In 1986, when Santulli created the fractional aircraft ownership concept he called NetJets, he revolutionized access to the advantages of business aircraft. He made business aircraft benefits affordable and allowed companies and individuals to broaden their reach and better manage their time.
NetJets, a company headed by Thoroughbred owner Richard Santulli, has become title sponsor of the $1-million Breeders' Cup Mile.The National Thoroughbred Racing Association, Breeders' Cup, and NetJets made the announcement at Keeneland Sept. 9. NetJets will be a marketing partner of the NTRA/Breeders' Cup, the Breeders' Cup World Thoroughbred Championships, and the new international marketing alliance among the Breeders' Cup, Ascot Racecourse in England, and Longchamp Racecourse in France.NetJets also will become title sponsor of the NetJets Mile Division, including media and marketing rights in connection with top-ranked televised Thoroughbred races in the U.S. and Europe that lead each year to the World Thoroughbred Championships.The agreement is a multi-year commitment comparable to NTRA's marketing partner relationships with John Deere for the John Deere Breeders' Cup Turf and John Deere Turf Division, and with Bessemer Trust for the Bessemer Trust Breeders' Cup Juvenile and Bessemer Trust Juvenile Division. Other NTRA/Breeders' Cup sponsors include Long John Silver's (Yum! Brands), NAPA, Alberto-Culver, Toshiba, and SEGA."As the worldwide leader in fractional aircraft ownership, we are delighted to be associated with the NTRA and the Thoroughbred industry on an international basis through Ascot and Longchamp," said Santulli, chairman and chief executive officer of NetJets. "Our NetJets fractional aircraft ownership program provides the best in private aviation transportation and many of our clients are racing enthusiasts. NetJets' appeal is in providing a cost-effective solution to private aviation and is an ideal match for racing enthusiasts both in Europe and the U.S."The NetJets agreement is the first marketing partnership to result from the marketing alliance between the NTRA, Breeders' Cup, and Ascot and Longchamp racecourses that was announced in June. NetJets also will be announced as the presenting sponsor of the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes, England's top mile race, to be run Sept. 28 at Ascot. That race will now be called the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes, sponsored by NetJets. As announced in Paris Sept. 2, NetJets will be the title sponsor of the NetJets Prix du Moulin de Longchamp, France's premier mile race, which was run Sept. 8.NetJets will have customer-hosting rights and other on-site and media benefits in England at Ascot's Royal Meeting in June, at the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes in July, and at the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes, sponsored by NetJets; in France at Longchamp for the NetJets Prix du Moulin de Longchamp and the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe-Lucien Barrière; and in the U.S. at the Breeders' Cup World Thoroughbred Championships, among other venues.NetJets, a private aviation company owned by Berkshire Hathaway Inc., allows individuals and companies to buy a piece of a private business jet at a fraction of the cost of whole aircraft ownership, and then guarantees availability 365 days a year with just a few hours notice. NetJets offers 11 different aircraft choices in its fleet, with six additional aircraft types coming in the next three years. This year, NetJets will fly more than 250,000 flights to over 145 different countries. NetJets owners can interchange and use any of the NetJets programs in the United States, Europe and the Middle East.