Elk Grove sprints back into sports marketing this weekend
Elk Grove Village's next major foray into sports marketing will be on the world stage this weekend.
Three commercials touting the village's massive industrial park with its "Makers Wanted" tagline will air during the Saturday afternoon broadcast of the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix track and field meet on NBC.
Elk Grove also will have infield signage promoting the Makers Wanted brand and be announced as an official event sponsor at the beginning and end of the broadcast, which is scheduled from 3 to 5 p.m.
Following the unconventional sponsorship of the Makers Wanted Bahamas Bowl college football games in 2018 and 2019, village officials decided last summer to ink deals with USA Track & Field, USA Wrestling and USA Triathlon ahead of the rescheduled Olympics in Tokyo this July and August.
The partnership with the track and field team's national governing body - valued at $100,000 - was considered to be Elk Grove's gold level sponsorship. The village is paying $50,000 to sponsor wrestling and $25,000 for triathlon.
It's all the brainchild of Mayor Craig Johnson, who sees the campaign as a way to elevate the profile of the 6-square-mile industrial park - the nation's largest contiguous one - as a global destination.
"We're excited to have an opportunity to share Elk Grove Village's economic development success story with the world. We want other businesses to share in our progress and prosperity," Johnson said.
The new TV ad will carry the theme of "supporting the American dream for athletes and businesses," officials said.