Hyundai has replaced General Motors, the NFL’s previous official auto-sponsor.
The deal allows Hyundai to make “use of NFL trademarks across various marketing channels, including branded content, advertising and promotional materials.” A joint statement issued by the NFL and Hyundai confirmed this.
Audience acceptance aside, this deal makes Hyundai a part of important NFL events like the playoffs, draft and combine. It also makes the company part of the NFL’s biggest sponsorship event — the Super Bowl.
Every year the Super Bowl’s MVP receives a car along with a trophy. In next year’s game, it would most likely be a Hyundai car. For various league events, Hyundai will also provide vehicles for promotional purposes.
Hyundai Motor America’s CEO, Dave Zuchowski, said, “We are huge football fans at Hyundai and feel there is no better venue to reach consumers, increase consideration and tell the Hyundai brand story.”
The Korean automaker said that the new deal gives the company a chance to showcase its products to almost 188 million fans of the NFL.
ESPN has reported that according to a source the deal is worth $50 million per year. This is double the amount that GM was paying. However, the exact financial details of the deal are not officially known.
Despite controversies surrounding some key NFL figures, the league has been a financial success. Just this past season, the league raised $12 billion in revenue while retaining all of its sponsors.
The new deal begins with the kickoff activities of the NFL. Sept. 10 is the official date on which the NFL’s new season is starting.
In an official statement, GM said that the company values its association with the NFL. The company is now focusing its sponsorship resources in several other areas for now.
Hyundai has undergone several quality enhancements over the past couple of years. In a J.D. Power and Associates Initial Quality Study, the automaker grabbed the fourth rank.
However, Hyundai is a major player in the mid and small-size car niche. Due to cheap gasoline prices consumers have been flocking to larger vehicles in the U.S. market.
