SKECHERS expands winter sports sponsorship presence through FIS and FIL deals

Significant FIS partnership, brokered by Infront, builds on FIL Luge World Cup and World Championships agreement

Zug, Switzerland – Infront has secured SKECHERS as a sponsor across four prominent winter sports as the world's leading American athletic footwear brand looks to reposition its sport sponsorship strategy.

SKECHERS will sponsor a total of 23 FIS Nordic Skiing and 11 FIS Alpine Skiing races across the 2023/24 season. The agreement comes shortly after it was named the main sponsor of the EBERSPÄCHER Luge World Cup for the 2023/24 season and the 52nd FIL Luge World Championships 2024 in Altenberg, Germany. It will also sponsor the German ice hockey’s Deutschland Cup from 8-12 November 2023.

All agreements were brokered by Infront, the exclusive marketing partner of the International Luge Federation (FIL), the International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS) and the German Ice Hockey Federation (DEB).

Using winter sports as a brand platform

Michael Witta, Vice President Marketing Sales & Services, Infront said: "Infront can offer something no other agency can; exceptional reach and influence in winter sports, especially when it comes to broadcast reach. SKECHERS understands the potential of this platform for brand awareness and customer engagement, making this partnership not only logical but also lucrative for all stakeholders."

Christoph Wilkens, Managing Director of SKECHERS Germany, said: "Luge, ice hockey, Alpine and Nordic Skiing are exciting sports known for their speed, thrills and high performance. We are proud to support the FIL, FIS and DEB teams and athletes on their journey. These partnerships reflect our passion for winter sports and will allow us to work even closer with the community, using the platform to showcase the high quality of our shoes."

High visibility for a growing audience

SKECHERS' logo will have prominent visibility at FIS Alpine and Nordic Skiing events. The brand will gain exposure through course advertising as well as placement on the start and finish gates.

The brand will also be present at all nine EBERSPÄCHER Luge World Cup events as well as the 2024 FIL Luge World Championships. The agreement includes the placement of the logo in the start area, along the track, on the start backdrop and on the bib numbers in the women's individual and sprint events. It will also be seen at the award ceremony and on the leader box.

Einars Fogelis, FIL President, said: "We are thrilled to welcome SKECHERS as a partner. This collaboration will take international luge to a new level. SKECHERS is a brand that stands for comfort and quality, and we are looking forward to helping them use luge to push their key brand message to our growing audience."

About SKECHERS U.S.A., Inc.

Skechers U.S.A., Inc. (NYSE: SKX), a Fortune 500 company based in Southern California, designs, develops and markets a variety of lifestyle and performance footwear, apparel and accessories for men, women, and children. The Comfort Technology Company™ collections are available in more than 180 countries and regions in department and specialty shops, as well as online shops and more than 4,500 company-owned and third-party retail shops. The company manages its international business through a network of wholly owned subsidiaries, joint ventures, and distributors. For more information: about.skechers.com.