BP extends title sponsorship of Top Of The World Classic

Submitted by Tom Myrick
Phone: 907-474-6805
11/02/07

BP announced on Friday that it will continue its association with the Top of the World Classic men’s basketball tournament and the University of Alaska Fairbanks, signing a five-year extension worth $575,000. BP, who first joined up with the Top of the World Classic in the year 2000, will maintain its role as the tournament’s title sponsor through 2012.

"This is an important event for Fairbanks and all of Alaska" said Phil Cochrane, BP’s vice president of external affairs. "BP is very pleased with this agreement. We have had a long relationship with this event and are happy that it will continue for many more years."

The deal, which marks the largest sponsorship agreement in the athletic department’s history, will see BP give $105,000 to the athletics department in 2007: a figure that will increase by $5,000 in each of the deal’s five years.

The new agreement ensures that BP remains the tournament’s third and longest running sponsor since its inception in 1996. Fairbanks Youth Sports served as the title sponsor for the Top of the World’s inaugural year as well as in 1997, before Ford Credit sponsored the 1998 and 1999 events.

"There are two reasons for the tournament’s continued success: the volunteer community organizing committee and our corporate sponsors," said Forrest Karr, director of athletics and recreation for the University of Alaska Fairbanks. "BP’s support ensures a high level of entertainment for years to come."

Going into its 12th year, the BP Top of the World Classic has quickly become a favorite preseason destination for many of the nation’s top basketball programs, as it combines high-level competition with warm Alaska hospitality. Previous tournament participants include Division I powerhouses Villanova, Oklahoma, Gonzaga, Virginia, Arkansas and California.

This year’s BP Top of the World Classic will be held at the Carlson Center Nov. 15-18, and will feature Alaska, Oregon State, Colorado State, IUPUI, USC Upstate, Akron, Tennessee State and Portland State.

Founded in 1909, BP is one of the top global energy companies, employing about 100,000 people in more than 100 countries and providing fuel and energy to millions each day. A cornerstone of Alaska’s economy and a vital thread in its social fabric, BP is one of the biggest supporters of its communities and one of the state’s largest employers, providing jobs for 2,000 employees.

Tickets for individual sessions of the 2007 BP Top of the World Classic go on sale at noon on Nov. 9. For more information, please call the Alaska ticket office at 907-474-5977 or visit www.alaskananooks.com