WINNIPEG, CANADA – December 14, 2011 – The Winnipeg Football Club and Investors Group are pleased to announce they have reached a 12-year agreement to name the new sports and entertainment venue being constructed on the campus of the University of Manitoba, Investors Group Field. Investors Group Field will be home to one of the CFL’s most historic franchises, the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, as well as the CIS’ University of Manitoba Bisons. Front Row Marketing Services (FRMS) and Front Row Analytics (FRA), subsidiaries of the sports and entertainment firm Comcast-Spectacor, served as consultants throughout the entire naming rights process.
“Today’s great announcement is another chapter in what will be a spectacular facility and one of the premier sports and entertainment venues in North America,” said Ossama AbouZeid, Interim CEO of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. “Investors Group’s desire to be such an important piece of our club’s future makes this agreement extremely fulfilling. As an organization, we are thrilled to expand our relationship with such a long standing, community oriented institution, and very much look forward to kicking off the first of many thrilling seasons at Investors Group Field next summer.”
“Investors Group is very excited to partner with the Winnipeg Football Club in creating a new home for players and fans of Canadian football for many years to come,” said Murray Taylor, President and CEO of Investors Group. “Our organizations share more than 80 years of history in Canada and more than 35 years as partners in building a strong and vital football community. This agreement demonstrates the pride we have in our past and we look forward to Investors Group Field being a place where people will gather to enjoy sports, concerts and special events in a world-class facility.”
FRA, the sponsorship evaluation division of FRMS, kicked the campaign off with a thorough evaluation and analysis of the WFC stadium assets. FRMS helped steer the partnership into completion from the crafting of sales collateral all the way through to the development of sponsorship and hospitality elements.
Investors Group Field will be one of the premier sports and entertainment venues when it opens its doors in the summer of 2012, with a capacity seating of 33,500, expandable to 40,000.
The state-of-the-art facility will also host a Grey Cup championship, Canada’s largest sporting event, in the next few seasons.
“All throughout Blue Bomber seasons ahead, Investors Group’s presence inside this venue will be incredibly noticeable,” said Jeff Thompson, chief transition officer of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. “Their influence and business stature in our province is monumental, and we’re thrilled to have their name attached to our home for years to come. With a fantastic line-up of activities and events, including the 82nd campaign of Blue Bomber football, the inaugural season at Investors Group Field will be unlike any other.”
This agreement also makes Investors Group the official financial services provider of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. More image designs of Investors Group Field can be found at www.bluebombers.com or by clicking here.
ABOUT THE WINNIPEG FOOTBALL CLUB
Since its inception in 1930, the Winnipeg Football Club has maintained a strong set of core values that are centered on team performance and business ethics. The Blue Bombers organization has enjoyed 25 appearances in the Grey Cup that have brought home 10 championships, 592 regular season wins and 57 post-season runs.
ABOUT INVESTORS GROUP
Investors Group, founded in 1926, is a national leader in delivering personalized financial solutions to Canadians through a network of approximately 4,600 Consultants located throughout Canada. In addition to an exclusive family of mutual funds and other investment vehicles, Investors Group offers a wide range of insurance, securities, mortgage and other financial services. Investors Group is a member of the IGM Financial Inc. (TSX: IGM) group of companies. IGM Financial is one of Canada’s premier financial services companies with over $121 billion as of October 31, 2011, in total assets under management.
ABOUT FRONT ROW MARKETING SERVICES
Front Row Marketing Services (FRMS) and its sponsorship evaluation division Front Row Analytics (FRA) are subsidiaries of the sports and entertainment firm Comcast-Spectacor of Philadelphia. It has offices across Canada and the US, including Vancouver, BC, London, ON, and Philadelphia, PA. FRMS generates incremental revenue for public assembly venues, sports teams and municipalities through the marketing and sales of naming rights, advertising/sponsorships, exclusive product and vendor rights agreements, premium seating and hospitality features.
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