Nationwide touches down with NFL partnership

Ohio-based insurance and financial services firm Nationwide has signed a three-year deal to become an official insurance sponsor of the NFL through to the end of the American football league’s 2016 season.

As part of the agreement, Nationwide has become a founding sponsor of NFL Now, the NFL’s new digital video service providing fans with news, analysis and highlights across online and mobile devices.

Nationwide will also be a presenting sponsor of the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award, which honours a player for volunteer and charity work alongside their on-field contribution.

“We've made significant media and partnership moves in the NFL space over the past two years to help strengthen our connection with the more than 185 million NFL fans,” Matt Jauchius, Nationwide’s chief marketing officer, said. “Adding a league relationship is a natural evolution for Nationwide and will afford us the ability to maximise assets nationally, provide more impactful content and better engage fans across screens.”

Nationwide boasts an established NFL presence through partnerships with Dallas Cowboys and Denver Broncos, and it enlisted the latter’s star quarterback Peyton Manning as a company spokesperson in May this year. The financial terms of the agreement between the NFL and Nationwide were not disclosed.