Saucony Signs Endorsement Deal with Olympic Sprinter Wallace Spearmon

Posted: 02/08/2010 In Category: Fitness Manufacturer

Industry News Release Written By: Jeff Lawrence

LEXINGTON, MA (February 8, 2010) – At a ceremony held this morning at its brand headquarters, Saucony, Inc. signed 2008 U.S. Olympian and two-time World Championships gold medalist Wallace Spearmon, Jr. to a multi-year endorsement contract. One of the world’s fastest sprinters, Spearmon, Jr. is the winner of three consecutive World Outdoor Championships 200-meter medals (2005, 2007, 2009).

He is also the U.S. 200-meter indoor record holder, the 2006 USA Outdoor 200-meter champion and a three-time NCAA champion at University of Arkansas over the same distance. Spearmon, Jr. is the first Olympic sprinter to be signed by the global athletic footwear and apparel performance brand.

“I’m very excited about competing for the Saucony brand,” said Spearmon, Jr. “The team at Saucony feels like a family, and I know that I’ll enjoy working and racing for them and being a part of that family. What’s really inspiring to me is the brand’s emphasis on performance and innovation, evident in their spikes and their AMP PRO2 training and recovery apparel. We’re a great fit and I’m looking forward to a long and lasting partnership, accomplishing great things together─both on and off the track.”

“At Saucony, our athletes inspire us, make us better,” said Richie Woodworth, president of Saucony. “We’re a competitive company and we want to win. Our partnership with Wallace will help us push innovation and performance higher and faster. He is an incredibly gifted runner and a tremendous individual. His desire to team up with the Saucony Run For Goodsm Foundation to enable more kids to enjoy the benefits of track and field is inspiring to the whole Saucony team."

At today’s event, Spearmon, Jr. presented a Saucony Run For Goodsm Foundation grant in his name to Boston-based Youth Enrichment Services (YES) to support a year-round, inter-neighborhood track and field program that will reach out to more than 1,500 inner-city youth participants. Bryan Van Dorpe, executive director of YES and the program’s track and field coordinator, accepted the “Wallace Spearmon, Jr. Run For Good Foundation” grant of $10,000. Over the length of the contract, the Saucony Run For Good Foundation will continue to award future annual grants in Spearmon, Jr.’s name to nonprofit organizations that support opportunities for at-risk youth to benefit from participating in track and field programs.

“As we begin the long buildup to London in 2012, we’re thrilled to have an athlete with Wallace’s significant history of success and global visibility join our team,” said Woodworth. “His charisma and style, not withstanding his astonishing speed, will enrich us and inspire and build our legion of Saucony followers as we work with Wallace in creating the fastest shoes on the planet.”
Spearmon, Jr. currently lives and trains in College Station, Texas.

For interviews with Wallace Spearmon, Jr., please contact Sharon Barbano at Saucony (617-824-6126), sharon.barbano@saucony.com or Jeff Lawrence at Mullen (617-226-9945), jeff.lawrence@mullen.com.

About Saucony, Inc.: Saucony, Inc., a subsidiary of Collective Brands, Inc., is a leading global supplier of performance athletic footwear and apparel with its widely recognized brands Saucony and Saucony Originals. For more information, go to www.saucony.com.

About Collective Brands, Inc.: Collective Brands, Inc. (NYSE: PSS) is a leader in bringing compelling lifestyle, fashion and performance brands for footwear and related accessories to consumers worldwide. The company operates three strategic units covering a powerful brand portfolio, as well as multiple price points and selling channels including retail, wholesale, ecommerce and licensing. The company operates three strategic units covering a powerful brand portfolio, as well as multiple price points and selling channels including retail, wholesale, ecommerce and licensing. Collective Brands, Inc. includes Payless ShoeSource, focused on democratizing fashion and design in footwear and accessories through its nearly 4,500-store retail chain, with its brands Airwalk®, Dexter®, Champion®, Zoe & Zac™, the first-ever affordable green footwear brand, and designer collections Lela Rose for Payless, Unforgettable Moments by Lela Rose, alice + olivia for Payless, Christian Siriano for Payless and STLP x Airwalk, among others; Collective Brands Performance + Lifestyle Group, focused on lifestyle and performance branded footwear and high-quality children’s footwear sold primarily through wholesaling, with its brands including Stride Rite®, Keds®, Sperry Top-Sider®, Robeez®, and Saucony®, among others; and Collective Licensing International, the brand development, management and global licensing unit, with such youth lifestyle brands as Airwalk®, Vision Street Wear®, Sims®, Lamar® and LTD®. Information about, and links for shopping on, each of the Collective Brand’s units can be found at www.collectivebrands.com.


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