Visa, which has been a sponsor of the USSA since 1986, has penned a seven-year extension to run through the 2014 and 2018 Winter Olympics in Sochi and PyeongChang, respectively. Visa will also support the new Olympic sports of halfpipe and slopestyle skiing through a partnership with the USSA's new US Freeskiing brand.
Under the terms of the agreement, Visa will be a partner of all three USSA brands including the US Ski Team, US Snowboarding and the new US Freeskiing. Visa’s logo will adorn the uniforms of the US Alpine, Freestyle, Cross Country, and Nordic Combined Ski Teams. Visa will also have a presence in the Team's new eCommerce platform as the preferred method of payment with the online shop, powered by TeamFanShop, set to launch in the coming weeks.
“Visa continues to bring a positive stature to Olympic sports, especially skiing and snowboarding, through a quarter century of leadership,” USSA president and CEO Bill Marolt said. “Visa has become an iconic representative of the Olympics and our teams through a longstanding partnership with the Olympics and our own world-class athletes.”
Visa has also been a top-tier sponsor of the International Olympic Committee since 1986 and has signed up to support the Olympic movement through to the 2020 Summer Games. The company also sponsors individual USSA athletes including Lindsey Jacobellis, Emily Cook and Ryan St Onge along with Olympic Champions Julia Mancuso and Seth Wescott. The value of the new agreement has not been disclosed.
Antonio Lucio, global chief marketing, strategy and corporate development officer at Visa, said: ”For 25 years, we have proudly supported the Olympic Games and the US Ski and Snowboard Association helping athletes achieve their Olympic dreams. We are excited to continue our sponsorship of the US Ski and Snowboard Association as we continue to invest in sponsorship properties that deliver tangible and proven business building benefits to Visa, its clients and partners.”