Yum! Brands becomes first presenting sponsor of Churchill Downs
January 31, 2006
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Churchill Downs racetrack announced a partnership with Yum! Brands Inc. Yum! Brands will become the first presenting sponsor of the Kentucky Derby.
This year's 132nd Kentucky Derby on Saturday, May 6, will be referred to as "the Kentucky Derby presented by Yum! Brands." The Kentucky Derby which holds the distinction of being America's oldest continuously held sporting event. The race has continued without interruption at Churchill Downs since the track's first race meet in 1875. The race for 3-year-old Thoroughbreds offers a $2 million-guaranteed purse.
The Kentucky Derby sponsorship agreement between Churchill Downs and Yum! Brands is a five-year partnership that matches two Louisville-based companies with reputations and business operations that are international in scope, according to a news release.
On Derby Day, the Yum! Brands logo will appear beneath the Twin Spires on a Kentucky Derby sign. Yum! Brand's logo will also appear on the jockeys' jackets during the post parade, on television billboards before and throughout the broadcast. In addition, Yum! Brands will receive six, 30-second television ads on NBC's Derby broadcast along with two, 30-second television commercials on ESPN and ESPN2 during their event coverage.
As the exclusive quick-service restaurant (QSR) partner, Yum! will also air television commercials before and during the broadcast.