Seattle Marathon loses UW as title sponsor

The University of Washington Medical Center is withdrawing as title sponsor of the Seattle Marathon.

The move means the marathon will lose a substantial amount of annual sponsorship money and the prestige of the UW name. But the UW will continue to contribute some money, as well as medical care and water for runners.

The UW Medical Center was to have paid $140,000 to help stage this year's event and $155,000 for next year's race. But under the terms of a new four-year deal, expected to be signed within days, the UW will provide $70,000 this year and each year through 2010, then $80,000 in 2011.

The marathon association has been closely scrutinized since last year's race on Thanksgiving weekend, when The Seattle Times reported that less than 1 percent of the marathon's $1 million-plus revenue goes to charity.

Marathon officials said Monday that despite the lost sponsorship money, the event will go on as planned Nov. 30.

"We are going to put on a race," said John Kokes, board president of the Seattle Marathon Association. "It will be the same race we've had for the last 37 years."

Kokes declined further comment. Race director Louise Long did not return calls Monday afternoon.

UW Medical Center spokeswoman Tina Mankowski said Monday that the UW triggered an opt-out clause in its contract last month and has been negotiating a new deal since.

"We decided that providing medical care for the marathon was our niche, and that's really where we wanted to be," Mankowski said. "That's what we are going to be doing this year."

At the 2007 event, UW doctors treated more than 100 patients, including one man who suffered a heart attack 50 yards from the finish line.

Around the time of the race, the marathon Web site and the race-day announcer played up the charitable connection. When the 2007 beneficiary — the UW Patient & Family Housing Fund — received a check in December, it was for just $8,346.

The Times reported that at least four board members of the marathon association have quit in recent years after becoming concerned over potential conflicts of interest. Those include contracts won by race director Long through her private race-timing business, Perfect Time Events. Long sold the company for $50,000 a little over a year ago.

Long was to be paid between $120,000 and $130,000 in salary and commission for last year's race. She was reprimanded by the board last year after three former employees testified before a judge that she would fly into rages, verbally abuse them and, on occasion, throw things. One of the employees received unemployment benefits in the case.

Previous marathon beneficiaries said they were expected to provide an unreasonable number of volunteers for scant returns.

In December, the nonprofit marathon association said it had been asked by the UW to conduct an audit and would do so for the first time in 37 years of races, in order to help clear its name after all the publicity.

Mankowski declined to provide further explanation for why the UW had withdrawn as title sponsor, though she said it is unlikely that the UW would return in that role. The new deal also gives the UW a chance to opt out if any financial problems are revealed in this audit or future audits, Mankowski said.

Nick Perry: 206-515-5639 or nperry@seattletimes.com