- Barry Janoff

Virgin Mobile USA and the Arena Football League unveiled a deal this week that gives the telecommunications company title sponsorship of the professional indoor football league's championship game.

Under the one-year pact, the title game is now called Virgin Mobile ArenaBowl XXII. It will be played Sunday, July 27, and be televised on ABC and ABC HD live from New Orleans Arena. This will be Virgin Mobile's first entitlement of a U.S. sports event, the first time the AFL has signed such a deal for its championship game and the AFL's first national deal with a wireless company.

The AFL also has playoff deals with other marketers, including the "Mitsubishi Motors drive to ArenaBowl XXII," as well as alliances with ESPN and Russell Athletics.

"This was a perfect fit in terms of reaching consumers and driving our message," said Bob Stohrer, CMO at Virgin Mobile USA, Warren, N.J. "We share the same values as the AFL, the same consumer orientation and we both offer unique experiences."

Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. Virgin Mobile will have a "window of opportunity" after the game to determine whether they will renew the deal for next season, according to the AFL.

"This is a valuable brand property and the deal was not something we entered into lightly," said Ed Policy, president and deputy commission at the AFL, New York. "We started to speak with Virgin Mobile about three or four months ago, and [the deal] came together pretty quickly."

Policy concurred with Stohrer that "the fit is perfect. Our prime demographics are 14-34, and our young fans are significant users of wireless, Internet and other media."

Virgin Mobile, best known for such music alliances as this summer's Virgin Mobile Music Festival, will get the word out about its sports affiliation with TV in AFL playoff markets, promotional efforts and activation on its online Sugar Mama platform, where consumers watch ads and rate and answer questions about them in return for minutes added to their Virgin Mobile wireless plans. Virgin Mobile USA's lead agency is McKinney, Durham, N.C.

"Music is important for us, but we are looking at all marketing partnerships as a way to bring our brand to life," said Stohrer.