Running organization signs wide-reaching product and sponsorship deal.

New Balance and the New York Road Runners have entered a multi-year partnership that will span event sponsorship, youth programming, global licensing and e-commerce and retail rights for footwear and apparel.

The new relationship will launch in 2016 and reach full engagement in 2017.

In 2016, New Balance will work with NYRR on the opening of a new NYRR running center near Columbus Circle. The running center will serve as the hub for NYRR runner services and feature a New Balance retail component. For every pair of New Balance shoes sold at the NYRR running center, NYRR and New Balance will donate an additional pair to youngsters in need throughout the five boroughs of New York City. New Balance will also expand on its current official footwear and apparel sponsorship of the Airbnb Brooklyn Half by becoming the title sponsor of the New Balance Bronx 10-Mile and the New Balance 5th Avenue Mile next year.

Then in 2017, New Balance will become an NYRR foundation partner and the official athletic footwear and apparel partner of NYRR. As such New Balance will exclusively produce all race shirts for runners throughout the year and manage NYRR’s e-commerce platform. The year-round engagement will also feature sponsorship of the NYRR Five-Borough Series (United Airlines NYC Half, Airbnb Brooklyn Half, NYRR Queens 10K, New Balance Bronx 10-Mile and NYRR Staten Island Half), NYRR Heritage Races (NYRR New York Mini 10K, New Balance 5^th Avenue Mile and the NYRR Midnight Run), the TCS New York City Marathon and NYRR’s weekly races.

“New Balance and New York Road Runners share a commitment to quality, innovation and giving back to the communities they are a part of,” says Rob DeMartini, president and chief executive officer, New Balance. “We are proud to join forces with an organization where we align on many core values and look forward to offering the best in New Balance gear to the global runners participating in NYRR events throughout the year.”