Aramark, The Alliance of American Football Announce Official Retail and E-Commerce Partnership

Business Wire 23-Jan-2019 9:05 AM

Aramark to Provide Unique, Best-In-Class In-stadium and At-Home Shopping Experiences for Fans of All Eight Alliance Teams

Today, Aramark and The Alliance of American Football announced a multi-year agreement making Aramark (NYSE:ARMK) the official retail merchandise concessionaire and e-commerce provider for the league. The Alliance's inaugural season features teams from Birmingham, Orlando, Memphis, Atlanta, San Antonio, San Diego, Arizona and Salt Lake, with its first snap taking place February 9, 2019, on CBS.

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Aramark and The Alliance of American Football announced a multi-year agreement making Aramark the official retail merchandise concessionaire and e-commerce provider for the league. (Graphic: Business Wire)

"We strive to continually provide fans with innovative and seamless opportunities to connect with the game, teams and players they love, and our partnership with Aramark is one way to achieve this goal," said Charlie Ebersol, CEO and founder, The Alliance. "Aramark is a proven leader in the space, catering to millions of sports fans across major professional leagues and teams. By bringing on this best-in-class partner, we can drive innovation both on-site and at-home, elevating the fan experience, streamlining operations and driving sales."

Under the terms of the deal, Aramark will operate The Alliance's in-stadium merchandising program across all eight markets, creating unique, best-in-class shopping experiences for fans. Additionally, Aramark will provide complete e-commerce solutions for The Alliance's online store (https://shop.aaf.com/) ensuring fans in-stadium and at home can have access to their favorite team's apparel and merchandise.

"We're proud to be in the customer service business, and are thrilled with the opportunity to add a new, innovative, fan-and-player focused league to our portfolio," said Carl Mittleman, president of Aramark's sports and entertainment division. "We understand the importance of providing seamless, enjoyable shopping experiences for fans, especially during a historic, inaugural season, and are committed to delivering that for The Alliance."

About The Alliance of American Football

Led by some of the most respected football minds in the game, The Alliance of American Football is a dynamic professional football league fueled by an unprecedented Alliance between players, fans and the game. Founded by TV and film producer Charlie Ebersol and Hall of Famer Bill Polian, The Alliance will feature eight teams with 52-player rosters playing a 10-week regular season schedule in the spring beginning February 9, 2019 on CBS, followed by two playoff rounds and culminating with the championship game the weekend of April 26-28, 2019.

The eight cities, stadiums and head coaches are as follows:

• Orlando Apollos / Spectrum Stadium / Steve Spurrier
• Atlanta Legends / Georgia State Stadium / Kevin Coyle
• Memphis Express / Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium / Mike Singletary
• Salt Lake Stallions / Rice-Eccles Stadium / Dennis Erickson
• Arizona Hotshots / Sun Devil Stadium / Rick Neuheisel
• San Diego Fleet / San Diego County Credit Union Stadium / Mike Martz
• Birmingham Iron / Legion Field Stadium / Tim Lewis
• San Antonio Commanders / Alamodome / Mike Riley

Fans will be able to stream Alliance matchups live via the free Alliance app while accessing integrated gaming options with real rewards — for themselves and the players they are cheering on. With a focus on player well-being on and off the field, The Alliance will provide players with a commitment to safety and state-of-the-art equipment as well as a comprehensive bonus system, post-football career planning, financial counseling and scholarship support for postsecondary education. For more information, visit https://aaf.com/.

About Aramark

Aramark (NYSE:ARMK) proudly serves Fortune 500 companies, world champion sports teams, state-of-the-art healthcare providers, the world's leading educational institutions, iconic destinations and cultural attractions, and numerous municipalities in 19 countries around the world. Our 270,000 team members deliver experiences that enrich and nourish millions of lives every day through innovative services in food, facilities management and uniforms. We operate our business with social responsibility, focusing on initiatives that support our diverse workforce, advance consumer health and wellness, protect our environment, and strengthen our communities. Aramark is recognized as one of the World's Most Admired Companies by FORTUNE, as well as an employer of choice by the Human Rights Campaign and DiversityInc. Learn more at www.aramark.com or connect with us on Facebook and Twitter.

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