IRL retains Just Marketing

The Indy Racing League, sanctioning body for the IndyCar Series and Indy Pro Series, announced today that it has retained Indianapolis-based Just Marketing International (JMI) to consult the league on all facets of commercial rights packaging and sales for the IndyCar Series – including its teams, drivers, tracks, events and media. The agreement is a non-exclusive, multi-year consultancy.

The Indy Racing League's immediate goal is increasing corporate interest in the IndyCar Series and its drivers, teams and tracks. JMI will advise on all business development matters relating to the IndyCar Series sales strategy, packaging, marketplace intelligence and commercial value proposition.

JMI's initial priority will be to help prioritize, organize and mobilize commercial efforts against the strategic imperatives for the IndyCar Series – seeking to maximize the value proposition for prospective sponsors.

"It is part of our agency charter to be intimately familiar with commercial opportunities across all major motorsports series, including the IndyCar Series," said Zak Brown, founder and CEO, Just Marketing International. "Looking across the motorsports landscape, we see the IndyCar Series offering enormous and affordable value. We are extremely confident that when leading corporations are exposed to IndyCar Series opportunities, it will lead to new investments in the sport."

Tony George, founder and CEO, Indy Racing League, has committed considerable assets of the Indy Racing League and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway to maximize commercial opportunities for the IndyCar Series.

JMI services will also include strategic consultation and insight into the design and implementation of customized, turnkey IndyCar Series marketing programs – including research and marketplace analysis, marketing and business planning, integrated promotional concepts and creative materials, experiential driving events, hospitality and VIP entertainment, media and CRM best practices.

The partnership comes on the heels of the league's announcement last month that Brian Barnhart would serve as president of the Indy Racing League Competition and Operations Division, and Terry Angstadt would serve as president of the Indy Racing League Commercial Division.

"There is little doubt that Just Marketing International has vast and in-depth knowledge of the motorsports commercial landscape," said George. "Given the IndyCar Series' newly energized and refocused business agenda and management structure, it makes good sense to employ JMI's expertise as a complement to our new direction."

The new structure better enables the sanctioning body and its two series, the IndyCar Series and Indy Pro Series, to take advantage of expanding business opportunities in a changing environment.

"We are entering into a very active and optimistic era for IndyCar and its drivers, teams and events," said Terry Angstadt, president, Indy Racing League Commercial Division. "There is an increasingly great business story to be told, and it will be done so in greater detail and scale than ever before. IndyCar delivers a product that is exciting, glamorous, highly relevant and valuable in today's sponsorship marketplace. Our incomparable history and tradition, coupled with leading-edge technology, distinguishes IndyCar as a compelling sponsorship platform."

About Just Marketing International:
Just Marketing International (JMI) is the global leader in motorsports marketing. JMI is an independent, full-service agency representing corporations in all forms of motorsports worldwide. With more than 125 staff globally, JMI operates six offices in four countries and manages over $300 million a year in motorsports investments. JMI's client list is comprised of leading corporations, some of which include DIRECTV, Crown Royal, AMD, Hilton International, Ford Motor Company, Ingersoll Rand, Johnnie Walker, IRWIN Industrial Tools, SUBWAY® Restaurants, BRUT®, NewPage, Matco Tools and Jackson Hewitt Tax Service. Just Marketing International's clients participate in all major motorsports series, including NASCAR, Formula One World Championship, IndyCar Series, Grand-Am, NHRA, World Rally Championship, the American Le Mans Series and Champ Car World Series. For more information, please visit Just Marketing International on the worldwide web at www.justmarketing.com.