Cartier An NFL Rams Sponsor
Cartier is an unlikely NFL team sponsor, but a deal with the St. Louis Rams is indicative of the franchise’s fresh business model, which has increased sponsorship for the relatively small-market team by more than 25 percent over the last year. The new business comes via some help from Endeavor Entertainment Properties President, Bob Reif, who has been working with the Rams on corporate sales since June 2005.
With some staff restructuring, retraining, enhanced game-day presentation and more of a local emphasis, corporate sales are up.
Rams sponsor Cartier counts Scott Linehan as a customer. The Rams also added new media assets such as LED signage and augmented their online and cell phone content. The team renewed or brought on local partners such as Anheuser-Busch, Energizer and Boeing, and signed a local TV deal with Fox Sports Net Midwest, in addition to deals with Ticketmaster, Dodge, U.S. Cellular and Pepsi.
“We were selling inventory — now we’re selling marketing platforms,” said James McCallum, Rams vice president of business affairs. Cartier worked with Clayton, Mo., retailer Simons Jewelers to secure a two-year deal with the team through which the jeweler awards a $7,000 Cartier Roadster watch to the player of the week on the weekly coaches show on FSN Midwest. Coach Scott Linehan wears the same model watch, adding some branded content to the mix.
Cartier had sponsored polo matches and now it looks like the jeweler will add two to three NFL team deals next year. Curt Curtis Associates, New York, handles for Cartier.
