Hyundai to Replace GM as NFL Sponsor

By In-Soo Nam 

SEOUL-- Hyundai Motor Co. has replaced General Motors as an official sponsor of the NFL, signing a four-year deal that gives the South Korean company a platform at some of the most viewed events in the U.S., such as the Super Bowl and National Football League playoffs.

Hyundai is struggling to compete in the U.S. with rivals such as Toyota Motor Corp. as supply issues, unfavorable currency-exchange rates and a sedan-heavy lineup lowered its appeal to American consumers. Hyundai's U.S. sales in May fell 10.3% from a year earlier, while the broader auto market rose 1.6%.

The sponsorship will allow Hyundai to use NFL trademarks in its advertising and give it marketing access to big events throughout the year, Hyundai said. The company will also provide promotional cars at events such as the Super Bowl.

"There is no better venue to reach consumers," Hyundai Motor America's chief executive Dave Zuchowski said. "We are pleased to welcome Hyundai to our family of sponsors," added the NFL's senior vice president of sponsorship, Renie Anderson. Neither Hyundai nor the NFL said how much the deal cost.

The sponsorship will begin at the start of the season on Sept. 10. General Motors had sponsored the NFL from 2001 until last season, which the U.S. auto maker said would be its last.

Sales of sport-utility vehicles and trucks are booming in the U.S. and South Korea, but Hyundai offers only two SUVs in the U.S.--the compact Tucson and the midsize Santa Fe, and no pickups. Hyundai's biggest market is China, where it sells mostly sedans.

Hyundai is an increasingly familiar sponsor of sports events, including the soccer World Cup after it signed an agreement with FIFA, the global governing body of the sport, in 1999. Hyundai's affiliate, Kia Motors Corp., is also an official sponsor of the National Basketball Association in the U.S.

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