SEATTLE, Sept. 18, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Basketball
superstar Kevin Durant is teaming up
with Alaska Airlines to support youth and education programs in the
San Francisco Bay Area. Between
Durant's NBA championship win with the Golden State Warriors last
year and Alaska's expansion into
San Francisco with its purchase of
Virgin America, Durant and the airline share a common purpose of
making a difference in Bay Area communities.
"With his exceptional talent, work ethic and heart, Kevin is
loved by the communities where he's played –from his time as a
Seattle SuperSonic to the roots he's planting in Oakland," said Brad
Tilden, CEO. "With Alaska growing and expanding in the Bay
Area along with Virgin America, we can't think of a better
ambassador to help us than Kevin. We're looking forward to joining
him in giving back and becoming an integral part of the Bay Area
community."
Durant will assume the official title "Advisor to the CEO". As
part of the exclusive partnership, he will represent the company at
Bay Area events and in key marketing initiatives, as well as
working with Tilden and the airline's employees to support youth
and education programs. Among them is the Kevin Durant Charity
Foundation, which serves to enrich the lives of at-risk youth from
low-income backgrounds through educational, athletic and social
programs.
"With their expansion into the Bay and their commitment to my
foundation, my partnership with Alaska couldn't be a better fit," said Durant.
"I'm looking forward to working with them in the community and
partnering with Brad and his team on creative development and
strategy as well."
Alaska Airlines is making a donation to further the work of the
Kevin Durant Charity Foundation, including his BUILD IT AND THEY
WILL BALL project to build and renovate youth basketball courts in
underserved neighborhoods. To date, the KDCF has unveiled 14 courts
in four different countries, including two in Oakland and one in nearby Redwood City.
Alaska will partner with Durant
and business partner Rich Kleiman's
Thirty Five Media production and creative arm on content
development that will be shared across Alaska's and Durant's social channels
including video distribution on Durant's YouTube channel.
Dedicated to community service and especially youth and
education, Alaska Airlines has a long-standing partnership with
another sports superstar, Seattle Seahawks Quarterback Russell Wilson, who serves as its CFO "Chief
Football Officer" working with the airline to reach youth in the
Pacific Northwest.
Editor's note: An image of Durant is available for
download at www.alaskaair.com/newsroom.
Alaska Airlines, together with Virgin America and its regional
partners, flies 40 million guests a year to 118 destinations
with an average of 1,200 daily flights across the United States and to Mexico, Canada, Costa
Rica and Cuba. With
Alaska and Alaska Global Partners,
guests can earn and redeem miles on flights to more than 900
destinations worldwide. Alaska Airlines ranked "Highest in Customer
Satisfaction Among Traditional Carriers in North America" in the
J.D. Power North America Satisfaction Study for 10 consecutive
years from 2008 to 2017. Learn more about Alaska's award-winning service and unmatched
reliability at newsroom.alaskaair.com and blog.alaskaair.com.
Alaska Airlines, Virgin America and Horizon Air are subsidiaries of
Alaska Air Group (NYSE: ALK).
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SOURCE Alaska Airlines