Charter Communications has signed a three-year agreement as the presenting sponsor of The Long Beach Sea Festival, a 21/2-month series of family and recreational athletic events designed to showcase the city of Long Beach as a premier Southern California beach destination for both residents and visitors alike.
“This is an all around excellent relationship. One of Long Beach’s largest corporate residents is investing in Sea Festival, a dynamic series of Long Beach events; this is a win-win for everyone–the city, the Long Beach residential and beach community, the visitors, and Sea Festival,” said Drew Satariano, president of The Sea Festival Association of Long Beach Inc. “Charter Communications is a great Long Beach corporate citizen leading the way in supporting Long Beach activities.”
The three-year agreement, from 2007 to 2009, provides benefits for both Charter Communications and the Sea Festival Association.
“We see the Festival as an opportunity to celebrate all that is great about the city and at the same time build on our track record of community support,” said Craig Watson, Charter’s vice president for communications. “During the 2004 Olympic Swim Trials we sponsored the Charter All-Digital Aquatic Center and now we want to be a key partner in the resurgence of Sea Festival as a Long Beach tradition.”
“We couldn’t be happier,” said Phil Hester, director of Parks, Recreation and Marine. “Sea Festival has long been a part of the Long Beach tradition and last year’s event received the Community Services Award by the California Parks and Recreation Society.”
Some of the major Sea Festival events this summer include world class sailing; The Crocs AVP Pro Beach Volleyball Tour including three hours of NBC coverage; the Long Beach Offshore Challenge, presented by PowerBoat Magazine which includes the grueling 56-mile water ski race to Catalina Island and back, the hugely popular Sand Castle Building Competition, and an extreme land-and-sea sports camp for people with disabilities.
Charter Communications will videotape and air many of the Sea Festival events and use its television network relationships to assist with getting more events aired on national TV. Additionally, it will help to promote the Sea Festival and its events to the Long Beach community, as well as to Charter’s TV, telephone and Internet customers.
