Review-Journal to be NIAA title sponsor

The Las Vegas Review-Journal is set to become the new title sponsor of the Nevada Interscholstic Activities Association, NevadaPrep.com has reported.

The NIAA Board of Control approved a sponsorship contract with the Review-Journal at its meeting on Tuesday in Reno. NIAA assistant director Donnie Nelson said the contract has been sent to Review-Journal officials for their final signature.

Nelson also said the contract is worth $75,000 a year. As a result, the NIAA will also be able to keep its corporate headquarters in the U.S. Bank building in Reno.

Ironically, the NIAA lost U.S. Bank as a title sponsor at the end of this past school year after a nine-year relationship.

NevadaPrep.com reported that the Review-Journal agreement also includes $100,000 of trade-out advertising, with the newspaper running NIAA advertisements and NIAA featuring the newspaper in all its promotional material.

Just as positive, from the NIAA's standpoint, is the fact that the organization will be able to keep its offices in the U.S. Bank building, at least for the foreseeable future. After the U.S. Bank withdrawal, it had been feared that the NIAA might have to vacate its offices and find new headquarters, at considerable inconvenience and expense.

In an effort to balance the NIAA budget, the Board of Control approved an increase from $6 to $7 in ticket prices for championship events. It also approved a $35 yearly charge for NIAA courtesy cards, which provides admission to all Nevada high school sports events.

These passes had been distributed free to Nevada high school coaches, athletic directors, administrators and NIAA officials.

Nelson told NevadaPrep.com that even NIAA executive director Jerry Hughes would have to pay the $35 fee.

Lifetime courtesy passes, which are given by the NIAA to longtime coaches and administrators as a reward for their services, will not be affected by the change.