Inside The Sponsorship: Credit One Bank’s Deal With Raiders Includes A $100,000 Donation Kick For Two Non-Profits
By Alan Snel of LVSportsBiz.com
The Raiders’ lanky placekicker was dispensing kicking tips to a pint-sized kid inside Allegiant Stadium, with the yellow field goal posts at the south end of the venue.
“Give it a rip,” the NFL team’s Daniel Carlson told the tyke. “Let’s see what you’re made of.”
The small youngster booted the football down toward the goal post and a small gathering of folks with the Raiders, Credit One Bank, After-School All-Stars and Boys & Girls Clubs of Southern Nevada provided the cheering section.
Carlson was out there with special teams pal and Raiders punter A.J. Cole III mixing it up with kids from the two-non-profits, After-School All-Stars and the Boys & Girls Clubs, under the roof of Allegiant Stadium.
It capped a donation from Las Vegas-based Credit One Bank, offering a business perspective on the partnership between the financial services company off the 215 across from Ikea and the Raiders. Credit One Bank is the official credit card partner of the Raiders and a founding sponsor of the Las Vegas Raiders and the 62,000-seat stadium.
“When you partner with a large organization, you’re borrowing on their equity,” said Michael Norris, Credit One Bank senior manager of sponsorships. “It’s gives us a lot more to say about our brands and products.”
LVSportsBiz.com interviewed Norris at the Credit One Bank club at Allegiant Stadium, which hosted Credit Bank and Carlson to wrap up the program dubbed, “One for the Community.”
Credit One Bank donated $2,000 for every Carlson extra point this season, which included Carlson kicking the walk-off winning field goal in a stunning five of the Raiders’ 10 wins during their playoff season, the second in Las Vegas.
The Raiders scored 30 touchdowns, so Carlson booted 30 extra points, providing $60,000 to both non-profits. Credit One then kicked in another $40,000 for a total of $100,000 even, splitting it for $50,000 each to After-School All-Stars and Boys & Girls Clubs.
Credit One Bank likes to market its brand by sponsoring local teams in addition to media buys, Norris said.
“This relationship put us front and center with the NFL,” he said. “That’s a demographic we haven’t been able to tap into. It has a national reach.”
Under the Credit One Bank deal with the Raiders, for example, Carlson chipped in to help the kids in the non-profits without even demanding a fee, Norris said.
“It was a perfect storm the way it came together. We reached out to the Raiders and he gracefully volunteered,” he said.
Credit One Bank is also the official credit card of the Vegas Golden Knights, which has the final minute of each home period sponsored by Credit One.
Credit One also is the official credit card of NASCAR, which has two big weekends of racing at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
Plus, Credit One Bank is a big sponsor of the Las Vegas Aviators, which has the Credit One brand logo on its stadium wall beyond the outfield.
“We love sports,” Norris said. “We know they work.”
