WVU Athletics has added Planet Fitness as an official sponsor.
It was announced last week that the West Virginia Mountaineers have reached a multi-year partnership with Planet Fitness, which will peg the massive fitness center brand as the "Official Fitness Center of WVU Athletics."
As a part of the deal, prominent advertisements for Planet Fitness will be featured at WVU football, basketball and baseball events and the brand will earn official designation during those events as one of West Virginia’s primary sponsors. WVU athletics multimedia rightsholder Mountaineer Sports Properties helped secure the deal for the university.
"We're proud to be the Official Fitness Center of WVU Athletics," said Chelsea Halker, Field Marketing Manager at Planet Fitness. "We've been in West Virginia for over 10 years, and this moment really cements that. With 10 clubs and counting, we're excited to get even closer to the fans and communities we already know and love."
"We are thrilled to welcome Planet Fitness to our team as the Official Fitness Partner of WVU Athletics," said Matt Wells, West Virginia University's Deputy Director of Athletics for External Affairs. "By connecting passionate Mountaineers with convenient, community-centered wellness options, this designation goes beyond branding, it reflects a shared commitment to supporting health and access across West Virginia."
In addition to the adverts at WVU events, Planet Fitness is set to begin a specialized social media ad campaign that specifically targets Mountaineer nation. Using college athletics fan data, Mountaineer Sports Properties found that over 113,000 WVU supporters live within five miles of a Planet Fitness, and over 163,000 reside within 10 miles of a location. WVU athletics staff hope to use further sets of fan data to best maximize the advertising possibilities with Planet Fitness as a sponsor.
"We were able to match Planet Fitness' growth goals with precise fan data and localized strategy," stated Evan Hawkins, General Manager of Mountaineer Sports Properties. "It's a clear example of how data and creativity can come together to drive smarter partnerships in college athletics."
The news comes after WVU Athletic Director Wren Baker let it be known earlier this summer that more sponsorship deals might be coming to Morgantown to help support the Mountaineers during the new revenue sharing era of college sports. One plan that is underway includes selling naming rights to some of WVU’s athletic venues, though no deal has officially been announced yet.