AFL Announces Insurance Office of America as Presenting Partner of ArenaBowl XXVI

Saturday July 6, 2013

 CHICAGO – The NET10 Wireless Arena Football League (AFL) has announced that the Insurance Office of America (IOA) will be the presenting partner of ArenaBowl XXVI in Orlando.

IOA is the eighth largest privately held insurance agency in the United States with its headquarters in Longwood, FL, a suburb of Orlando. With 30 offices coast to coast and over 800 employees, Insurance Office of America is one of the fastest growing agencies in the country. IOA has become the agency of choice for insurance needs by an ever growing number of sports leagues, teams, facilities and athletic venues including members of the NFL, NBA, NHL, NASCAR and governing bodies like the American Hockey League and LPGA.

“Getting a signature brand like IOA associated with the ArenaBowl is an outstanding opportunity,” AFL Commissioner Jerry B. Kurz said. “We are especially pleased about the audience we will be sharing with them during our biggest event of the season.”

The partnership will feature prominent on-air elements during the August 17 broadcast of ArenaBowl XXVI on the CBS Television Network, as well as significant in-arena exposure at the Amway Center. In addition, the IOA “Difference Maker of the Game” will be featured during the 2013 AFL Playoffs and ArenaBowl.

“We are pleased to join with the AFL and its member teams in presenting ArenaBowl XXVI in our hometown of Orlando,” stated John Ritenour, Chairman and Founder of Insurance Office of America. “This partnership was a natural fit for IOA as we take great pride in our city which has been so supportive of our growth in becoming the largest privately held agency in Florida. The AFL has done a fantastic job in organizing an exciting weekend of activities that we look forward to enjoying with the residents of Orlando and the fans of the AFL.”

“There's not a better way to debut the AFL-IOA partnership than at our biggest event of the year,” said Adam Robbins, Senior VP of Corporate Partnerships for the AFL. “A national audience will be tuned in to CBS for what is sure to be an entertaining ArenaBowl XXVI.”

“The AFL represents a natural extension to IOA’s ever growing sports and entertainment platform and will represent IOA’s first coordinated introduction into the national spotlight with the national broadcast and cable elements leading up to and including ArenaBowl XXVI,” stated IOA Sports Partners President Paul Garofolo who negotiated the deal on behalf of Insurance Office of America.
ArenaBowl XXVI presented by IOA will kick off at 1:00 p.m. ET on Saturday, August 17 from the Amway Center in Orlando, Florida, and will be broadcast live on the CBS Television Network. For complete ArenaBowl details, please visit www.ArenaBowl.com.

About the AFL

Since its inception in 1987, the Arena Football League has showcased a fast-paced and exciting game to millions of fans in a myriad of markets across the country. CBS Sports Network will broadcast an AFL National Game of the Week on Saturday nights for the entire regular season and postseason through the semifinal round. The ArenaBowl XXVI Championship Game presented by IOA will air on the CBS Television Network on August 17, 2013.