The Greater Hartford business community has stepped up to underwrite Saturday’s victory parade for the UConn men’s basketball team, which won its fifth NCAA national championship Monday night.
In less than three days, the Hartford Business Improvement District said it has secured the funding and services needed — more than $75,000 as of Friday morning –to coordinate the parade and rally on Saturday.
Earlier this week, the Hartford BID said it was seeking sponsorships ranging from $10,000 to $2,500 or less.
The parade will begin at 11:30 a.m. in downtown Hartford and will step off from the state Capitol building at the intersection of Trinity and Elm streets.
From there, it will proceed north on Trinity Street, go through the Soldiers & Sailors Memorial Arch, turn right (east) onto Jewell Street, turn left (north) onto Trumbull Street, and end at the intersection of Asylum and Trumbull streets.
A rally will begin at approximately 12 p.m. and will be held outside of the main entrance of the XL Center on Trumbull Street, where players, coaches and other guests will be invited to give speeches.
Parade and rally organizers said they were relying on private donations and business sponsorships to underwrite the event’s expenses, including costs for police, fire and ambulance services; public works and sanitation; staging and production for the rally; permits and insurance; and labor hours for event set-up, management and take-down.
No state or city funding is being used, officials said.
The following businesses are contributing funds to the parade and rally:
- Mohegan Sun
- UConn Health
- Eversource
- Bear’s Smokehouse Barbecue
- LAZ Parking
- Hartford HealthCare
- Key Bank
- Coca-Cola
- New England Honda
- Powerstation Events
- Hartford Distributors, Inc.
- PeoplesBank
- CT Realtors
- CT Army National Guard
- Fine Fettle Dispensary
- Two Roads Brewing
- Miller Lite
- Delta Dental
The following are providing substantial in-kind services:
- Manafort Brothers
- The Hartford Courant
- Mitchell Auto Group
- XL Color
- DATTCO
- Dunkin Donuts
- XL Center
- Peter Pan Bus Lines
