Norton extends sponsorship of USA Luge program until 2014

USA Luge gets extension of Norton deal

NEW YORK — USA Luge announced Friday that Norton Abrasives, which has done business with the team since the 1980s, will continue as its primary sponsor through the 2014 Sochi Olympics.

Financial terms were not disclosed. Norton said earlier this year that it would retain the primary sponsor title through 2011.

“That’s big news for USA Luge,” said Gordy Sheer, the team’s director of marketing and sponsorship. “We’re so happy to have Norton with us through 2014 and heading towards the Olympics in Sochi. That’s tremendous and that’s a partnership that by the time the Olympic Games in Sochi run around we’ll be creeping up on 30 years of working together.”

USA Luge, based in Lake Placid, revealed the extended deal at an Olympic team event Friday in New York. USA Luge has been hurt in recent months by some sponsor defections brought on by the economic downtown, as many national governing bodies for Olympic sports have.

“The partnership’s been great,” Norton vice president Mark Rayfield said. “Not only the monetary support that we provide, but what’s special about our partnership is our products, our engineers, our research and development folks who are so close to this team now are able to do something to these sleds … and we’re very proud to be the difference.”

Norton has already been receiving primary logo placement on sleds, clothing, hats, helmets and vehicles.