ASU athletics teams with Gila River Hotels & Casinos for all-sport sponsorship

Jeff Metcalfe | The Republic | azcentral.com

Arizona State athletics is teaming with Gila River Hotels & Casinos on a five-year partnership to promote all 26 ASU sports.

The all-athletic partnership, announced Tuesday, makes Gila River Hotels & Casinos one of ASU’s premier athletic sponsors along with Coke and MidFirst Bank.

“This partnership is unique in that Gila River Hotels & Casinos and Sun Devil athletics are investing in each other, which will positively impact all of our programs,” said Gabe Cagwin, ASU athletics chief business development officer. “Additionally, our ability to provide educational opportunities on top of athletic assets makes this a first-of-its-kind partnership for Sun Devil athletics."

ASU’s remodeled southeast plaza outside Sun Devil Stadium and Wells Fargo Arena will be sponsored by Gila River Hotels & Casinos similar to the Dignity Health-sponsored southwest entrance to the stadium.

Details of the partnership still are being worked out but will include athletic and academic camps and clinics on reservations, providing Native American youth with sport opportunities and information on attending college.

“The entire team at Gila River Hotels & Casinos and I are proud to announce our partnership with Sun Devil athletics," said Kenneth Manuel, Gila River Hotels & Casinos chief executive officer. “We have an amazing track record of partnering with Arizona’s best sports teams, and we are thrilled to have an amazing force in collegiate sports like Arizona State University as one of our valued partners.

"This partnership will not only allow us to support Sun Devil athletics, but also gives us the opportunity to give back to the Gila River Indian Community with ASU’s educational resources.”

The only NCAA conflict with having a casino sponsor will come when ASU hosts a postseason event, which would require Gila River Hotels and Casinos signage to be covered.

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