Corporate sponsors of the Iditarod: ensuring the Last Great Race goes on.

• Author: Orr, Vanessa
• Position: VISITORS INDUSTRY - Cover story

For the past forty-one years, the Iditarod, also known as "The Last Great Race On Earth, has been a tradition revered by Alaskans. The long-distance sled dog race, which winds from Anchorage to Nome, not only showcases the talents of mushers who battle hazardous weather conditions, dangerous obstacles, and sheer exhaustion, but serves as a tribute to the resiliency, skillfulness, and strength of those who live in the Last Frontier.

Though the mushers serve as the "face" of the race, it takes the efforts of countless people behind the scenes to keep the tradition alive. "A big part of dog mushing in Alaska is the involvement of sponsors, fans, and volunteers," explains Aaron Burmeister, who has raced in the Iditarod for fourteen years. "They are absolutely critical; without them, the race just wouldn't happen."

Sponsors are so important, in fact, that mushers rely on them throughout the year to provide funds and in-kind support to keep them competitive. And their contributions are even more important to the race itself. "The biggest piece of pie in terms of revenue comes in the form of sponsorships," explains Iditarod Executive Director Stan Hooley. "Sponsorships make up approximately 51 percent of our operating budget; we simply couldn't stage the race the way we do without this support."

Investing in an Alaskan Tradition

According to Hooley, roughly $1.5 million of the race's $5 million budget is provided by cash sponsorships, with another $1.1 million coming in the form of in-kind goods and services. "There are so many examples of this--we get airline tickets from Alaska Air and PenAir, and Anchorage Chrysler Dodge provides the winner's truck and also gives us four vehicles to give away as raffle prizes," Hooley says. "Hotels rooms and meeting space are provided by the Millennium Alaskan Hotel, and shipping is supplied through Northern Air Cargo and Horizon Lines. Anchorage Daily News provides us with advertising space, our office equipment is supplied by Konica Minolta, and Allworx provides us with phone systems for use at race headquarters.

"While the types of sponsorships differ, one thing that our sponsors have in common is that they all have strong ties to Alaska," he continues. "ExxonMobil, though a very large international company with business interests all over the world, has a large presence here. Donlin Gold has mining interests of real significance in Alaska, and GCI is an Alaska-based communications provider. Wells Fargo also has very prominent ties to Alaska in many different communities."

Companies can choose to participate at a number of levels. The Principal Partner level requires an investment of $250,000 or more; Lead Dog partners invest $100,000 or more; Team Dog partners invest $50,000 or more; and Wheel Dog partners invest $25,000 or more. In turn, sponsors get the opportunity to invest in an event that is not only unique, but truly Alaskan.

"When you sponsor a property like the Iditarod, it is different than traditional advertising or marketing," Hooley says. "It is a way to market your company differently and set it apart from the competition. Our sponsors are able to use the Iditarod name, which is a registered trademark, in their promotions and advertising. They can also...