SAN DIEGO – San Diego State Athletics and its multimedia rights partner, Learfield Sports’ Aztec Sports Properties, announced today that Wawanesa General Insurance Company will be the Aztecs’ newest corporate partner for the 2013-14 athletic season.

Headquartered in San Diego since 1974, Wawanesa extends its footprint in the community with its first-ever collegiate partnership and first-ever affiliation with the San Diego State Aztecs.

The partnership officially kicks off next month and continues through the next athletic season with benefits centered on football and basketball. Wawanesa will receive exposure through football and basketball radio broadcasts, website advertising on the official athletics’ site GoAztecs.com and on-site fan activation at home football and basketball games.

“We’re excited to align with the Aztecs and enter the collegiate space for the first time,” said Wawanesa’s Vice President of US Operations David Fitzgibbons. “There’s no doubt we’re looking forward to this partnership and how it can benefit San Diego State’s alumni, fans and campus community.”

The Aztecs’ partnership will complement Wawanesa’s other sports sponsorships in the immediate area – San Diego Padres broadcasts, Lake Elsinore Storm, San Diego Sockers and various community youth sports organizations in San Diego County.

“Wawanesa already has proven to be an involved company in our community and area sports landscape,” said San Diego State University Athletic Director Jim Sterk. “We’re pleased to see them come on board as an Aztec athletic partner and believe strongly they will see tremendous value from this collegiate partnership. We’re certainly happy to have their support and commitment.”

Wawanesa General Insurance Company’s marketing, underwriting, claims processing, and policyholder services are all conducted from the headquarters on Friars Road, close to Qualcomm Stadium.

Wawanesa employs almost 600 local San Diego residents and is committed to delivering award-winning customer satisfaction every day. The company offers insurance for auto, home, condo and renters directly to consumers in California. Wawanesa maintains expense levels well below industry averages. These costs savings are passed on to consumers in the form of lower insurance rates.

Aztec Sports Properties, a property of Learfield Sports, secured the Wawanesa relationship on behalf of SDSU Athletics. Learfield Sports manages multimedia rights for more than 50 collegiate institutions and associations and titles the Learfield Sports Directors’ Cup with NACDA and USA Today. For more about the company’s 40-year history and complete collegiate portfolio, visit www.learfieldsports.com.