August has been a busy month for The World Games 2022. In recent weeks, two new important, nationally recognized corporate partners have joined The World Games 2022 team.
Birmingham’s Coca-Cola Bottling Company United, Inc. (UNITED), among the largest privately held Coca-Cola bottlers in North America, will be the presenting sponsor of the TWG2022 Closing Ceremony on 17 July, 2022, at Protective Stadium.
Spire will act as the presenting sponsor of gymnastics competitions at Legacy Arena and Sloss Furnaces, as well as the Spire: 10,000 Reasons Why initiative.
The Closing Ceremonies presented by Coca-Cola UNITED will feature performances from several popular musical artists, including Bootsy Collins, country music supergroup Alabama, the Blind Boys of Alabama, Bo Bice, Chuck Leavell, Jamey Johnson, Pastor Mike Jr., Ruben Studdard, Taylor Hicks and Worth the Wait.
“The World Games is a once-in-a-lifetime event for the city of Birmingham,” said Coca-Cola UNITED President and CEO John Sherman. “The Closing Ceremony will be a celebration of 10 of the best days in the history of our community and we are proud to join in the festivities and lend our support to an event that puts Birmingham front and center.”
Founded in 1902 in Birmingham and headquartered in the Magic City, Coca-Cola UNITED is the third largest bottler of Coca-Cola products in the United States and employs approximately 10,000 people across its six-state footprint of Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi and Tennessee.
The Spire: 10,000 Reasons Why initiative was created to support local communities. Through the initiative, Spire will gift 10,000 tickets to The World Games 2022 to organizations and individuals in the communities they serve, giving more people the opportunity to experience The World Games 2022.
Spire is working closely with The World Games 2022 Vice President of Community Engagement Kathy Boswell to identify organizations for ticket donations.
“We’re proud to support The World Games 2022 and the Spire: 10,000 Reasons Why program,” said Joe Hampton, president of Spire Alabama, Mississippi, and Gulf Coast. “And we’re honored to provide an opportunity for people in our communities who may otherwise not be able to attend this historic event. Enriching the lives of others very much reflects our mission and values.”
Spire provides natural gas service to more than 1.7 million customers in Missouri, Alabama and Mississippi, making them the fifth largest publicly traded natural gas company in the United States.
The World Games 2022 CEO Nick Sellers said having these two new partners on board represents another significant step in making The World Games 2022 the best ever edition of The World Games.
“We are so excited to have Coca-Cola UNITED and Spire on our team,” Sellers said. “Coca-Cola UNITED is absolutely going to take our Closing Ceremony to the next level, and our performers list is truly outstanding. The Spire: 10,000 Reasons Why Initiative is reflective of one of our core beliefs; The World Games 2022 is a once-in-a-lifetime even that includes everyone. They’re working to bring that vision to life, and that’s incredibly exciting.”
The World Games is a multi-sport event staged every four years by the International World Games Association under the patronage of the International Olympic Committee. The 11th edition of The World Games will be held in Birmingham, Alabama, USA, 7-17 July 2022. 3,600 athletes from over 30 sports and 100 countries will take part in The World Games.
