MINNEAPOLIS, MN – FEBRUARY 02: (L-R) Jared Augustine, Tiki Barber and Drew Rosenhaus arrive at the Thuzio & Rosenhaus Party during Super Bowl weekend at The Exchange & Alibi Lounge on February 2, 2018 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Cindy Ord/Getty Images for Thuzio)
Super Bowl weekend is loaded with parties, but Thuzio looks kick off the weekend with an all-star event.
The sports event and media company will host its invite-only party 7-10 p.m. Friday at SweetWater Brewing Co. in Atlanta. It’s the fifth Super Bowl event for Thuzio, a way to welcome its partners on the ground for the game a way to settle into the weekend, said Thuzio co-founder Jared Augustine. Augustine co-founded Thuzio with former NFL running back Tiki Barber and Mark Gerson.
“We try to have an event that runs 6 to 9 or 7 to 10 Friday, and that’s done on purpose,” Augustine said. “We’re trying to create an upscale networking vibe along with a fun sports experience; we’re not trying to run to 2 a.m.”
While parties hosted by brands like Maxim and Playboy are more geared toward rambunctious partiers, Augustine said the Thuzio party activation has programming that fits the company’s overall brand and message.
Thuzio produces a wide range of sports content for business audiences, and the Super Bowl party is no different. The event will feature a similar live interview held at most of its annual events in 15 cities across the U.S. NFL All-Pro running backs Adrian Peterson and David Johnson will be interviewed live at the event.
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Augustine said the intention is to offer in-depth documentary-style content with athletes to inspire a business audience.
“We try to pull out inspirational themes from careers that resonate,” he said. “The ‘Legends’ series is kind of what we’re known for, that unfiltered interview style. Our corporate partners have grown to expect that. It’s a bit more abbreviated than normal; it’s easier to do with 150 people in New York than 500 people in Atlanta.”
Hosting the party’s interview will be Adam Lefkoe, the host of Bleacher Report’s “Simms & Lefkoe.” Augustine was high on Lefkoe’s promise as a media personality.
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“The reason we have Adam, and anyone on any show we run, is we think they are a fit to both entertain and inspire an audience like ours,” Augustine said. “We think [Adam] is a terrific upcoming media star … and in a business environment, he really shines. He’s an exceptional personality.”
Attendees can also sample a variety of specialty cocktails, beers, and food inspired by the game.
The invite-only event is largely open to Thuzio’s annual partners, but Augustine said Thuzio does work with companies for individual event sponsorship packages, which can be an entryway for longer-term relationships.
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Along with the corporate sponsor invitees, friends and families, the Thuzio parties have seen plenty of NFL talent like Brett Favre, LeSean McCoy, Tyreek Hill, Charles Woodson, Brandon Marshall, Jonathan Ogden, Takeo Spikes, Lance Briggs, Steve Mariucci, and Terrell Davis.
The party has a broad sponsorship base, as well, made up of the broader community that attends the party. One such sponsor is Tito’s Handmade Vodka, which is often involved with Thuzio’s events around foundations.
This event will support Jay Glazer’s Merging Vets & Players. Merging Vets & Players, or MVP, sets out to match combat veterans and former professional athletes together to help transition together.
Augustine said Thuzio simply wants to create a laid-back opportunity to bring together an eclectic group of attendees in Atlanta.
“We’re just trying to create a relatively unique experience, a more intimate experience, but still a lot of fun relative to the other parties this weekend,” he said. “We like this niche we’ve carved out for the weekend.”
