With the announcement, Osage Casino is now the only tribally-owned entity to be a presenting sponsor of a professional sports team.
TULSA, Okla. – The Tulsa Shock announced a multi-year partnership with Osage Casino Thursday.
Starting with the 2013 season, Osage Casino will be the marquee sponsor of Tulsa’s WNBA team. The casino’s logo will be prominently featured on the team’s home and away jerseys, as well as on signage at the BOK Center during Shock home games. The casino had been a sponsor of the team since it relocated to Tulsa from Detroit before the 2010 season.
“We are taking this relationship to the next level,” WNBA President Laurel Ritchie said. “This partnership has the potential to be bigger and bolder than what we imagined. The Shock and Osage Casino were already holding hands – this is just squeezing a little tighter.”
“This partnership will have several benefits for Osage Casino and the Osage Nation,” Osage Casino CEO Neil Cornelius said. “This will significantly increase our visibility. Wherever you see the Tulsa Shock, you’ll see Osage Casino.”
Terms of the multi-year contract were not disclosed. The Shock is the seventh WNBA team to enter into a marquee partnership agreement. Other companies with similar agreements include Farmers Insurance, bing.com and LifeLock, who are partnered with the Los Angeles Sparks, Seattle Storm and Phoenix Mercury respectively.
With the announcement, Osage Casino is now the only tribally-owned entity to be a presenting sponsor of a professional sports team. The WNBA’s Connecticut Sun, based in Uncasville, Conn., is owned by the Mohegan Tribe and plays at the tribe’s Mohegan Sun casino. However, logos for the tribe and its casino do not appear on the team’s jerseys.
“Tulsa is the smallest market among the WNBA teams but with this announcement, other teams are sitting up and taking notice,” Shock managing owner Sam Combs said. “We continue to be the little engine that could through outreach efforts across the state.”
Osage Casino operates seven facilities in Osage County. Its flagship location in north Tulsa is the closest casino to the BOK Center.
The 2013 Shock home opener is scheduled for May 27 at 2 p.m. at the BOK Center and will be televised on ESPN as part of a doubleheader. The team has the No. 3 pick in the 2013 draft on April 15.
