Los Angeles (October 27, 2004) \u2013 Speedo and USA Swimming today announced that they have extended their 20-year partnership through 2012. This unprecedented eight-year extension, which follows a series of quadrennial renewals, will enable the two organizations to maximize the sport\u2019s long-term marketing efforts following a surge in popularity resulting from this summer\u2019s Athens Olympics, highlighted by the performance of Team Speedo\u2019s Michael Phelps.<\/p>\n
"Combining the efforts of the world\u2019s leading swimwear brand and the world\u2019s most successful national swimming federation is the most effective way for both of our organizations to grow over the next eight years,\u201d said Joe Gromek, President and CEO of The Warnaco Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: WRNC), Speedo North America\u2019s parent company.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are pleased to continue our relationship with Speedo, a brand that has always been at the forefront of the sport\u2019s technical and marketing advances,\u201d said Chuck Wielgus, Executive Director of USA Swimming. \u201cWe especially look forward to developing new properties together that will connect fans with the sport of swimming, even in non-Olympic years.\u201d<\/p>\n
Recently, USA Swimming announced expanded television exposure for the sport (including ESPN2\u2019s recent coverage of the 2004 FINA World Championships), the hosting of the new Golden Goggle Awards ceremony featuring Bob Costas in New York on November 15, 2004, and the continuation of the popular \u201cDuel in the Pool\u201d nationally televised event between the USA and Australia scheduled for August 2005.<\/p>\n
Speedo will continue to be the official deck supplier for all national teams, including the 2008 and 2012 Olympic teams, which will provide the brand with broad exposure during the Summer Olympics \u2013 the most viewed sporting event in the United States.<\/p>\n
The contract also bolsters Speedo\u2019s dominant competitive swimwear sales position. The brand will retain exclusive retail sales rights at all USA Swimming national events, including the Junior National Championships. Meanwhile, Speedo and USA Swimming\u2019s joint preferred dealer network strengthens the relationship at the grassroots level.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn the Olympic movement, there is no relationship that is as collaborative as Speedo and USA Swimming,\u201d said Roger Williams, President, Warnaco\u2019s Swimwear Group. \u201cBy working together, both organizations gain broad visibility while driving sales and membership.\u201d<\/p>\n
The continued partnership with USA Swimming is part of Speedo\u2019s strategy to solidify its standing as the world\u2019s leading swimwear brand in anticipation of the Beijing Olympics in 2008. In August, Speedo announced a four-year sponsorship agreement with FINA, the International Federation of Swimming. The agreement is the first ever exclusive four-year deal FINA has entered into with a swimwear brand.<\/p>\n
Additionally, Speedo has long-term relationships with the most recognizable U.S. Olympic swimmers, including Phelps, Natalie Coughlin, Amanda Beard, and Ian Crocker.<\/p>\n
Speedo is a registered trademark of and used under license from Speedo International Ltd. Warnaco Swimwear Inc., a division of The Warnaco Group Inc. (NASDAQ: WRNC), is the authorized licensee of the Speedo trademark in North America and the Caribbean.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Los Angeles (October 27, 2004) \u2013 Speedo and USA Swimming today announced that they have extended their 20-year partnership through 2012. This unprecedented eight-year extension, which follows a series of<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"dois","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-8331","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-zzzzzzzzz"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"yoast_head":"\r\n