SPAR Extends European Athletics Sponsorship

European Athletics have renewed their partnership with SPAR International until 2016. 

SPAR International, the world’s largest organisation of independent food retailers, has been the principal sponsor of European Athletics since 1996.

As part of the new deal SPAR will sponsor the Amsterdam 2016 European Athletics Championships and European Cross Country Championships 2016. As part of their existing contract they will sponsor Zurich 2014 European Athletics Championships, Prague 2015 European Athletics Indoor Championships, SPAR European Cross Country Championships (Belgrade 2013, Samokov 2014, Paray-le-Monial 2015) and European Athletics Team Championships (Braunschweig 2014, Cheboksary 2015).

Hansjörg Wirz, President of European Athletics, said, “We are very pleased that SPAR will continue as our main partner through till the end of 2016. The support that they have shown athletics over the years has been of immense importance to us.

“With the invaluable contribution of SPAR, we will continue to work hard to reach an even stronger position for athletics in Europe.”

Christian Milz, Director General of European Athletics, also welcomed the news of the contract extension: “The added value that SPAR brings to promoting athletics in Europe thanks to its thousands of shops is of huge importance to us.

“We are particularly pleased to be coming to the ‘home’ of SPAR in 2016 when the European Athletics Championships are hosted in Amsterdam, the location of SPAR’s headquarters.”

Dr. Gordon Campbell, SPAR International Managing Director, said, “European Athletics events are a great platform for building the SPAR brand worldwide. We are very much looking forward to the next European Athletics Championships in Zurich in 2014 and then Amsterdam in 2016.

“Through our partnership with European Athletics, the SPAR brand is closely aligned with dynamic people competing at the pinnacle of their sporting careers on the continent. This, combined with our support of national and local sporting events, makes our partnership with European Athletics the perfect fit.”