Visa Announces Sponsorship Of U.S. Ski & Snowboard Through 2026
Visa and U.S. Ski & Snowboard today announced an eight-year sponsorship extension through 2026, including support of U.S. Ski & Snowboard athletes at the 2026 Winter Olympic Games. The agreement also establishes U.S. Ski & Snowboard, the Olympic National Governing Body (NGB) of ski and snowboard sports in the USA, as Visa’s only NGB sponsorship.
Through the partnership, Visa is the title sponsor and preferred way to pay at both the online U.S. Ski & Snowboard Team Shop and the on-site merchandise experiences. When fans purchase team gear, whether shopping online or at domestic competition events, proceeds of each transaction will go towards supporting the team. Visa allows fans to complete seamless and secure payment transactions while supporting the dreams of U.S. Ski & Snowboard athletes.
“We’re thrilled to renew our sponsorship deal with Visa,” said Dan Barnett, chief marketing officer, U.S. Ski & Snowboard. “Having a prestigious, global brand like Visa support our organization makes it possible for our athletes to achieve excellence in their sports and continue to fight to be Best In The World. Visa continues to be a champion of the global Olympic movement and we are excited that their commitment for the next eight years will have such a positive, direct impact on our athletes.”
Visa first became the preferred payment partner and proud sponsor of U.S. Ski & Snowboard in 1986, the same year it became one of the founding members of The Olympic Partners (TOP) program, a worldwide committee managed by the IOC.
“We are proud to extend our sponsorship of U.S. Ski & Snowboard through the 2026 Olympic Winter Games,” said Chris Curtin, chief brand and innovation marketing officer, Visa. “Being on the front lines of helping these exceptional athletes fulfill their Olympic dreams is so important to our entire organization. We look forward to supporting U.S. Ski & Snowboard’s athletes on Team Visa.”
In addition to U.S. Ski & Snowboard being the only U.S. NGB that Visa sponsors, the agreement also extends into supporting major events that showcase U.S. Ski & Snowboard athletes in the run-up to the Winter Olympic Games.
“We are excited to see the extensive work of our teams come to fruition,” U.S. Ski & Snowboard’s Dan Barnett continued. “We are working closely with Visa to help boost the overall awareness of the sponsorship as well as the outstanding athletes competing for podiums. Our goal is to not only feature the exciting events of our sport but boost the overall popularity of winter sports by attracting a broader audience both domestically and internationally.”
Visa will also support athletes at all Toyota U.S. Grand Prix events. Athletes are currently participating in U.S. Ski & Snowboard’s hometown 2019 FIS Snowboard, Freestyle andFreeski World Championships presented by Toyota. The Championships are being held February 1 -10, 2019, at Solitude Mountain Resort, Deer Valley Resort, and Park City Mountain.
A suite of inspirational digital assets will also be co-produced by Visa and U.S. Ski & Snowboard and launched throughout the season. Each digital series will take fans behind the scenes with U.S. Ski & Snowboard athletes and into their lives both in and out of competition as they journey across the world in pursuit of reaching the podium. This content will feature the dynamic athletes of U.S. Ski & Snowboard as well as Team Visa athletes who are on the road to Tokyo 2020.
Since 2000, Visa has been committed to the development and support of athletes worldwide when it founded the Team Visa program. To date, more than 400 Olympic and Paralympic athletes have taken advantage of tools, resources, and support needed to help them achieve their dreams.
