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A renewed partnership

Green Bay Packers, Associated Bank agree to long-term extension

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July 15, 2024

GREEN BAY – The Green Bay Packers and Associated Bank are two entities synonymous with Wisconsin – both with long-standing legacies of their own.

The pair also share a legacy – a partnership that goes back more than a century.

“I believe it is one of the longest-running partnerships in professional sports,” Bryan Carson, executive vice president, chief product and marketing officer with Associated Bank, said. “We’ve been their partner for 105 years.” 

Packers President/CEO Mark Murphy said the organization appreciates the support Associated Bank has given the Packers for more than a century.

“We look forward to working together to create more opportunities for Packers fans through this enhanced partnership,” he said.

Extended talks

As the end date of the previous partnership neared, Justin Wolf – director of corporate partnerships sales and activations with the Packers – said in a proactive move, the two entities started conversations about an extension.

“We mutually started that conversation of, ‘hey, this is a year and a half, two years out, we can start talking about this,’” he said.

With a handful of leadership changes at Associated Bank since entering the previous partnership agreement, Wolf said it was important to “recalibrate the partnership to ensure it was meeting the goals and objectives of the leadership team.”

A man smiling at the camera wearing a navy suit, light blue shirt and a green and blue striped tie.
Justin Wolf

“This is a lengthy partnership extension – not a one- or two-year extension, so we thought ahead about what is going to be valuable to the state of their business and ours and what we can do to help achieve those objectives and goals,” he said.

Carson said the conversation with the Packers was straightforward.

“We looked at things and said, ‘what are things we wanted to change?’” he said. “(And we brought those to the table). We’ve appreciated the partnership with them, and we were  intent on continuing that partnership with another 10-year extension – which we got – and I think they were, too.”

Carson said Associated Bank received a verbal agreement on everything by the end of quarter one.

“(Since then), we were going through the dotting of the I’s and crossings of the T’s for the contract paperwork,” he said.

Similar values, missions

Associated Bank’s commitment to Green Bay and Wisconsin, Carson said, “is serious.”

“We are committed to making this state vibrant, helping it grow and helping our customers be financially stronger – and the Packers in Green Bay are a big piece of that,” he said. 

Having your brand partnered with the Green Bay Packers, Carson said, is a rare opportunity.

A man smiling at the camera wearing a black suit, white shirt with a blue tie.
Bryan Carson

“It’s a unique organization because it’s a community-owned organization,” he said.

Wolf said the Packers appreciated Associated Bank’s similar commitment to the State of Wisconsin.

“They know the community, and they know what is important to the community – and by community, I mean both region and state,” he said. “We like having long-term partners – we aren’t looking to flip partners every three to five years.”

Their shared history, Wolf said, makes the partnership even sweeter.

“They used to print tickets for the Packers,” he said. “There are pictures of Associated Bank checks that Vince Lombardi personally signed for player compensation checks.”

Carson said partnerships with others who are as invested in supporting the community thrive as much as you are is a win-win.

“I’ll say this also, we don’t have a ton of sponsorship relationships,” he said. “We have a few, and a lot of them are in sports and the arts – for our constituents, that is where we believe we can have the biggest impact on our region by helping those categories thrive. There is a lot of passion around those categories and a huge economic impact in supporting your local sports, theater and arts – so that is where we put a lot of our sponsorship dollars.”

Good partners, Carson said, are sometimes hard to find – “and the Packers have proven over decades what a great partner they are and how focused they are on building a winning tradition and helping them be successful – and for their partners to be successful.”

A commitment like that, he said, “goes a long way.”

Wolf said the majority of the Packers’ gate partnerships have a large local presence – Associated Bank, American Family Insurance, Bellin Health, Kwik Trip, Fleet Farm and the Oneida Nation.

Associated Bank Gate at Lambeau Field.
The extended partnership continues Associated Bank’s gate sponsorship, which is located on the west side of Lambeau Field. Photo Courtesy of the Green Bay Packers

“A lot of these brands have local roots and are super passionate about the team,” he said.

Carson said Associated Bank has gathered research regarding what customers want and need out of their financial institution.

Being a supporter of the 2025 NFL draft, Carson said, is another way Associated Bank is supporting its partner – the Green Bay Packers – and the community.

“We don’t get a lot of direct benefit from that, but our economy lifts Green Bay into Wisconsin,” he said. “We do a lot of testing – we test value props all the time. We’ve invested a ton in new value props – whether it’s a $50 grace zone, free overdraft protection transfers or early pay, meaning if you have direct deposit with us, you can get your direct deposit two days earlier – these things we’ve (learned through) research that customers love.”

That same research, Carson said, shows customers are loyal to the Packers organization.

“For people who sign up for our Packers checking, (we see the continued partnership with the team) as a way to acquire, retain and deepen relationships, in addition to the other value props we have,” he said.

The nuts and bolts

The renewed partnership, Wolf said, is highlighted by Associated Bank’s continued sponsorship of the Associated Bank Gate – located on Lambeau Field’s west side – as well as the Associated Bank Club Level, which offers various gathering spaces on the Lambeau Field Atrium’s club level utilized on gamedays and non-gamedays.

Additionally, Associated Bank will continue offering Packers Checking, which provides account holders with 10% off most Packers Pro Shop purchases, as well as Packers-branded debit cards.

“We look forward to eventually offering more value to those customers down the road,” he said. “We have more than 100,000 customers who have taken advantage of the Packers checking program – so they voted with their feet on liking this partnership.”

Frosted sign on a red brick wall that states Associated Bank Club Level.
Associated Bank will also continue its sponsorship of Lambeau Field’s club level. Photo Courtesy of the Green Bay Packers

Carson said with the new agreement, there will be an increase in co-marketing in connection with Packers checking.

New with this renewed partnership, Wolf said, is Associated Bank becoming the presenting sponsor of the Packers Perks program – the team’s official loyalty and rewards program allowing fans to earn points, which can be used to redeem Packers prizes and exclusive fan experiences.

Carson said in connection with the Packers Perks program – “there is more value coming.”

“We’re not disclosing it yet, but the start of it is with the Packers Perks program,” he said. 

One of the things discussed in these renewal conversations, Carson said, was “how do we provide more value to people in our Packers checking program?”

“You’ll hear more about that later – and part of that is being integrated into their rewards program,” he said.

Wolf described the to-be-released-later details as additional amenities that’ll be available to fans and two Packers checking cardholders.

“(Those) additional benefits will start to roll out into 2025,” he said.

TBN
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