Arena Makes a Splash in Budapest -- Sponsor Spotlight

(ATR) Casa Arena is the "Home of Swimming" at the FINA World Championships.

Almost as coveted as gold, silver and bronze medals are the gold, silver and bronze bracelets that allow access onto the sun-splashed patio overlooking the Danube River in Budapest.

Only gold bracelets give unlimited entries to their wearers, while the others are limited.

It is open 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. at the Duna Arena -- just outside the entrance to the media area and the pool deck -- and allows athletes, coaches, media and federation officials to dine or get other refreshments.

Interviews are offered with several athletes a day, including stars like Katinka Hosszu of Hungary, Cate Campbell of Australia, Sarah Sjostrom of Sweden, Adam Peaty of Great Britain and Gregorio Paltrinieri of Italy. They appear for one-on-one interviews or in the press conference room.

Arena, the global "Water Instinct" brand, also has an inclination toward hospitality.

Giuseppe Musciacchio, co-CEO of the Italian swimwear company, tells Around the Rings that "It’s part of the history of this brand".

Arena was a spin-off of Adidas in 1973 when there was only one major brand, U.S.-based Speedo.

"Arena wanted to be the European answer from Adidas," Musciacchio said. "Since the very early days, the Arena people at the time wanted to invest in the sport, be close to the sports events, the swimmers, where the action was taking place."

He said Cristina Cantoni, the PR communication manager, "reinvented" the hospitality concept. Cantoni championed the opening of the first Casa Arena in 2009 in Rome and has it continued at every edition since. She said that Arena followed the example set by Formula One, which has similar hospitality areas.

She told ATR that 130-150 people a day visit Casa Arena.

The three domes hum with activity, including one – the press conference room – in which athletes and sharks are projected on the walls and ceiling by a 360 degree projection system.

Staff wear Team Arena T-shirts that say "Fly Me to the Pool" and "I Travel By Water."

Waiters in black aprons bring platters of food. The chef, the ingredients and even the espresso maker are all from Italy. "It’s a real Italian experience here," said Rodolfo Misasi, the creative chief.

The company’s international headquarters is in Italy, so Musciacchio said, "It’s good to have a touch of Italy where its all about food, but maybe even when it is about design, too."

That affinity for design is evident in the small touches at the Casa Arena as well as in the Powerskin series of suits worn by Arena athletes.

Musciacchio said the brand wants to be recognized "not only by professional swimmers, but by everybody as a brand that understands swimming and makes the right things to make swimmers’ lives easier, better, more fun and maybe even with more victories."

Even swimmers who are not sponsored by the company are welcome at Casa Arena.

"The real concept here is family," Musciacchio said. "It’s making people feel part of a bigger group, independently from being or not being sponsored by us.

"This is the house of swimming at the end of the day."

But Misasi does have a house rule.. "Don’t order cappuccino for lunch," he said. "Cappuccino is just for breakfast."

What about latte? "Latte doesn’t exist."

Other Sponsors Visible

The other FINA sponsors also have high profiles. A giant Yakult bottle is next to the awards podium, and the tiny peach-colored 65 ml bottles of probiotic are ubiquitous in the arena and the fan area. A Yakult staff member estimated that 5,000 bottles would be given out per day. She said 40,000 were in storage.

Yakult is also on every female swimmer’s race bib, while Nikon is on the men’s.

The other FINA sponsors are Airweave, ANA (Japan), Midea, Samsung, Myrtha Pools and Omega.

Audi is among the 10 official national sponsors.

A white Audi R8 Spyder, with a list price of 60,458,300 Hungarian Forints (about $232,000) is one of the main attractions in the market area outside Duna Arena.

Food Vendors and Music

Food trucks tempt spectators with everything from fried dough to fresh potato chips, burgers to Kobe sausage, Belgian waffles to liquor.

Visitors can get temporary flag tattoos from Gedeon Richter, a national sponsor, or sit on lawn chairs outside Samsung.

Musicians entertain from a stage, with competition playing on screens behind them.

Written and reported by Karen Rosenin Budapest.

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