By ALAN SNEL
LVSportsBiz.com
After Credit One Bank forged a multi-faceted sports sponsorship deal with the Vegas Golden Knights, the Las Vegas-based credit card company with the prominent building off the 215 has cut a multi-year founding partnership with the newly re-branded Las Vegas Aviators Triple A baseball club.
Expect to see some strong Credit One Bank presence and signage at the Aviators’ new $150 million ballpark that is scheduled to open in Downtown Summerlin April 9.
Credit One sees the Aviators with the minor league team’s new 10,000-fan ballpark as a “foundational property” in Las Vegas and looks to continue its double-digit annual growth. Credit One has been in Las Vegas 20 years since moving here from San Rafael, California.
The ball team, an Oakland Athletics affiliate, “attracts our customers,” said John Coombe, Credit One Bank senior vice president of marketing.
Credit One, a privately held business, will use the new ballpark in Summerlin to increase its credit card business while also even using the venue to recruit job prospects for openings in marketing, risk management and IT, Coombe told LVSportsBiz.com during a Monday morning interview. Technically speaking, Credit One will also be the official credit card of the Aviators, which is owned by Summerlin master developer Howard Hughes Corporation. (Thus, the Aviators’ moniker connection to the Howard Hughes namesake.)
The Aviators deal is part of Credit One’s growing sports sponsorship portfolio, which includes a healthy chunk of presence at Vegas Golden Knights games with a center ice logo. Credit One is one of four companies that pay a healthy amount for that center ice logo at T-Mobile Arena. If you’ve been to a game, you have heard the Credit One sponsorship of the “one minute to go in the period.” Credit One is also on the ribbon board and the ice rink boards, so the company has major presence at VGK games.
Credit One also has a “Vegas Born” credit card with the VGK that has proven to be very popular. “We can’t keep up with the demand,” Coombe said. You probably recall that Credit One’s building off the 215 had the Golden Knights wrap last season that was well-known among 215 motorists.
Credit One Bank is also the official credit card of NASCAR and the Big 12 Conference. LVSportsBiz.com had reported earlier this year that Credit One was increasing its sponsorship of NASCAR driver Kyle Larson.
Credit One is also getting involved in college football and basketball with its Big 12 deal, which included Credit One presence at the Big 12 college football title game at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. And you will see Credit One presence at Big 12 hoops games, too.
The sports sponsorships are part of Credit One’s efforts to “build a national presence,” Coombe said.
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