ILC/Reebok Sponsorship

Two weeks ago the DC Breeze announced a sponsorship by ILC/Reebok. ILC (Interscholastic Licensing Corporation) is the only wholesaler in North America that works with Reebok and will be providing fan gear online for Breeze fans from head to toe. Several other teams from the AUDL including Philadelphia signed with ILC. Their CEO, John Saintignon, is excited to be involved with Ultimate and sees it as a growing market. As a former professional athlete, Saintignon has a business relation with Breeze owner Aaron Foreman.

“Our initial reaction to getting interest from ILC/Reebok was overwhelming. The fact we can bear their logo speaks volumes. Hopefully in the near future as the AUDL grows we will get a true sponsorship deal that involves all teams similar to what the NFL and other established leagues have currently,” Foreman said.

The name recognition of Reebok and the distribution power they have is enormous and global, to say the least. A 24 hour online store providing everything from socks and shoes to bags and hats anywhere in the world, all with the DC Breeze logo of course, is sure to make an impact in the expansion of Ultimate.
“We have over 7000 items for boys, girls, men, and women and not just sports specific either,” Saintignon said.

This deal benefits the Breeze in two key ways. The first being shared revenue, the profits are being split 50-50 Saintignon confirmed. The second being that Reebok may take future interest in the sport of Ultimate.

Saintignon is excited to be working with all the AUDL teams that signed with ILC/Reebok. While he does not have an Ultimate background, he is very eager to see professional Ultimate first hand.

“Most people have just been introduced to recreational playing, not in a competitive or professional format, it’s exciting.” Saintignon remarked.

The AUDL is still in negotiations with several Ultimate clothing providers regarding uniforms, and will make an official announcement soon. This further reflects the Ultimate community’s devotion to their Ultimate apparell providers. It was also recently announced that Nike would be starting Ultimate camps this summer. They were allowed to provide some gear for attendees but the responsibility of jersey production still goes to Ultimate apparel companies like Savage, Breakmark, and 5 Ultimate.

The contract with ILC is open ended so the Breeze will be meeting with them yearly to decide if they want to continue their partnership. With Nike and now Reebok showing interest in Ultimate, the future of the sport is definitely looking up.