Premier cycling event secures Comcast SportsNet television broadcasting
Riders pass under the Philly skyline. (Image credit: Jonathan Devich/epicimages.us)
TD Bank has signed on as the title sponsor of the Philadelphia International Cycling Championships and the women's Liberty Classic for the next three years. The one-day races are set to take place on Sunday, June 6.
"They are a strong supporter of the race," said Dave Chauner, president of the event's organizing committee Pro Cycling Tour. "They are planning to do family fun zone activities below the steps of the Art Museum. They are going to do some pre-event promotion in their branches and corporate hospitality and entertainment down at the race. I'd say they are pretty active in engaging in their sponsorship."
"I think it's an important priority for us to get back to developing strong multi-year partnerships," he added. "With a couple of big multi-year contracts in place it makes it a lot easier and of greater interest for sponsors to sign on."
Chauner also confirmed a three-year partnership with television broadcasters Comcast SportsNet to provide live television coverage of the TD Bank Philadelphia International Cycling Championships in Philadelphia and the surrounding areas between 12:00pm and 3:30pm EST. The final 90 minutes of the race will be simultaneously broadcasted live on the Versus network for viewers across the United States of America.
"Comcast SportsNet is part of the whole Comcast family," Chauner said. "It is a regional sports network Comcast SportsNet Philadelphia and we will also be on six other Comcast SportsNet regional sports networks around the country and live on Versus, which is owned by Comcast SportsNet."
"This definitely enhances the potential for sponsorship," he added. "We are working very closely with the Comcast SportsNet sales team of about 15 to 20 account representatives and this first year is about getting to know each other. But we are working closely with our team to present integrated packages to sponsors that include event benefits and broadcast benefits."
The TD Bank Philadelphia International Cycling Championships is in its 26th year. Chauner welcomed the lengthy partnerships following the economic downturn that nearly resulted in the collapse of the nation's iconic 250-kilometre one-day classic. The women's Liberty Classic has been held in conjunction with the men's race for 16 years and totals 95 kilometres.
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"It is still a tough economy so we are still running lean and mean and trying to build up the event again and create the infrastructure needed to build a solid foundation going forward," Chauner said. "Certainly the Comcast SportsNet relationship and the TD Bank sponsorship helps us in that light."
Previews of the TD Bank Philadelphia International Cycling Championships will begin this month on Comcast SportsNet. "One of the things that is great about them is that they are heavily watched here in Philadelphia, they cover the Phillies and we will be covered in a lot of their sports shows and preview activities that are being planned to promote the race with promotional spots, ads, features and news items, repeat airings in some of their markets and highlight shows along with the live coverage."
Kirsten Frattini is the Deputy Editor of Cyclingnews, overseeing the global racing content plan.
Kirsten has a background in Kinesiology and Health Science. She has been involved in cycling from the community and grassroots level to professional cycling's biggest races, reporting on the WorldTour, Spring Classics, Tours de France, World Championships and Olympic Games.
She began her sports journalism career with Cyclingnews as a North American Correspondent in 2006. In 2018, Kirsten became Women's Editor – overseeing the content strategy, race coverage and growth of women's professional cycling – before becoming Deputy Editor in 2023.
