Penn Relays 2012: Be there

- to provide the best track and field competition for the greatest number of participants of all levels, ages, and abilities. Each spring, more than 15,000 student-athletes from high schools and colleges around the nation visit Philadelphia to compete in the Penn Relays. Even though more than 100,000 fans annually attend the action at Franklin Field, the expenses of operating a major sporting event such as the Relays are considerable. In addition to security, maintenance, cleaning, staffing, and facilities improvements, the Penn Relays also supplements the travel expenses for many of the intercollegiate teams. Those expenses have continued to rise each year while the event's revenues have remained relatively stable.

Gifts to the Friends of the Penn Relays play a critical role in meeting the rapidly escalating costs of running one of the premier Track and Field events in the world. Past improvements to Franklin Field, such as 77-foot matrix scoreboard and jump runways installed in 2005, were made possible by the generous support of donors to the Friends of the Penn Relays and Penn Athletics. Now more than ever, your contributions can make a difference if the Penn Relays are to continue its unique position as one of the world's great sporting events. Your commitment to this proud tradition is greatly appreciated and we urge you to consider making an investment in the future of the Penn Relays.

For more information on becoming a Friend of Penn Relays contact William Roth, Associate Director of Athletics for Development at wroth@upenn.edu