• December 13, 2012

Kia Motors America (KMA) is official vehicle of the NBA is also Official auto partner of the Southeastern Conference, and sponsor of the Chick-fil-A Bowl and next year's Outback Bowl. Now, via a partnership with the Atlanta Hall Management will be a Founding Partner of the brand new, $66.5 million College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta, slated to open in fall 2014. 

The automaker will be a long-term sponsor of the venue. The 94,000 square foot facility, adjacent to the Georgia World Congress Center and Centennial Olympic Park in downtown Atlanta isn't happenstance. Kia has a manufacturing facility in the state that assembles the Sorento SUV and the Optima sedan, which was featured in an ad in this year's Super Bowl. 

The official status gives Kia displays and branding opportunities, per the company. The hall with comprise 30,000 square feet and a 45-yard-long indoor football field-like event space.

Michael Sprague, EVP of marketing at the Irvine, Calif.-based KMA said the partnership is right in line with the automaker's sports push. He said, in a statement, that the partnership presents the automaker, “With an extraordinary opportunity to reach passionate college football fans and expand our strategic sports marketing initiatives, while raising awareness, perception and consideration for the Kia Brand, literally from the ground up.”