2015 United Airlines NYC Half – United Airlines and New York Road Runners Announce United as the Title Sponsor of the NYC Half
Airline receives naming rights of the United Airlines NYC Half, status as the official airline of the TCS New York City Marathon and NYRR Five-Borough Series
Press Release from the NYRR
New York, October 8, 2014—United Airlines and New York Road Runners today announced an extension to their marketing agreement, naming United as the title sponsor of one of NYRR’s flagship races, the NYC Half. The 2015 United Airlines NYC Half will take place onSunday, March 15, 2015, in Manhattan.
As an NYRR Foundation Partner, United Airlines is the official airline of TCS New York City Marathon and United Airlines NYC Half. United also serves as the official airline and a supporting sponsor of the other NYRR Five-Borough series events—the Brooklyn Half, Queens 10K, Bronx 10-Mile, and the Staten Island Half.
“We are thrilled to elevate our marketing agreement with United Airlines with an expanded presence throughout the five boroughs and beyond,” said John Gassner, vice president, business development and strategic partnerships of New York Road Runners. “As the title sponsor of our signature half-marathon—the United Airlines NYC Half—along with the activation around NYRR’s Five-Borough Series and the TCS New York City Marathon, United Airlines is now uniquely positioned as a key supporter in the running community.”
“As the New York area’s largest airline, we are in a great position to support New York Road Runners and bring runners, fans and visitors from around the world to participate in the United Airlines NYC Half Marathon and other NYRR Five-Borough series events,” said Thomas F. O’Toole, United’s senior vice president of marketing and loyalty and president of MileagePlus.
United Airlines will have prominent race-day presence from start to finish at the 2015 United Airlines NYC Half, including brand presence on race numbers, participant shirts, finisher amenities and signage.
The 2015 United Airlines NYC Half features a talented American and international professional athlete field, charity runners, thousands of runners of all ranks, some 1,500 volunteers and thousands of spectators. The race boasts an on-street experience like no other—from the rolling hills of Central Park, up to Harlem, down through Times Square, along the Hudson River waterfront, to a finish in lower Manhattan.
Last year, a new course configuration accommodated an increase in the field size and allowed for a professional wheelchair race for the first time. 20,828 runners crossed the finish line, making it the largest NYC Half yet. Runners from more than 65 countries and each of the 50 states participated. WABC-TV will broadcast live locally the 2015 United Airlines NYC Half.
United is the New York area’s largest airline, offering more flights and more seats from the region to more destinations around the world than any other carrier. The airline offers nearly 400 flights each day from Newark Liberty to more than 150 destinations in North and South America, Europe, the Middle East and Asia – as well as service from New York LaGuardia and from New York Kennedy to top business centers.
About NYRR
Founded in 1958, New York Road Runners has grown from a local running club to the world’s premier community running organization, whose mission is to help and inspire people through running. NYRR’s commitment to New York City’s five boroughs features races, community events, youth initiatives, school programs, and training resources that provide hundreds of thousands of people each year, from children to seniors, with the motivation, know-how, and opportunity to run for life. NYRR’s premier event, the TCS New York City Marathon, features an estimated 50,000 participants, from the world’s elite athletes to a wide range of recreational and charity runners, and is part of the World Marathon Majors, an alliance of the world’s six biggest marathons that determines each year’s top male and top female marathoner. To learn more, visit www.nyrr.org.
About United
United Airlines and United Express operate an average of more than 5,200 flights a day to 374 airports across six continents. In 2013, United and United Express operated nearly two million flights carrying 139 million customers. With U.S. mainland hubs in Chicago, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, New York/Newark, San Francisco and Washington, D.C., United operates more than 700 mainline aircraft and, in 2014, is taking delivery of 35 new Boeing aircraft, including the 787-9 as the North American launch customer, and is welcoming 32 new Embraer 175 aircraft to United Express. The airline is a founding member of Star Alliance, which provides service to 192 countries via 27 member airlines. More than 85,000 United employees reside in every U.S. state and in countries around the world. For more information, visit united.com, follow @United on Twitter or connect on Facebook. The common stock of United’s parent, United Continental Holdings, Inc., is traded on the NYSE under the symbol UAL.