Madison Reporter

Over the past several months, University of Wisconsin–Madison women’s sports fans have noticed increased visibility of UW Health at athletic events. This follows the announcement that UW Health is now the official title sponsor for all UW Athletics women’s sports, marking a unique partnership within NCAA athletics.

The sponsorship covers a wide range of sports, including volleyball, hockey, basketball, soccer, golf, track and field, cross country, softball, tennis, swimming and rowing. According to Chris Roth, chief marketing officer at UW Health: “We want to raise up the remarkable athletes and people on the UW women’s teams. We see the hard work they put in to be the best of the best and want to support them in and out of competition.”

As part of this agreement, there will be an increased presence of UW Health branding at games as well as across social media and digital platforms dedicated to women’s sports. The partnership also creates opportunities for athletes regarding their name, image and likeness by featuring them in campaigns that share health messages through various channels.

This collaboration builds upon a relationship that began in 2010 with a sponsorship agreement between UW Athletics and Learfield’s Badger Sports Properties. That earlier agreement supported football as well as men’s and women’s basketball and men’s hockey.

Mitchell Pinta, deputy athletic director/chief revenue officer for UW Athletics said: “This unique partnership with UW Health signifies a milestone in support for women’s sports at Wisconsin. We are grateful for UW Health’s commitment to elevating these incredible student-athletes and excited about the opportunities it will create for them, as we together continue to foster an environment where they can thrive and promote the important messages of health to the Badger community.”

UW Health is also highlighting its role as official medical provider for all university athletics. Dr. Tamara Scerpella, chief of sports medicine at UW Health and chair of orthopedics at University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health stated: “UW Health experts in primary care and orthopedic sports medicine work diligently to ensure Badgers can perform at the top of their game.” Scerpella has served as orthopedic team physician for Badgers women’s hockey and softball teams for over ten years.

The long-term sponsorship between UW Health and Badger Sports Properties—a local division of collegiate sports marketing company Learfield—is intended to strengthen both organizations’ reach among fans and patients alike. Roth added: “We’re creating a foundation of collaboration that will enable us to elevate both women’s sports and UW Health. This sponsorship will enable both Badgers women’s sports and UW Health to reach fans, patients and beyond.”