charitable support, with a focus on
education, health and the arts.
“The commitment made by Colonial Life as our naming rights sponsor
reinforces the value and prominence of the Colonial Life Arena as an
athletic and entertainment venue,” said Ray Tanner, University of South
Carolina director of athletics. “This partnership will help ensure we
can continue to bring the highest quality events to visitors.”
About Colonial Life
Colonial Life & Accident Insurance Company is a market leader in
providing financial protection benefits through the workplace, including
disability, life, accident, dental, cancer, critical illness and
hospital confinement indemnity insurance. The company’s benefit services
and education, innovative enrollment technology and personal service
support more than 80,000 businesses and organizations, representing more
than 3 million of America’s workers and their families. For more
information visit www.coloniallife.com
or connect with the company at www.facebook.com/coloniallifebenefits,
www.twitter.com/coloniallife
and www.linkedin.com/company/colonial-life.
About the University of South Carolina
The University of South Carolina (USC) was established in 1801 and is a
full-service, state-supported research university that includes the
358-acre Columbia campus and seven regional campuses with a total
full-time student body population of more than 46,000 and 2,100
full-time faculty members. Located in the capital city of Columbia in
the geographic center of the state, USC’s main campus is part of a
thriving metropolitan community of more than 450,000 inhabitants. USC
offers a broad spectrum of educational opportunities with 14 colleges
and schools that encompass 324 undergraduate and graduate
degree-granting programs. USC confers 40% of all bachelors,
professional, and graduate degrees awarded in public institutions in
South Carolina. For more information, visit www.sc.edu
or connect with USC at www.facebook.com/UofSC
or www.twitter.com/UofSC.
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