The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
JetBlue becomes official airline sponsor of UT Athletics
08.26.2009 | Texas Athletics
Aug. 26, 2009
AUSTIN, Texas -- JetBlue Airways (Nasdaq: JBLU) is hooked on the Texas Longhorns. The value airline proudly announced a partnership to become the Official Airline Sponsor of UT Athletics in the airline category on Wednesday, Aug. 26. The sponsorship is comprehensive, including all 20 UT men's and women's sports programs, with significant exposure at Longhorns events in football, volleyball, men's and women's basketball and baseball.
Marty St. George, JetBlue's Senior Vice President of Marketing and Commercial Strategy, along with UT Men's Athletics Director DeLoss Dodds and UT Women's Athletics Director Chris Plonsky made the announcement at the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport. UT's mascots, Bevo and Hook 'Em, also were on-site to celebrate the news, as were members of the UT Alumni band, the legendary Silver Spurs and hundreds of JetBlue crewmembers, customers and UT fans.
To further celebrate the launch of its partnership, which lasts through November 20, 2009 JetBlue is hosting a "Score and Jet" sweepstakes, consisting of a series of random drawings in which the airline will give away a number of roundtrip flights equal to the number of points UT scores during each of the Longhorns' scheduled home football games in the 2009 season. Customers can enter for a chance to win by visiting www.jetblue.com/scoreandjet. Roundtrip JetBlue travel will be valid between the six cities the airline serves nonstop from Austin, including: Boston; Fort Lauderdale; L.A./Long Beach; Orlando; New York/JFK; and San Francisco. Connecting service is also available to 16 destinations to and from Austin.
"The JetBlue Experience, our brand and our culture continue to strike a chord with the high-tech, high-touch Austin community and the students at The University of Texas," said St. George of JetBlue. "With six nonstop destinations and flights to the East and West Coasts, Austin is a vital bridge and an important destination as we continue to grow. Equally as important is supporting the teams and organizations that matter most to the community, and we look no further than the Texas Longhorns, with one of the largest and most passionate fan bases in all of college sports. We look forward to welcoming students, fans and Texas Exes across the country onboard JetBlue. Hook 'Em!"
"We are pleased to welcome JetBlue to our sponsorship family," said Dodds. "This commitment allows us to continue serving our coaches, student-athletes and fans in a most positive way."
As the Official Airline Sponsor of UT Athletics, JetBlue's partnership includes joint marketing promotions and advertising through 2010, with options through 2012. Featured elements are print and online advertising, e-mail marketing and videoboard features, contests, giveaways and special game-specific discounts off JetBlue airfare for Texas fans. The airline also receives field and courtside visibility during football, baseball, men's and women's basketball and volleyball games. In a first for UT's Darrell K Royal Texas Memorial Stadium, the airline will also build a permanently branded canopy, complete with a row of six comfy leather JetBlue seats to give away through contests and promotions to fans at each home game. IMG College, UT's multimedia partner that negotiated the agreement, will oversee all sponsorship opportunities.
JetBlue will also make donations throughout the year to the Neighborhood Longhorns Program to support the nearly 300 teachers committed to rewarding their dedication to the educational development of the youth in Austin. Additionally, as the presenting sponsor, the airline will recognize this special group during UT's first home football game on September 5, 2009.
Customers enjoy JetBlue's award-winning customer service and in-flight experience, including all-leather seats with personal seatback TVs and Lots of Legroom. When jetting between destinations in the continental U.S., customers are treated to 36 channels of free live, DIRECTV(R) programming, including FOX, CBS and NBC as well as ESPN, ESPN 2, ESPN News, ESPN U and Setanta Sports. A selection of JetBlue Features movies is also available for a small charge. Customers can surf more than 100 channels of XM Satellite Radio(R).