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It felt like a match made in heaven.
When EZ-ACCESS CEO Don Everard attended Stampede Days in Bridgestone Arena in Nashville last August and watched the national anthem singer walk the long, beautiful ramp to center stage above the dirt, he saw the future.
“I looked at my son and said, ‘I don’t care what I have to do – I’m getting my name on that ramp’.”
And that he did. EZ-ACCESS is now the official ramp and accessibility partner of PBR – a brand new category in the world of sports sponsorships.
Everard and his family, you see, are in the ramp business, shipping about 3,000 of them each month from manufacturing plants in Kentucky.
In what appears to be a first for any sport, the EZ-ACCESS name will also be on each PBR arena’s ADA section, where fans enjoying the event will be recognized by the PA announcer.
The company also plans to donate ramps to Western sports athletes and fans in need.
EZ-ACCESS went into business 40 years ago from a kitchen table where Don’s mom and sister sold inflatable bathtubs made by his father, who had a manufacturing facility.
That grew into a thriving business selling a range of accessibility products: residential portable and modular wheelchair ramps, ramps and multi-story stair systems for commercial and industrial use, and recreational and pet ramps.
In recent years, the company’s business on Amazon took a hit when loosened federal regulations allowed foreign competitors to flood the market with low-cost products.
“We had an identity crisis,” Everard said. “We knew that the only way to win this game is to prop up our brand. All our products are made in America. We hire vets and first responders. Our quality is tops. We have a story to tell, but it wasn’t being told by Amazon.”
Everard needed a strong and meaningful consumer voice. Ramps are more than just sloping aluminum tracks. They represent the freedom to live a good life.
Aspiring to become “The Yeti of Access,” he went with his son to watch team bull riding in Nashville and for a few hours felt the American spirit ringing throughout the building. He joined in a solemn prayer. He proudly sang “The Star-Spangled Banner.” He watched cowboys put everything on the line with rare gutsy determination that reminded him of the people he likes to hire.
Subsequent meetings with the league’s partnership team seemed preordained, mapping out the company’s pioneering sports sponsorship, which will run year-round, spanning the PBR Unleash The Beast and PBR Camping World Teams Series.
“This is a big deal for our company and the entire access category,” he said. “We believe that our ‘Made in America’ local craftsmanship initiative, support of our veterans and first responders, quality products, and passion for hard-working grassroots Americans align well with PBR and its fans. Our mission over the past 40 years has been to enrich lives by providing access to life beyond barriers. Now we intend to be first in our category to create a powerful brand voice.”
PBR prides itself in marketing innovation. But this wasn’t a case of trying to find a ramp partner. Chief Revenue Officer Josh Baker credits Everard’s foresight and says he’s honored PBR was chosen among all sports platforms.
“This is a family-owned company with a gritty entrepreneurial story,” Baker said. “Our values and cultures are a match. We’re a welcoming sport, and accessibility helps people enjoy life.”
About that 35-foot ramp that caught Everard’s attention, one associated with honoring those who make the ultimate sacrifice as well as triumphant bull riders?
The plan is for EZ-ACCESS to make a better, lighter, more durable version. From a plant here in America.
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