ST. LOUIS, Mo. – American Eagle Credit Union (AECU) and Saint Louis University are announcing an integrated, multi-year partnership that marks a first-of-its-kind for AECU – now designated as the “Exclusive Credit Union of Billiken Athletics”. A cornerstone of AECU’s cause marketing initiatives with the Billikens includes heightened visibility during basketball season for its “Free Throws For Tuition” promotion, which benefits a financial literacy program. Throughout each season of the partnership term, the American Eagle Credit Union Foundation will donate $10 to a college fund for an underprivileged child in the St. Louis area for each made free throw from a Billiken player during conference play. The promotion will culminate during the season finale as an on-court check presentation will be held for the recipient.

“American Eagle Credit Union is proud of its partnership with SLU Athletics,” said AECU Chief Marketing and Community Relations Officer Pier Alsup. “It helps us fulfill a main component of our core purpose – supporting the communities we serve – and the Credit Union looks forward to providing financial literacy and empowerment opportunities as an essential part of the relationship.”

When the Billikens play host to St. Bonaventure on January 17 at 8 p.m., American Eagle Credit Union will serve as game sponsor to complement to its other opportunities for awareness such as radio, signage, in-venue digital signage and on the official athletics website, www.slubillikens.com. In addition, AECU will be teaching two financial literacy and budgeting classes per athletic year to SLU student-athletes in an effort to better prepare them for life after college. All aspects of the comprehensive sponsorship between AECU and SLU will be overseen by the University’s athletics multimedia rightsholder, Learfield’s Billikens Sports Properties.

Saint Louis Billikens“The Billikens are committed to making the St. Louis community a better place, and we are pleased to roll out a dedicated corporate partnership with American Eagle Credit Union, a respected organization in our own hometown,” said Chris Bultinck, General Manager of Billikens Sports Properties. “They share our desire to give back to the community, and student-athletes, and we are honored they have chosen us as a platform to bring greater awareness to the importance of financial literacy among our area youth.”

In the St. Louis metropolitan market, AECU serves all those who live or work in St. Louis City, St. Louis County, St. Charles and Jefferson Counties (MO) as well as those who live or work in Madison County and St. Clair County (IL). For more information and to find the nearest branch, visit www.ameaglecu.org.

An industry leader for more than four decades, Learfield has a deep presence in the college athletics landscape nationwide. In addition to SLU, it manages the multimedia and sponsorship rights for 120 collegiate institutions, conferences and arenas, and supports athletic departments at all competitive levels as title sponsor of the prestigious Learfield Directors’ Cup. Learfield also provides its collegiate partners access to professional concessions and ticket sales; licensing and trademark consulting; digital and social platform expertise; and venue and technology systems through its affiliated companies.