Livestrong Signs Deal To Title Sponsor Austin Marathon

Livestrong Signs Deal To Title Sponsor Austin Marathon

Published June 9, 2010

Uhlman (l) And Conley (r) Present Austin Mayor Lee Leffingwell With Livestrong Race Bib

Lance Armstrong's Livestrong yesterday announced a "three-year title sponsorship of the Austin Marathon & Half Marathon," according to Pamela LeBlanc of the AUSTIN AMERICAN-STATESMAN. Livestrong officials declined to disclose financial terms of the sponsorship, but Livestrong President & CEO Doug Ulman said that the Austin-based nonprofit's "contribution will include in-kind donations from corporate partners including Nike." The cost for a marathon title sponsorship "depends on the race's size and prestige," but ranges from about $150,000 for the Seattle Marathon (about 11,000 runners) to $2-3M for the ING N.Y. Marathon. The Austin race, now known as the Livestrong Marathon & Half Marathon, "ranks as the 23rd-largest marathon" in the U.S., and organizers "will cap entry at a combined 20,000 runners" between the two races for next year's event, on Feb. 20. Ulman said that the sponsorship will "help build awareness in the fight against cancer" (AUSTIN AMERICAN-STATESMAN, 6/9). The Austin marathon in its 20-year history "has had three other title sponsors" -- Motorola, Freescale Semiconductor and AT&T. Race Dir John Conley said that the '09 and '10 races "did not have sponsors because of the strained economy" (IMPACTNEWS.com, 6/8).