Avnet expands sports marketing with Arizona Cardinals sponsorship deal

Phoenix-based Avnet Inc. (Nasdaq: AVT) has entered into a sponsorship deal with the Arizona Cardinals, expanding the technology distributor and solutions provider’s marketing and community relations efforts through professional sports.

The Cardinals and Avnet announced the new wide-ranging partnership on Sept. 16, which includes activations in the community, including around education, and signage displayed during exciting parts of home games at State Farm Stadium.

The specific financial terms of the multiyear agreement were not disclosed publicly.

The announcement comes as Avnet wraps up its second season as the jersey patch sponsor for the Arizona Diamondbacks, which was the company’s first foray into professional sports marketing.

“We’re in B2B – we’re not in business to consumer – so we’re not selling beer, potato chips or automobiles,” Avnet CEO Phil Gallagher told the Business Journal. “It is about employee pride, employee engagement, giving back to the community.”

Avnet is one of the largest public companies based in the Phoenix metro, with nearly 15,000 employees across the globe. The company, which recently purchased a new headquarters building in Tempe, generated more than $22 billion during its most recent fiscal year, which ended in June.

The deal with the Cardinals was structured mostly around community involvement. The new deal make Avnet a “Premier Partner” with the Cardinals that promotes awareness of and participation in girls’ sports across the state of Arizona, especially girls flag football. Avnet will also sponsor a Cardinals event that tries to inspire students to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields.

“We’re excited about this next step of sports sponsorship, particularly with the women’s flag football, which we’ll be promoting quite a bit,” Gallagher said. “A big initiative for us is diversity and inclusiveness, so I think it really sends a strong message of our commitment.”

While Avnet isn’t necessarily getting new customers from these deals, Gallagher said having the team involved with the community where its employees live will deepen the connection with its workers. Similarly, the Cardinals said the team gets a deeper involvement when making deals with locally based companies.

“Not only do we share the core value of doing business the right way, we are both deeply committed to serving the community in a way that makes real impact,” Cardinals owner Michael Bidwill said in a statement.

During home games, Avnet’s name and logo will appear when the Cardinals penetrate the opposing 20-yard line, otherwise to be known as the “Avnet Red Zone.” The company has committed to making a monetary donation to the Cardinals Foundation each time the team reaches the Avnet Red Zone.

Avnet signage will also appear throughout the stadium and in an array of Cardinals marketing assets including advertising and exclusive client engagement experiences.

Avnet, which has a strong customer base in Canada, will become the first Cardinals partner with Canadian activation rights. This season, the Cardinals are expanding its marketing and activation footprint into Canada and trying to bring existing sponsors with them.

Gallagher, who is a sports fan, said he’s happy with the sponsorships with the Cardinals and Diamondbacks. In the past, Avnet has supported local efforts around the Super Bowl and is an active supporter of the Thunderbirds and the WM Phoenix Open.