FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Jenny Kappler for Phelps Media Group, Inc. International
MEDIA CONTACT: Phelps Media Group, Inc. International at (561) 753-3389 or at info@phelpsmediagroup.com
WEB SITE: Phelps Media Group, Inc. International Press Releases and Photos are available for download at http://www.phelpsmediagroup.com/
Photo Credit: 2004 Olympic gold medalists, Peter Wylde, McLain Ward, Alison Firestone, Beezie Madden, and Chris Kappler. Photo copyright 2006 Jennifer Wood.
Phelps Media Group, Inc. International Launches Elite Athletes Division
Wellington, FL – December 19, 2006 – With the Beijing Olympics just around the corner, the pressure to secure a well-mounted and supported team of Show Jumping athletes is becoming very pronounced. Competitors at the Olympic level are distinguishable by fractions of seconds and minute differences in skill and luck. In order for the American athletes to win medals, every possible advantage must be taken. Phelps Media Group, Inc. International (PMG) is aggressively using its resources to aid these athletes in securing corporate sponsorship packages and guiding them with public relations issues.
The European horse pool and resources are more sophisticated and accessible than those in the United States, which makes the difficult task of finding a world-class horse virtually impossible and unattainable for professional equestrians in the United States. When an elite athlete is fortunate enough to find such a horse, he or she also must have the means of support to purchase and maintain the animal.
Corporate sponsorship of equestrian sport is common in Europe because it is heavily televised. Although there is some television coverage in the United States, it has not been consistent enough to reward sponsors with much air time. PMG has devised ways of reaching a large audience through print media. The coverage of equestrian sport is now extensive enough to reward corporate supporters with enough recognition to encourage their involvement.
In creating the PMG Elite Athletes Division, the very best equestrians in the world will have the ability to partner with corporate sponsors and deliver their image, plus a full-time public relations firm to provide positive publicity and sponsor recognition. Print and internet coverage will be created and dispersed by PMG while diligently following the careers and successes of the competitors during travel on the national and international Grand Prix circuits.
“Professional equestrians in the U.S. need to look for corporate sponsorship in order to compete with the best in the world and we want to help them achieve that,” said Mason Phelps Jr., president of PMG. “Our athletes need every advantage possible for the next set of championships, including the 2008 Olympics and the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games in Kentucky.”
PMG's Elite Athletes Division’s mission is to empower worldwide resources, capabilities and assets to create a package that benefits the corporate sponsors. This, in turn, will support the efforts of the elite athletes who compete for the United States Equestrian Team in their quest to win more medals for the country.
The program will link and align corporate sponsorship with the image and lifestyle of our Olympic athletes through an expansive database of key equestrian marketing and personal contacts. We represent athletes who compete in a unique sport that requires an understanding of non-traditional media and major distribution abilities. Our account executives have an ongoing relationship with the key players in the industry and an understanding of the need for communication and cooperation between corporate supporters and top athletes.
By including PMG Elite Athletes Division in the corporate sponsorship package of athletes, it ensures that the sponsors’ need for exposure is met at a more dynamic and sophisticated level than in the past, and a liaison is provided who meets the needs of corporate sponsors before, during and after major competitions.
PMG employs 12 full-time account executives, more than 100 freelance writers and photographers in 22 countries and operates in three major business segments: sports (PhelpsSports.com), media relations (Phelps Media Group Inc. International) and photography (PMG Pictures).
For more information on PMG Elite Athletes Division or to help support high-performance show jumpers, please contact Jenny Kappler at jkappler@phelpsmediagroup.com or call (561) 753-3389.
Photo Credit: 2004 Olympic gold medalists, Peter Wylde, McLain Ward, Alison Firestone, Beezie Madden, and Chris Kappler. Photo copyright 2006 Jennifer Wood.
