Feb. 18--Athletico Physical Therapy is adding the St. Louis Cardinals to its roster of sports team sponsors.
The Oak Brook-based therapy and rehabilitation firm is already partners with the Chicago White Sox, Bears, Blackhawks and Bulls. The company provides services in return for having its name showcased at home games. Now, in an effort to expand its brand in the Midwest, Athletico has picked up the Cardinals and will have its name displayed in Busch Stadium.
"We are extremely proud to partner with one of the most successful franchises in Major League Baseball," said Athletico founder and President Mark Kaufman,
As part of the agreement, Athletico will receive media exposure, the company said, and provide post-race stretching help for runners at the annual Cardinals Care 6K and Fun Run.
Kaufman said the sponsorship is a smart move for Athletico as it aims to expand its brand throughout the territories it gained through its acquisition last fall of Accelerated Rehab.
"The Cardinals relationship was one we thought fit our portfolio with the acquisition in a market where we didn't have relationships," he said. The St. Louis-based, 28-location ProRehab brand came with the Accelerated deal last fall, according to Kaufman. The company will rebrand Accelerated and ProRehab locations with the Athletico moniker by the end of the year, he said.
Still conspicuously missing from Athletico's roster are the Chicago Cubs, which Athletico decided to stop sponsoring late last year. Kaufman told the Tribune the company had "decided that it's time to go in another direction." Athletico has no plans to rejoin with the Cubs, Kaufman said.
"We had a nice relationship with the Cubs ... getting to the win-win was more difficult," he said of the company's decision to move on.
In November, Athletico announced plans to buy competitor Accelerated Rehabilitation Centers for an undisclosed amount. The deal created a physical therapy and rehabilitation center network that includes more than 330 locations in eight states.
crshropshire@tribune.com
