PRESS RELEASE
USA Team Handball Announces Founding Partner/Jersey Partnership with Verizon
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (January 20, 2020) — USA Team Handball today announced its official partnership with Verizon. The communications and technology giant will serve as the founding partner of USA Team Handball through 2020, with opportunity to secure partnership through 2024. In addition to a full package of marketing assets, Verizon also will become the official Jersey partner for USA Team Handball as part of the rights and benefits.
“We could not ask for a better partner to help grow the sport of team handball here in the United States, which is already one of the most prolific and popular sports in Europe and South America,” said Barry Siff, chief executive officer of USA Team Handball. “With Verizon’s help and partnership moving forward, I am sure that our efforts to make team handball America’s next great sport will see significant progress in 2020 and beyond.”
Verizon will be integrated across all USATH’s partnership programs, including the U.S. Women’s & Men’s National Teams Powered by Verizon, USA Beach Handball Powered by Verizon, and the Collegiate National Championships Powered by Verizon.
“We’re proud to support USA Team Handball as Founding Partner,” said John Nitti, chief media officer of Verizon. “We see tremendous opportunity within the sport and are excited to see the ways Verizon can work with USA Team Handball to grow and evolve it.”
USA Team Handball will also be launching an open tryout in early 2020 for its U.S. women’s and men’s national teams. As the entitlement partner, Verizon will receive nationwide media coverage and create engaging content for the event, called USA Team Handball Open Tryouts Powered by Verizon.
“This groundbreaking partnership between Verizon and USA Team Handball says a tremendous amount about the growth of the sport globally and how Verizon can be a catalyst to help grow USA Team Handball with a national footprint,” said Jeff Marks, chief executive officer of Innovative Partnerships Group (IPG 360). “What an exciting time to be part of building an Olympic sport from the ground up.”
Additionally, Verizon will work with the USATH activation team to generate original programming and content, a USA Team Handball community outreach program, and a corporate wellness program providing firsthand exposure to the sport.
Innovative Partnerships Group (IPG360) is the sales agency of record for USA Team Handball and played an integral role in identifying and securing this strategic corporate partnership.
In addition, Paul Garofolo, president of IOA Sports Partners, an Insurance Office of America company, served as a senior consultant on the Verizon/USATH partnership assisting with the planning, development, and securing of the partnership with Verizon, USA Team Handball, and IPG 360.
About IOA Sports Partners
IOA Sports Partners, an Insurance Office of America company, was founded in 2012. It provides business solutions for professionals and collegiate teams, leagues, entertainment venues, municipalities, and the general business community. Cutting-edge business leaders partner with IOA Sports Partners to facilitate changes to their cost structure to optimize spending, drive real savings, and unlock additional commercial value by creating long-term sustainable partnerships.
About Verizon:
Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE, Nasdaq: VZ) was formed June 30, 2000, and is celebrating its 20th year as one of the world’s leading providers of communications, information and entertainment products and services. Headquartered in New York City and with a presence around the world, Verizon generated revenues of $130.9 billion in 2018. The company offers voice, data, and video services and solutions on its award-winning networks and platforms, delivering on customers’ demand for mobility, reliable network connectivity, security, and control.
About USA Team Handball:
USA Team Handball (USATH) is the U.S. National Governing Body for the Olympic discipline of team handball, and is responsible for the development of grassroots programs, preparation of national teams for international competition – including the Pan-American and Olympic games – as well as the day-to-day oversight of the sport of team handball in the United States. The mission of USATH is to develop, promote, educate, and grow the sport of team handball at all levels domestically and to enable U.S. athletes to achieve sustained competitive excellence to win medals in international and Olympic competition. USATH is a member of the International Handball Federation, the North American and Caribbean Handball Confederation, and the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee, and is headquartered in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
About Innovative Partnerships Group (IPG360):
Innovative Partnerships Group (IPG360) consults with prestige sports and entertainment properties and brands to identify, create, and value long-term business partnerships. IPG360 has deep expertise in naming rights, founding partners, and next generation sponsorships. IPG360 uses its Partnership Intelligence System, a next generation software program, to quantify the revenue potential for both brands and properties. This new approach is more impactful than traditional impression or engagement metrics. IPG360 executives have worked on hundreds of business partnerships and jersey partnerships including Alaska Airlines/Portland Timbers, American Family Insurance/Atlanta United, Toyota/USA Triathlon, Ascension Seton/Austin Bold, Volkswagen/Canadian Premier League among others. More information at IPG360.com
