Criterium sponsorship · Berkeley Streets
The race your sponsors can actually see.
A criterium packs bike racing into a short loop that people can watch. Here's what makes one good for sponsors, and what the Berkeley Streets Criterium in downtown Berkeley offers.
- Lap
- 0.61 miles
- Races on Sunday
- 12
- Race length
- 30–60 min
- To watch
- Free
01 For marketers who don't race
What is a criterium?
A criterium is a bike race of many laps on a short, closed course, usually through city streets. Races run for a set time rather than a set distance, so the field stays together, the pace stays high and everything is decided close to where people are standing.
The Berkeley Streets Criterium runs on a 0.61-mile loop on Hearst Avenue beside Ohlone Park, with four right-hand corners. There are 12 races on Sunday, from 7:30 a.m. to the Pro/1/2 race at 5:05 p.m., each 30 to 60 minutes long.
Why sponsors like criteriums
Why do companies sponsor criteriums?
Because a criterium is easy to watch and easy to be seen at. Racers pass the same spot every lap, the crowd can follow the race, and the day is full of moments with a name attached: primes, podiums and the race announcer.
One compact course
Everything happens on a 0.61-mile loop, so a sponsor's presence, staff and signage are in one place all day.
Racers pass again and again
Riders come past the same spot every lap, dozens of times in the longer races. Every pass is another look.
Spectators can see the race
It's free to watch from the sidewalks in downtown Berkeley, and families, teammates and neighbors can follow the whole race from one corner.
An announcer tells the story
The announcer calls the race over the microphone, from the start to the sprint, including prizes and the people behind them.
Primes
Prize sprints in the middle of a race: a bell, an announcement and a sprint, with a winner the crowd sees.
A podium every hour or so
12 races, each with its own podium, from 7:30 a.m. to the Pro/1/2 race at 5:05 p.m..
A downtown setting
The course runs past Ohlone Park on Hearst Avenue, a short walk from downtown restaurants and coffee.
Families and the kids race
The kids skills clinic and kids race bring families to the course, and kids remember who handed them ice cream.
Criterium or road race?
Different races, different sponsor moments.
The Berkeley Omnium has both: the Berkeley Hills Road Race on Saturday and Berkeley Streets on Sunday. A sponsor can back one, or both for a weekend-long presence.
| Topic | Berkeley Hills Road Race | Berkeley Streets Criterium |
|---|---|---|
| The race | A road race on an 18.76-mile loop over the Three Bears climbs near Orinda, raced since 1957. | A criterium: timed races on a closed 0.61-mile loop in downtown Berkeley, beside Ohlone Park. |
| When | Day 1, Saturday | Day 2, Sunday |
| Length | 16 to 90 miles, by field (16 fields) | 30 to 60 minutes per race, 12 races from 7:30 a.m. |
| Spectators | Friends, families and teammates at the start, the finish and along the climbs. | Free to watch from the sidewalks, with racers passing the same spot every lap. |
| Sponsor moments | The feed zone, the climbs, the one-of-a-kind finish-line podium. | Primes, the announcer, the podium and the kids race. |
| Strong fit for | Nutrition, hydration, endurance gear, heritage and content brands. | Visibility, sampling, family audiences and businesses near downtown. |
At Berkeley Streets
Ways to take part on Sunday.
Each of these is agreed with the organizing committee before race weekend. Nothing is promised until it's agreed, and space near the course depends on the venue and its permits.
Race sponsor
Attach your brand to the Berkeley Streets Criterium for the day.
Prime sponsor
Fund a prize sprint in a race that allows commercial prizes.
Podium prizes
Products or gift cards for the podiums, valued at retail on the prize list.
Kids clinic and kids race
Equipment, coaching support and treats for the youngest riders.
Course-side presence
Sampling or a demo near the course, if the venue and permits allow it.
Racer offers
A discount or offer for racers and their families at a nearby business.
02 Moments with a name
The announcer, the bell and the podium.
A criterium has a soundtrack. The announcer calls the race from the start-finish area, the bell rings before a prime, and every race ends on a podium.
That's where a sponsor's name is heard, not just seen. Read more about sponsoring a prime, or see how the kids race brings families to the course.
03 Families on the course
The kids race brings the crowd.
The free kids skills clinic and kids race run alongside the Berkeley Streets Criterium. In 2026, Trek Berkeley hosted the clinic and Mr. Dewie's provided ice cream for the kids race.
Youth races can't award prizes with commercial value under USA Cycling rules, so support here looks like equipment, coaching help, medals and treats. Youth cycling sponsorship.
Criterium sponsorship
Questions about sponsoring a criterium
What is a criterium?
A criterium is a bike race of many laps on a short, closed course, usually through city streets, raced for a set time rather than a set distance. At the Berkeley Streets Criterium, the course is a 0.61-mile loop in downtown Berkeley and races last 30 to 60 minutes.
What is a criterium? →Why do companies sponsor criteriums?
Because a criterium is easy to watch and easy to be seen at: one compact course, racers passing the same spot every lap, a free and open setting for spectators, an announcer, primes and podiums all day.
Can we sponsor only the Berkeley Streets Criterium?
Yes. A race sponsorship attaches your brand to one race, and the Berkeley Streets Criterium on Sunday is one of them.
Is the Berkeley Streets Criterium free to watch?
Yes. Spectators watch for free from the sidewalks around the course in downtown Berkeley.
Where to watch Berkeley Streets →Can a non-cycling company sponsor a criterium?
Yes. A downtown criterium suits any business that wants visibility with families, racers and neighbors, and local businesses can add racer offers that bring visitors through the door.
Partnerships for Berkeley businesses →Berkeley Streets Criterium
Put your name on Sunday's racing.
Tell us what you'd like to achieve, and we'll suggest where it fits: the race, a prime, the podiums, the kids race or racer offers.