FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
California-born Retail Giant Big 5 Sporting Goods Sponsors
Honda LA Marathon
Legendary El Segundo-based retailer takes title of "LA Big 5K"
LOS ANGELES, February 18, 2011 – For more than half a century, Big 5
Sporting Goods has outfitted sports enthusiasts in Los Angeles and beyond.
Now the retailer is aligning itself with another local classic: the Honda
LA Marathon presented by K-Swiss.
"We like the direction the race has taken over the last two years," said
Rick Gridley, Big 5 Sporting Goods Public Affairs Director. "Introducing
the scenic Stadium to the Sea course and infusing fun into the time-honored
commitment to fitness is a hit with Los Angeles-area runners."
Big 5 will be the race's Official Sporting Goods Retailer and the title
sponsor of the popular 5K race held on the day before the Marathon itself.
The 2011 “LA Big 5K” will be held at 8 a.m. on March 19 on a loop course
beginning and ending close to the massive Honda LA Marathon Expo at Dodger
Stadium, with more than 4,000 runners expected to participate. Registration
is available online at www.lamarathon.com or through a link available at
www.big5sportinggoods.com/special_events.html.
In addition, Big 5 will have a featured presence at the Expo itself on
March 18-19, on the Stadium to the Sea course via prominent signage and in
Santa Monica at the Finish Line Festival. Co-promotions between the
organizers and Big 5 are now in development.
"We are excited to welcome Big 5 Sporting Goods into the Honda LA Marathon
family," said Dave Klewan, LA MARATHON LLC Partnerships Director. "It's a
great opportunity for us to partner with a brand with such a long-standing
connection to Los Angeles. We look forward to many years of staging the LA
Big 5K at Dodger Stadium together and elevating this event to be a
signature part of the Honda LA Marathon."
Although it has grown to 396 stores in 12 Western states, Big 5 is – at its
core – a California company, beginning with five stores in Los Angeles,
Burbank, Glendale, Inglewood and San Jose in 1955. With more than 8,000
employees and nearly $900 million in sales during 2010, Big 5 is a sporting
goods powerhouse that offers a wide range of quality, name-brand products
at affordable prices, while delivering first-rate customer service.
"As a neighborhood sporting goods retailer, we're very proud of our close
ties to our local communities, and this marathon is an event that has truly
captivated people throughout the region," said Big 5 Vice President Pete
Mulvaney. “We're looking forward to working with the Honda LA Marathon to
become an even bigger part of the running community in Southern California
and helping people reach their goals for fitness and value."
About LA MARATHON LLC:
We inspire athletes and connect communities. With thousands of volunteers,
tens of thousands of participants and hundreds of thousands of spectators,
the Honda Los Angeles Marathon presented by K-Swiss is one of the largest
organized road races in the country. For more information, visit
www.lamarathon.com.
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