University of Washington Husky Basketball Arena to Be Named ‘Alaska Airlines Arena at Hec Edmundson Pavilion’

SEATTLE, Jan. 20, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — Alaska Airlines and the University of Washington today announced a partnership to rename UW’s on-campus basketball arena "Alaska Airlines Arena at Hec Edmundson Pavilion." The arena sponsorship is part of a five-year agreement to support University of Washington Athletics approved by the university’s Board of Regents today.

Alaska Airlines has committed $525,000 annually in cash and trade for the arena naming rights in addition to the airline’s $175,000 ongoing athletics’ sponsorship.

"We are thrilled to expand our long-standing relationship with the University of Washington and that the Alaska Airlines name will be associated with the proud history of Hec Edmundson Pavilion," said Alaska Airlines President Brad Tilden. "Husky basketball is a time-honored tradition enjoyed by many in our community, including our customers and our employees."

Court signage, including the Alaska Airlines logo, will be unveiled at tonight’s game and exterior signage will be installed within the next eight weeks.

"The Alaska Airlines brand mirrors the excellence that the University of Washington and UW athletics is known for," said UW Athletic Director Scott Woodward. "We are very pleased to grow this partnership with Alaska Airlines, and proud to have their name attached to the arena at one of our most-cherished icons, Hec Edmundson Pavilion."

Hec Edmundson Pavilion is the primary home for the Husky men’s and women’s basketball teams, volleyball team, and gymnastics squad. The beloved historical building is a monument to Husky athletics. Now in its ninth decade of service, the Washington men’s basketball team will be competing in the building for the 82nd season, a stretch that has allowed the UW men’s team to compile more wins in the building (883) than any other team in the nation has won in its current arena.

Originally completed in 1927, the arena underwent a $40 million, 19-month renovation between March 1999 and November 2000 to reconfigure its interior. The arena has a seating capacity of 10,000.

Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air, subsidiaries of Alaska Air Group (NYSE: ALK), together serve more than 90 cities through an expansive network in Alaska, the Lower 48, Hawaii, Canada and Mexico. Alaska Airlines ranked "Highest in Customer Satisfaction Among Traditional Network Carriers" in the J.D. Power and Associates 2008, 2009 and 2010 North America Airline Satisfaction Studies(SM). For reservations, visit www.alaskaair.com. For more news and information, visit the Alaska Airlines/Horizon Air Newsroom at www.alaskaair.com/newsroom.

The University of Washington is one of the world’s pre-eminent universities and a recognized leader in educating the next generation of leaders, thinkers and doers. A multi-campus institution comprising UW Seattle, UW Tacoma and UW Bothell, as well as a world-class academic medical center, the UW is a focal point of the Puget Sound region’s intellectual and cultural life and a key contributor to Washington‘s increasingly global reputation as a center of innovation and change. A progressive and quintessentially Northwest institution with a uniquely innovative and creative culture, the UW is driven to lead by successfully integrating the full assets of the university and its rich environs to address key issues of pressing human concern that make a lasting difference in the Northwest and around the world. For more information, visit www.washington.edu.

SOURCE Alaska Airlines