Global aquatic sports brand Arena has pulled off a major coup by landing the prestigious sponsorship of the swimming world’s governing body, FINA. The new deal positions arena as official sponsor and technical partner at all FINA’s major events, including the world long and short course championships, the world junior championships, and the world masters championships. In addition, the three diamond brand will also be FINA’s exclusive supplier of swimwear, sportswear, swimming equipment, and training aids for all officers, staff and volunteers involved in the events.
“We are naturally thrilled to have signed this major agreement with FINA, it’s truly an historic event for us,” said Cristiano Portas, Arena CEO. “Swimming is our life here at arena, and so to be even more closely involved with swimming’s premier events, as well as with the life of the sport’s global governing body makes us very proud, besides representing a real boost for the growth of the brand. To be at the forefront of the sport, to pursue our strategy of being a true partner in the leadership of global aquatic sports is the reason we come to work every day, and this reinforcement of our partnership with FINA represents the ideal opportunity to give back to the sport that has given us so much.”
The agreement comes at a time of change for FINA, as it goes through a process of renewal and consolidation. One example of these changes is the combination of the World LC and Master Championships into a single event from 2015 in Kazan.
“Becoming the official partner of FINA is a representation of the growth and strength of our brand not just in the U.S., but globally,” said Tim McCool, Vice President and General Manager of Arena North America. “Between this partnership, and our eight-year sponsorship of USA Swimming, the U.S. National Swim Team, and the Arena Grand Prix Series, Arena is uniquely positioned to enjoy incredible brand exposure, grassroots reach and unprecedented growth. We look forward to working together with our new partners in 2014 and the years to come.”
“This is a very important step forward in our successful relationship with Arena. This prestigious brand is widely recognised by some of the best athletes of the world as giving optimal conditions for memorable performances”, considered the FINA President Dr. Julio C. Maglione. “Being associated with our major competitions – FINA World Championships, FINA World Swimming Championships (25m) andFINA World Masters Championships – gives Arena a privileged stage to display the quality and excellence of their products. It also brings significant benefit for our athletes and officials, raising the image, exposure and prestige of these events worldwide”.
Historically, arena’s sponsorship collaboration with FINA dates back to the 1980s, while most recently the three diamond brand has been a primary sponsor of the annual FINA World Cup series. Going forward, the first major event at which the Official/Technical Partner and Exclusive Supplier designation will apply is the 2014 World Short Course Championships in Doha, with the following events in the pipeline:
– 16th FINA World Championships and World Masters Championships, Kazan 2015;
– 5th FINA World Junior Swimming Championships, Singapore 2015;
– 13th FINA World Short Course Swimming Championships, Windsor 2016;
– 17th FINA World Championships and World Masters Championships, Guadalajara 2017;
– 6th FINA World Junior Swimming Championships, Budapest 2017;
– 14th FINA World Short Course Swimming Championships, 2018 (venue to be decided);
– 18th FINA World Championships and World Masters Championships, Gwangju 2019; and
– 7th FINA World Junior Swimming Championships, 2019 (venue to be decided).
The agreement follows on the heels of two consecutive years of record sales and profits for arena, as its cutting-edge product range and strategic partnerships consolidated its position as a global brand reference in racing swimwear and technical know-how.
James Magnussen, Arena Athlete, 100 free 2013 World Chamionship
“This agreement marks the next big step forward for our brand,” said Giuseppe Musciacchio, Arena’s General Manager of Brand Development. “2012 and 2013 were strong years for us with the stunning performance of our Powerskin Carbon-Pro suits in London and Barcelona, several important new partnerships with national federations, including the USA, the Netherlands, Italy, China and Japan (the latter 2 as a co-sponsor), and individual sign-ons with the likes of James Magnussen, Cate Campbell, Ruta Meilutyte, and Vladimir Morozov. We are now looking forward to Doha, our first World Championships as official sponsor of FINA. It’s exciting to see arena getting back to where it was long ago.”
“This new deal is also the best way to start our new partnership with Capvis, now arena’s majority shareholder,” added Portas. “We have opened an exciting new chapter in the fantastic venture I and my management team started years ago. We are all enthusiastic about taking our products and our expertise to the next level. With all that has happened over the past few years, we feel that we are part of the vanguard of the sport, and we most certainly intend to stay there.”
This release is courtesy of Arena, a SwimSwam partner.