In an announcement which comes late by industry standards, the organizers of the City of Los Angeles Marathon have announced that Honda has been elevated to the race's title sponsor (previously the automobile and power equipment company had been a presenting sponsor of the March 21 race). The race will now be known as the Honda Los Angeles Marathon.
"It is a privilege to be affiliated with such an outstanding, well-known company," commented Russ Pillar, President of L.A. Marathon LLC, which owns and operates the race. "Honda's commitment to the local community is both wide and deep, and having such a distinguished title sponsor reflects the significant changes we've made to deliver a great event for all of Los Angeles."
This will be the second edition of the Los Angeles Marathon which Pillar's group has managed after buying the event from the financially troubled Devine Sports. In 2009 Pillar moved the race to the Memorial Day weekend in May, and race participation fell by 18% to 14,128 finishers. In 2007, when the race was still held on its traditional first Sunday in March, 20,230 runners finished the race. This year's race, to be held on a new point-to-point course which finishes near the Pacific Ocean, has a 25,000 runner entry cap.
Honda has a long relationship with the race, going back 14 years. "We've been honored to be affiliated with this great competition and with the manner in which it brings together the entire greater Los Angeles community, explained Tetsuo Iwamura, president and chief executive officer of American Honda Motor Co., Inc. "The new course shows off some of the best of what Los Angeles has to offer, and is sure to make the Honda LA Marathon an outstanding, signature event for the running world, for spectators, and for Southern California alike."
The agreement between Honda and the race gives the company naming rights through 2012. Honda will have a major presence at the race expo, throughout the course, and at the finish line festival near Santa Monica pier.
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