Overview. In just four years the Providence Cyclo-cross Festival has risen to be
America's most prestigious cyclo- cross event. To be held Oct. 4-6, 2013, the fifth
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SPONSORSHIP PROPOSAL
ROGER WILLIAMS PARK, PROVIDENCE, RI
OCTOBER 4-6, 2013
Overview In just four years the Providence Cyclo-cross Festival has risen to be America’s most prestigious cyclocross event. To be held Oct. 4-6, 2013, the fifth annual Providence Cyclo-cross Festival is on track to draw close to 8,000 spectators and achieve a live global webcast audience of 20,000. After first promoting cyclo-cross at Roger Williams Park in 2005 and 2006 as the site of the National Championships, organizers launched the festival in 2009 as an internationally sanctioned two-day event. Having received the highest marks by the international governing body, the Union Cycliste International, this event is on target to become the first American venue to host the World Cup starting in 2015. The anchor of this event’s success is the venue. Woven about the park’s Temple to Music amphitheater, the venue is practically a cyclo-cross stadium that is promotionally superior to Europe’s most hallowed grounds. But that is where it starts. Roger Williams Park has additional amenities, parking, and easy on-and-off access from Interstate 95. Zoom out and one finds downtown Providence, with world class restaurants, five-star hotels, cafes, universities, and nightlife just 5 kilometers to the north. And T.F. Green International Airport is just 7 kilometers to the south. A train station makes this event easily accessible to cycling fans throughout the Northeast Corridor, with Boston 80 kilometers to the north, and New York, Philadelphia and Washington DC a few hours to the south either by rail or road. Positioned in the richest cyclo-cross market in world, Providence has risen quickly to truly be declared as “divine.” Going into its fifth year, however, the Providence Cyclo-cross Festival is on track to truly distinguish itself from all of its rival events as America’s most prestigious cyclo-cross.
What the Hell is Cyclo-cross? Cyclo-cross is the steeple chase of competitive cycling. Before there was a mountain bike there was ‘cross. Before there was a Tour de France, there was ‘cross. This unique discipline probably found its roots the first time a group of riders took a short cut to a pub by cutting through a park and up a staircase. Before Henri Desgrange had the idea of starting the Tour de France in 1903, military commanders were using cyclo-cross as training. The first major races were held in the early 1920s with a World Championship first held in 1950. American cyclo-cross developed in the early 1970s with its first national champi-
onships held in 1975. With the advent of mountain biking, American cyclists drifted to this fall and winter sport in growing numbers. Since 2000, however, cyclo-cross superseded mountain biking in popularity. The numbers of racers has tripled since that year, making it the fastest growing form of cycling in America. But the lure of cyclo-cross is not simply with competitors. With its courses woven tightly around parks and through beer gardens, cyclocross - with the longest races lasting just one hour - has become one of the most fan-friendly events on the calendar. While crowds in Europe routinely number more than 30,000 (the 2012 world championships in Belgium hit 68,000), American crowds have grown steadily. Held in conjunction with the Interbike trade show, Cross Vegas regularly draws upwards of 10,000 spectators. Similar crowds line the course for the US National Championships.
Countries Represented to Date
And in February, 2013, America will host the World Cyclo-cross Championships for the first time in Louisville, Kentucky. Organizers will springboard off that event to make Providence America’s most prestigious cyclo-cross.
2013 Event Expansion The organizers have worked hard to this point to establish a foundation with both the cycling community and local promotional partners. Securing the endorsement of the UCI and USA Cycling proved paramount to gain Category 1 status, one of only nine cyclo-cross events in America to do so. After struggling to secure sole position of a premium calendar date, the organizers succeeded in 2012 to own the first weekend of October for the foreseeable future. This garners the top riders and media coverage. Entering their fifth year, the goal of the promoters is to double the audience both in live spectators and global webcast viewers. To draw new spectators into Roger Williams Park, the organizers have a Six Point plan: 1. Go Early Starting at the World Championships in Louisville, Ky., the team will canvas spectators, parking lots, team boxes, and evening functions to seed these most influential “alphas” with event materials. Additionally the organizers expect to launch an early ad campaign via affordable evangelical channels that influence the influencers. The goal there is to secure 400 more riders, including elite European athletes and those traveling from farther away, for their participation. The mechanism of such outreach is to simply activate the existing positive word-ofmouth. That will yield an additional 500 spectators.
Year/Racers/Spectators 2009/900/2000 2010/1200/3000 2011/1600/4000 2012/1700/5000 Providence Elite Winners Tim Johnson (4) Katie Compton (2) Katerina Nash (2) Justin Lindine (2) Todd Wells (1) Jeremy Powers (1) Meredith Miller (1) Sally Annis (1) Ryan Trebon (1) Mary McConneloug (1) Zach McDonald (1) Laura Van Gilder (1)
2. Go Local Having fostered strong partnerships in and around Providence, the organizers will create a ten-fold increase in school visits by teams, continue to develop partnerships with local media, and wallpaper the city with printed materials, which is designed to activate word of mouth campaigns with cycling clubs, park neighbors, city officials, Brown University and Johnson and Wales University. Increased exposure for the expo and swap will also draw from students and regional cycling clubs. This push is expected to yield an additional 1,000 spectators. 3. Hype Holy Week/Shimano NEPCX The event already has a strong affiliation with the Shimano New England Professional Cyclocross Series, which boasts the largest overall purse of any series in American cyclo-cross. But the even stronger partnership is with Gloucester, the first weekend in that series. Entering its 15th year, Gloucester is held the week prior to Providence. These are the first two races in the Shimano series. With both Category 1 events separated by just one week and 70 miles, riders and writers applied the nickname Holy Week. And it stuck. Riders and fans have started to make pilgrimages from farther and farther away. Especially important is the attendance of all the premier teams, which bring mechanics, managers, staff, and sponsors. These continued partnerships with Gloucester and the Shimano series will draw 500 more to Providence, including more European superstars. 4. Increase Friday Offerings In 2010 the event fostered a rapport with Providence-based Eric Weis of the East Coast Greenway Alliance. In addition to providing critical linkage to local officials and civic leaders, Weis agreed to promote a regional cycling advocacy summit on the Friday before the event. The successful event returned in 2011 drawing more than 250 attendees. Weis has since decided to organize the summit on a bi-annual basis, with the next summit will be held Oct. 4, 2013 at The Biltmore. But Weis also used the space at the prestigious hotel for a “Builders’ Ball” which showcases handmade frame builders. This has proven surprisingly popular. And offers an elegant backdrop for a media and VIP event for the race. With advocates and builders traveling from farther away to attend, the prestige of Providence has grown. Other Friday outreach will include: • School Visits: Initiated in 2012 with a single school, current plans call for 10 school visits by elite athletes, managers, and mechanics. • Web, Radio, Print and Television. Partnerships with WBRU and WEEI have proven fruitful. Going into 2013 the even will expand its media out reach, with a particular emphasis on Friday television in the local market. • Beginner clinics. New England is considered the “Belgium” of American ‘cross. Hundreds attend Holy Week to both compete with and watch the best. Organizers will launch a new component in 2013 with Friday clinics for beginners. Beginning at 12 noon, each clinic will last 90 minutes and use the freshly completed course and other elements of Roger Williams Park. The current schedule will include a Tim Johnson clinic geared towards promising younger riders; a beginners clinic led by regional elite riders; a women’s clinic led by Team Luna; and an after school ride led by Olympian Lea Davison and the Little Bellas program Danish national champion Joachim Parbo. • Friday night races. Starting at 4 p.m., three 40-minute categories could be added to the race schedule. Organizers expect to add off-beat categories such as single-speed, collegiate, and 50-plus. While this will add some costs in terms of timing, officiating and park services, by hosting the award ceremony at the downtown Builders’ Ball such an event would drive hotel stays and open a slot for a Junior UCI event on Saturday. Such an event adds prestige while also drawing parents to the city. The total Friday offerings are expected to draw 1,500 new attendees to the event.
5. Expand the Expo To date, Providence has had mixed results with its infield exposition. Reading survey comments indicates this to be a popular attraction. However, price points were too high and resources were too few in 2012. The entire goal of the expo, going forward, will not be short-term revenue but long-term audience generation. Organizers will push a swap meet, enhance the tech area that showcase pro teams and their bike sponsors, and the expo. Equally important is to increase the attendance of food vendors, four of which were entirely sold out in 2012. Efforts will be made to double the number of food vendors as part of a “Food Truck Fandango” promotion. If properly presented to the general cycling community, such an expo will draw 1,000 new attendees. 6. Add a Sunday Gran Fondo. The organizers of the Giro d’Italia Gran Fondo, large amateur road rides led by current and legendary pros, visited Providence in 2012. They were absolutely enchanted by the city, the park and especially the fantastic roads west of Providence. Current plans call for a 7 a.m. Sunday start of a 100-mile road ride that would return those riders to the festivities of Roger Williams Park in the afternoon, in time for the elite races. In its first year this promotion could attract between 1,000 and 2,000 new attendees. If properly funded and executed this six-point plan would yield an increase in attendees of 7,500 people. Such a total audience size would position the Providence Cyclo-cross Festival as Rhode Island’s largest and most prestigious annual sporting event. Such a move would position the event to become one of the region’s most newsworthy happenings to rival Boston’s Head of the Charles or the Falmouth 10K. But the entertainment value and global television potential could outperform both of those events and even challenge the Boston Marathon in prestige.
Local Foundations Entering its fifth year the Providence Cyclo-cross Festival stands poised to become America’s top ‘cross race in nearly every measurable metric and especially in prestige. This rapid ascension is a framework built atop a carefully structured local foundation. The critical bricks in this foundation include: • The Providence Warwick Convention and Visitors Bureau • Johnson and Wales University • East Coast Greenway Alliance • Brown University • WBRU FM • WEEI Radio • The Providence School Districts
Friday Outreach Tim Johnson Junior Clinic Team Luna Ladies Clinic The J.A.M. Fund Beginners Clinic The Little Bellas After School Bike Ride Joachim Parbo School Outreach Keough Cyclocross 10 schools WBRU Fox 12 NBC 7 WEEI Builders Ball The New England Bike-Walk Summit Cycle-Smart Clinics Mary McConneloug Clinic
Global Aspirations The Providence Cyclo-cross Festival was launched in 2009 as a UCI Category 2 event. After just two editions, the UCI gave it the highest marks of any cyclo-cross in America and upgraded its status to Category 1. By 2012 the UCI and USA Cycling cleared the American calendar to give Providence premium position as it returned as a Category 1. Having received top marks again hosting a Category 1, Providence is currently in talks with the UCI to host the season opener of the World Cup series, starting in October of 2015. Such an event would draw more than 20,000 spectators and foster a global audience via television, print, web, and social media. The organizers would continue to host a weekend long event with amateur and elite races on a second or possibly a fourth day. The hosting of the World Cup would then set up Providence as a prospective host of the World Championships as soon as 2018. Such a prospect would draw upwards of 40,000 spectators. The organizers are seeking promotional partners to join them in this endeavor. Sponsorship and expo opportunities begin at just $250.
Support Levels and Benefits Title Sponsorship $25,000 Benefits • Title naming rights • Prominent start-finish presence • 600 feet of linear branding on course • Dominant logo position on all signage • 60 second welcoming spot on global webcast (expected 50,000 viewers) • Presentation rights at elite men’s podium presentation • 10x30 Expo position • Logo position on all advertising and collateral materials • Welcoming toast at athlete reception • 25 VIP tickets for athlete reception • 100 beer tickets • 15 Gran Fondo entries • 4 seats at exclusive Champions’ Dinner on Saturday, Oct. 5.
Gold Sponsorship $15,000 Benefits • Prominent start finish presence • Presenting sponsorship for elite women’s race • 300 feet of linear branding on course • One course feature • Dedicated beer garden and food court with 10x20 expo position • Logo position on all advertising and collateral materials • 15 VIP tickets for athlete reception
• 60 beer tickets • 10 Gran Fondo entries • 3 seats at exclusive Champions’ Dinner on Saturday, Oct. 5.
Exhibitor Rates
First 10x10 tent $249 Additional 10x10 $99 Trailer/Vehicle w/ awning $199 Truck/Van position $99 Infield Pro-Tech Position (30x20) $599 Consumer sales are encouraged
Silver Sponsorship $10,000 Benefits • 150 feet of linear branding on course • One course feature • Presenting sponsorship for one amateur category • Dedicated beer garden and food court with 10x10 expo position • Logo position on all advertising and collateral materials • 10 VIP tickets for athlete reception • 40 beer tickets • 5 Gran Fondo entries • 2 seats at exclusive Champions’ Dinner on Saturday, Oct. 5.
Bronze Sponsorship $5,000 Benefits • One course feature • Logo position on all advertising and collateral materials • 10x10 expo position • 5 VIP tickets for athlete reception • 20 beer tickets • 2 Gran Fondo entries • 1 seat at exclusive Champions’ Dinner on Saturday, Oct. 5.
Pro Swap Meet* Tables $49 Limit to 30 vendors
Interested?
The Providence Cyclo-cross Festival has a complete marketing and communications team ready to work on your brand’s involvement in this hip, exciting event. Contact Richard Fries at richard@ Providencecrossfest.com or feel free to call at 781.888.7272. *swap meet participation is restricted to used, discontinued or surplus merchandise. Retailers are excluded; sales reps are welcome.
