PEORIA, Ill. – Avanti's Ristorante has become the newest member of the Bradley Athletics corporate sponsorship family, agreeing to a 2-year partnership at the Gold level. As part of the sponsorship agreement, Avanti's will be the presenting sponsor the annual Bradley Student-Athlete picnic as well as the postgame fireworks show Oct. 19 when the Bradley Soccer team hosts its annual Homecoming game at Shea Stadium.
“Avanti's has been a part of the fabric of Peoria for generations and served countless, delicious sandwiches and meals to Bradley students, faculty and staff,” said Bradley Director of Athletics Dr. Michael Cross. “We are looking forward to growing this Peoria dining tradition through our partnership with Avanti's.”
The Bradley Athletic Department gathers all of its student-athletes together at the beginning of each school year for a picnic on campus. The event includes dinner and several competitions, allowing the student-athletes to interact together as one group.
Bradley Soccer has hosted home games during Homecoming weekend since Shea Stadium opened for the 2003 season and the annual event has drawn some of the largest crowds in program history. This past season, the Braves earned a 2-0 victory against Evansville during Homecoming weekend and the victory was followed by a postgame fireworks display.
In addition to the two event sponsorships, Avanti's will be a presenting sponsor of two men's basketball games each of the next two seasons and will be involved with an in-game, fan element throughout the basketball seasons. Fans also will be able to view an Avanti's display on the LED signage at Carver Arena and Renaissance Coliseum for men's and women's basketball games.
“We are very pleased to work with Bradley Athletics and the University on a year-round basis,” said Nancy Wraight, Avanti's Director of Human Resources. “It's an exciting partnership.”
Avanti's, central Illinois' most award-winning Italian restaurant, has been a customer favorite since 1966 and is home to the famous Gondola. The restaurant chain offers five convenient locations in Peoria, East Peoria and Pekin, all with dine-in, carry-out and delivery options, as well as banquet and event catering services. Avanti's also operates the Avanti's Dome in Pekin, Ill., which hosts many indoor and outdoor events.
Founded in 1897, Bradley University is a distinctive, medium-size, comprehensive private institution of higher learning and the 85-acre campus is located in Peoria, the largest metropolitan area in central Illinois. With approximately 5,000 undergraduate and 800 graduate students, Bradley offers the opportunities and choices of a larger university (with over 130 programs in five colleges, including the traditional sciences plus a graduate school) with the quality, personal attention and challenge of a small private college. Bradley is a member of the Missouri Valley Conference, the second oldest conference in the nation, and boasts 15 NCAA Division I men's and women's athletic teams.
