State Fair: 2014 sponsorship sales rose 16 percent from 2013

GEDDES, N.Y. — The New York State Fair reported sponsorship sales of nearly $2 million at this year’s event, up 16 percent from the final sponsorship-sales figures for last year’s Fair.

The number of sponsors also rose 22 percent to 90 in 2014, from 74 in 2013.

Richard Ball, New York agriculture commissioner, and Troy Waffner, acting State Fair director, made the announcement in a news release the New York State Department of Agriculture & Markets distributed on Wednesday.

“Clearly, this was a year in which our State Fair was firing on all cylinders, with record crowds and increasing participation from sponsors. This was another year of solid growth in our continuous effort to improve an agricultural fair and tourism draw that is becoming second to none,” Ball said in the news release.

The State Fair worked to “reengage” national and regional brands that it believed would benefit from exposure to the Fair’s large audience, according to the news release.

Chevrolet, sponsor of the Chevy Court series of free concerts and one of the Fair’s largest sponsors, signed its “first ever” multi-year deal this year.

In addition, ACR Health moved its fundraising run to the Fair and reported record attendance and sponsorship, the State Fair said.

Syracuse–based ACR Health is a nonprofit, community-based organization providing support services for people with chronic diseases, including HIV/AIDS, diabetes, heart disease, obesity, asthma, substance-use disorders, and mental illnesses, according to its website.

The State Fair is also touting it “huge new video marquee” at the main gate, which it contends provides sponsors with year-round visibility with marketing messages they can change “as needed.”

The marquee already has attracted attention from potential advertisers, the State Fair said.

Four national brands and several regional brands that have never participated in the Fair have already begun discussions about participating in 2015. The State Fair didn’t name those potential sponsors in the news release.

The State Fair’s other sales and sponsorship efforts focused on encouraging admission-ticket sales and spending on the Fairgrounds. Top sponsors can secure year-round visibility and naming rights, the State Fair said.

Contact Reinhardt at ereinhardt@cnybj.com