USA Wrestling has three Fortune 500 Companies among its family of corporate partners. In fact, two of those companies are Fortune 100 companies! (Liberty Mutual Insurance (Responsible Sports) #71 and Merck (Lotrimin) #85) The third sponsor, American Airlines, is just out of the Fortune 100 at #120. These very large companies have joined USA Wrestling’s other corporate sponsors, ASICS, Body Bar Systems, Maximized Living, Dollamur Sport Surfaces, The U.S. Marines and USA Wrestling’s newest sponsor, Hibiclens.

Each of our corporate partners are just that…partners, said Larry Nugent, USA Wrestling’s Director of Development. “Each brings assets to USA Wrestling that go beyond just financial considerations and in turn, USA Wrestling leverages its marketing platforms and good will to help those companies grow”.

Liberty Mutual Insurance is one of USA Wrestling’s largest sponsors. Their Responsible Sports Program supports volunteer youth coaches and parents who help our youth athletes succeed both on the mat and off. (responsiblesports.com)

Nugent credits his department’s success to hard work and USA Wrestling’s investment in developing and maintaining strong communication platforms. He said, “through a sports sponsorship, a company wants to create brand awareness, advertise one's products and services, as well as reaffirm the company's reputation as a responsible corporate citizen in the business world. Because USA Wrestling has stayed current with cutting edge communication technologies, companies like Liberty Mutual can leverage those technologies to get their message out. One of our business principals is to network the wrestling community and the communication vehicles we developed to accomplish that helped attract Liberty Mutual to USA Wrestling”.

USA Wrestling’s Development Department is a two person show. Joining Nugent is  Manager of Development, Harry Kalofonos. “It isn’t easy to get the attention of a large company like Liberty Mutual”, said Nugent. He continued, “Once I brought them to the table, Harry and I put together a presentation that they couldn’t walk away from. Harry really hit it out of the Park at their Boston corporate offices”!

Corporate sponsorships are only one of the ventures USA Wrestling’s Development Department has successfully taken on. Producing special events and fundraising initiatives are another way that the Development Department has raised resources for the USA Wrestling mission. “In 2008 we conceived and executed Fuel the Dream a program designed to raise funds to assist our Olympians with their expenses leading up to the Olympic Games. In 2009, in the run up to the Winter Olympic Games, we collaborated with a winter sport, USA Hockey and staged The Night of Champions. Both of these events were recognized by the U.S. Olympic Committee as “Most Unique and Creative Marketing Initiatives of the Year!”

Last August, USA Wrestling’s Development Department challenged itself to support the “Living The Dream Medal Fund” with a Benefit Telethon. “I was a little nervous attempting to do something no one in the Olympic Family here in Colorado Springs had ever tried”, said Nugent. “I’m lucky our own Jason Bryant was a great host and that Al Bevilacqua and Greg Warren brought passion and humor to the program. Their talented efforts inspired our World Team Athletes to do a really great job on the telephones!” he said.

Big things are in store for the Development Department moving forward. Nugent explained, “We are planning another Night of Champions in April and this time we are partnering with the U.S. Soccer Foundation. With London 2012 rapidly approaching we are putting the finishing touches on a slate of London hospitality packages that will result in unforgettable memories for Olympic Games fans of all sports and economic levels. Our plate is nearly full but we are always ready to create additional partnerships and I encourage those with questions or ideas to contact us”, said Nugent.

For more information on USA Wrestling’s Corporate Partnership opportunities go to:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=BdSl5O4QhW8