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In 1903 G.A. Krause, the founder of Wolverine World Wide, and his sons built a burgeoning shoe factory in Rockford, Mich. capable of producing 300 pairs of shoes a day. By 1914 the factory was growing, producing a line of leather work shoes branded as “1,000 mile shoes” because of their durability.
In 2008 Wolverine will be using the quarter-mile to promote its extensive line of premium outdoor foot apparel. The company has entered into an agreement to sponsor Championship Sunday at three events on the 2008 Knoll Gas Nitro Jam schedule. Wolverine will present Championship Sunday at the season-opening Texas Nationals at San Antonio Raceway April 4-6, the Northern Nationals at Knoll Gas Motorsports Park in Martin, Mich. Aug. 1-3 and at the Sooner Nationals at Tulsa Raceway Park Aug. 22-24.
“Wolverine is pleased to be a part of the IHRA family because we are happy to work with such a great team of people,” Wolverine World Wide spokesperson Christina Vernon said. “The management group, the race teams and the fans all have been so great to work with. In 2007 we worked with IHRA for the first time and we were happy with how everyone made us feel right at home. And the feedback we got on our product was wonderful.”
Last season Wolverine World Wide sponsored the Sooner Nationals in Tulsa, Oklahoma. This year the company has partnered with Academy Sports + Outdoors, one of the largest sporting good retailers in the United States, to put their names together to sponsor the three Championship Sundays.
“Because we partner with Academy Sports + Outdoors on these events we wanted to get exposure to a loyal group of consumers who can appreciate Wolverine’s ‘Relentless by Nature’ attitude and also appreciate the full selection of Wolverine products at Academy stores,” Vernon said. “So far the fans have not disappointed us. We had a great time in Tulsa last year showcasing our new products while getting people excited about Wolverine and Academy. With our expanded presence at the races this year we hope to have an even better season.”
Wolverine impressed IHRA president Aaron Polburn last year, and he expects the relationship to grow.
“Last season Wolverine was such an integral part of the Sooner Nationals in Tulsa,” he said. “They really proved to be a sponsor that knows how to activate, and that added a lot to our Nitro Jam event. I’m thrilled they decided to expand their sponsorship to include the Texas Nationals and Northern Nationals this season.”
About IHRA
Headquartered in Norwalk, Ohio, the International Hot Rod Association (IHRA), a division of Live Nation, promotes professional, semi-professional and local level racing opportunities for drivers at all levels. The $19.5 million Knoll Gas Nitro Jam™ Drag Racing Series is an 11-event North American professional drag racing circuit. In 2007, the series will be comprised of eight events in major cities throughout the United States and three in Canada. The Summit Racing Equipment Pro-Am Championship presented by Mr. Gasket consists of competition at national events and 40 events in six regional divisions, while IHRA’s Summit SuperSeries is conducted nearly every weekend at over 70 IHRA-sanctioned tracks. Providing a safe environment to develop future stars, IHRA offers the Junior Dragster Racing Series for youths ages 8-17. Stand-alone events include Live Nation’s entertainment-filled “Thunder Jam” shows and the street legal racing and lifestyle event series Street Warriorz. More information can be found at NitroJam.com.
About Live Nation
Live Nation is the world's largest live music company. Our mission is to inspire passion for live music around the world. We are the largest promoter of live concerts in the world, the second-largest entertainment venue management company and have a rapidly growing online presence. We strive to create superior experiences for artists and fans, regularly producing tours for the biggest superstars in the business, including The Rolling Stones, Barbra Streisand, Madonna, U2 and Coldplay. Globally, we own, operate, have booking rights for and/or have an equity interest in more than 160 venues, including House of Blues® music venues and prestigious locations such as The Fillmore in San Francisco, Nikon at Jones Beach in New York and London’s Wembley Arena. Our websites collectively are the second most popular entertainment/event websites in the United States, according to Nielsen//NetRatings. In addition, we also produce, promote or host theatrical, specialized motor sports and other live entertainment events. In 2006, we connected nearly 60 million fans with their favorite performers at approximately 26,000 events in 18 countries around the world. Headquartered in Los Angeles, California, Live Nation is listed on the New York Stock Exchange, trading under the symbol “LYV.”
Wolverine World Wide to Sponsor Championship Sunday at Three Knoll Gas Nitro Jam Events
In 1903 G.A. Krause, the founder of Wolverine World Wide, and his sons built a burgeoning shoe factory in Rockford, Mich. capable of producing 300 pairs of shoes a day. By 1914 the factory was growing, producing a line of leather work shoes branded as “1,000 mile shoes” because of their durability.
In 2008 Wolverine will be using the quarter-mile to promote its extensive line of premium outdoor foot apparel. The company has entered into an agreement to sponsor Championship Sunday at three events on the 2008 Knoll Gas Nitro Jam schedule. Wolverine will present Championship Sunday at the season-opening Texas Nationals at San Antonio Raceway April 4-6, the Northern Nationals at Knoll Gas Motorsports Park in Martin, Mich. Aug. 1-3 and at the Sooner Nationals at Tulsa Raceway Park Aug. 22-24.
“Wolverine is pleased to be a part of the IHRA family because we are happy to work with such a great team of people,” Wolverine World Wide spokesperson Christina Vernon said. “The management group, the race teams and the fans all have been so great to work with. In 2007 we worked with IHRA for the first time and we were happy with how everyone made us feel right at home. And the feedback we got on our product was wonderful.”
Last season Wolverine World Wide sponsored the Sooner Nationals in Tulsa, Oklahoma. This year the company has partnered with Academy Sports + Outdoors, one of the largest sporting good retailers in the United States, to put their names together to sponsor the three Championship Sundays.
“Because we partner with Academy Sports + Outdoors on these events we wanted to get exposure to a loyal group of consumers who can appreciate Wolverine’s ‘Relentless by Nature’ attitude and also appreciate the full selection of Wolverine products at Academy stores,” Vernon said. “So far the fans have not disappointed us. We had a great time in Tulsa last year showcasing our new products while getting people excited about Wolverine and Academy. With our expanded presence at the races this year we hope to have an even better season.”
Wolverine impressed IHRA president Aaron Polburn last year, and he expects the relationship to grow.
“Last season Wolverine was such an integral part of the Sooner Nationals in Tulsa,” he said. “They really proved to be a sponsor that knows how to activate, and that added a lot to our Nitro Jam event. I’m thrilled they decided to expand their sponsorship to include the Texas Nationals and Northern Nationals this season.”
About IHRA
Headquartered in Norwalk, Ohio, the International Hot Rod Association (IHRA), a division of Live Nation, promotes professional, semi-professional and local level racing opportunities for drivers at all levels. The $19.5 million Knoll Gas Nitro Jam™ Drag Racing Series is an 11-event North American professional drag racing circuit. In 2007, the series will be comprised of eight events in major cities throughout the United States and three in Canada. The Summit Racing Equipment Pro-Am Championship presented by Mr. Gasket consists of competition at national events and 40 events in six regional divisions, while IHRA’s Summit SuperSeries is conducted nearly every weekend at over 70 IHRA-sanctioned tracks. Providing a safe environment to develop future stars, IHRA offers the Junior Dragster Racing Series for youths ages 8-17. Stand-alone events include Live Nation’s entertainment-filled “Thunder Jam” shows and the street legal racing and lifestyle event series Street Warriorz. More information can be found at NitroJam.com.
About Live Nation
Live Nation is the world's largest live music company. Our mission is to inspire passion for live music around the world. We are the largest promoter of live concerts in the world, the second-largest entertainment venue management company and have a rapidly growing online presence. We strive to create superior experiences for artists and fans, regularly producing tours for the biggest superstars in the business, including The Rolling Stones, Barbra Streisand, Madonna, U2 and Coldplay. Globally, we own, operate, have booking rights for and/or have an equity interest in more than 160 venues, including House of Blues® music venues and prestigious locations such as The Fillmore in San Francisco, Nikon at Jones Beach in New York and London’s Wembley Arena. Our websites collectively are the second most popular entertainment/event websites in the United States, according to Nielsen//NetRatings. In addition, we also produce, promote or host theatrical, specialized motor sports and other live entertainment events. In 2006, we connected nearly 60 million fans with their favorite performers at approximately 26,000 events in 18 countries around the world. Headquartered in Los Angeles, California, Live Nation is listed on the New York Stock Exchange, trading under the symbol “LYV.”
