Havas Sports UK launches dedicated PR service

mglendinning — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 10:25:46 +0100

Global communications company, Havas Sports UK, is teaming up with sister company Cake to launch a dedicated sports PR service.

Scott becomes Tour de France team sponsor

mglendinning — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 10:20:31 +0100

Bike manufacturer Scott, the second sponsor of the Saunier Duval professional cycling team has said that it will step in to rescue the Spanish outfit after the German heating technology firm announced on Wednesday that it was pulling its sponsorship with immediate effect.

USOC & IOC file ticketing lawsuits

mglendinning — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 10:13:56 +0100

The United States Olympic Committee (USOC) and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) have filed two lawsuits against XL&H, Ltd., also known as Xclusive Leisure and Hospitality, for using the Olympic trademarks to deceive the public, according to Around the Rings.

European sport fights back over environmental accusations

mglendinning — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 10:43:29 +0100

Hitting back against claims that European sport doesn’t take its environmental responsibilities seriously, a new report from SportBusiness Group shows that this is not the full picture.

Highest-paid female athletes play tennis or golf

mglendinning — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 10:33:48 +0100

The pay-gap between top female athletes and their male counterparts is narrowing, but levels of inequality continue to exist between sports, according to new research.

Barloworld to end cycling sponsorship

mglendinning — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 10:40:28 +0100

Industrial brand management company, Barloworld, will end their cycling team sponsorship after the Tour de France.

AREVA to sponsor 1.FC Nürnberg

mglendinning — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 10:35:58 +0100

Energy company AREVA has agreed to become the main sponsor and jersey sponsor for German football team 1.FC Nürnberg for the 2008-09 season.

Badminton number one racket sport in England

mglendinning — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 10:33:41 +0100

Badminton is the number one racket sport in England according to research by the Sport Industry Research Centre (SIRC) at Sheffield Hallam University.

Logan appointed new CEO of USATF

msherlock — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 10:20:33 +0100

Doug Logan was appointed as the new CEO of USA Track & Field (USATF), the sport’s governing body in the US.

Sony Ericsson WTA Tour appoints head of competition & member relations

msherlock — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 10:28:40 +0100

The Sony Ericsson WTA Tour appointed Peter Johnston as Senior VP Competition & Member Relations for the Tour to enhance the Tour’s operational support for its player and tournament members.

Sheffield Shield back after nine-year absence

msherlock — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 09:25:07 +0100

Cricket Australia, the sport’s national governing body, said that the Sheffield Shield would return as the showpiece trophy after an absence of nine years.

NBC looks to break Olympic ad sales record

msherlock — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 10:26:24 +0100

US network NBC Universal is expected to generate more than $1 billion in ad revenue during the Olympic Games.

University of Montana and Learfield Sports agree new deal

msherlock — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 10:16:00 +0100

The University of Montana has extended its contract with sports marketing company, Learfield Sports for nine-years, until 2017.

Synergy adds to experiential team

msherlock — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 10:41:18 +0100

Synergy appointed Amy Mansell to its Experiential division. Mansell arrives at Synergy after two seasons as Brand Marketing Manager at the A1GP World Cup of Motorsport.

Robin Gibson joins Octagon as head of golf

msherlock — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 10:39:31 +0100

Robin Gibson will head up the Golf Division at Octagon, working with a portfolio of brands across a wide ranging number of leverage programmes including HSBC and their Grassroots Programme Wee Wonders.

Volkswagen renews commitment to football in South Africa

msherlock — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 09:26:47 +0100

Volkswagen renewed its title sponsorship of South African Premier League side the Moroka Swallows until 2011.

US sport greener than European sport

msherlock — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 10:38:59 +0100

The popular image of the US as a reckless polluter is challenged in a new report from SportBusiness Group. The report, entitled Sustainable Sport, claims that in fact US sport is much more environmentally aware and active than its European counterparts.

CAA Sports and Gestifute enter global football partnership

msherlock — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 10:18:39 +0100

American agency CAA Sports and Portuguese agency Gestifute formed a new partnership around their football talent businesses.

PVH announces new IndyCar, Firestone Indy Lights sponsorships

msherlock — Wed, 9 Jul 2008 10:28:05 +0100

Phillips-Van Heusen Corporation (PVH) brand IZOD has been named official apparel of the IndyCar and Firestone Indy Lights motor-racing series’, and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Sony Ericsson WTA Tour launches operations in Beijing

msherlock — Tue, 8 Jul 2008 10:29:29 +0100

The Sony Ericsson WTA Tour opened its Asia-Pacific headquarters in Beijing, China. The office becomes the third global office of professional women’s tennis, adding to the Tour’s main headquarters in St. Petersburg, Florida, USA and the European office in London, UK.

Super Aguri to be sold through web auction

msherlock — Tue, 8 Jul 2008 10:25:12 +0100

The assets of the failed Formula One team, Super Aguri, will be sold in an online auction later this month.

Anheuser-Busch extends Chicago Cubs MLB marketing partnerships

msherlock — Mon, 7 Jul 2008 10:14:26 +0100

American brewer Anheuser-Busch renewed marketing deals with Major League Baseball (MLB) team the Chicago Cubs, and the Chicago-based broadcaster of Cubs matches, WGN-TV.

Adidas opens brand centre in Beijing

msherlock — Mon, 7 Jul 2008 09:45:24 +0100

Adidas opened its largest Adidas Brand Centre worldwide in Beijing, China, the host city of this year’s Olympic Games.

BP signs up as London 2012 Tier One Partner

msherlock — Fri, 4 Jul 2008 10:36:07 +0100

Global energy company, BP, has become the sixth Tier One Partner of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

IAAF & UK Athletics Launch New Global Athletics Marketing Initiative

msherlock — Fri, 4 Jul 2008 09:35:25 +0100

The International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF), in partnership with UK Athletics (UKA), launched a major new drive to promote athletics globally with a cutting edge magazine and interactive global website – SPIKES.

Euroleague Basketball Institute and Nike in new collaboration

msherlock — Thu, 3 Jul 2008 11:18:16 +0100

The Euroleague Basketball Institute and Nike announced a new collaboration, adding a dimension to their existing five-year partnership that makes Nike the official basketball supplier for the Euroleague Basketball competition.

Francis Graille joins Lagardère Sports

msherlock — Thu, 3 Jul 2008 09:38:33 +0100

Francis Graille will join the Strategy and Development department of Lagardere Sports, from July 1, 2008.

Engage Mutual extend Super League sponsorship

msherlock — Wed, 2 Jul 2008 11:23:49 +0100

Financial services provider, Engage Mutual, extended its sponsorship deal with the Rugby Football League (RFL), the sport’s governing body in the UK, for up to three years.

Aegon become Ajax shirt sponsor

msherlock — Wed, 2 Jul 2008 11:20:30 +0100

Dutch Eredivisie football club Ajax agreed a shirt sponsorship deal with life insurance and pension group, Aegon.

Castrol becomes official sponsor of FIFA World Cup

mglendinning — Tue, 1 Jul 2008 10:58:56 +0100

Castrol signed a six-year deal as a FIFA World Cup Sponsor until 2014, giving the global lubricants company worldwide rights for the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa, the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil and the two FIFA Confederations Cups which fall within the 2007-2014 period.

Toyota to sponsor 12th IAAF World Championship

msherlock — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 10:13:18 +0100

The Toyota Motor Corporation extended its partnership with the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) after agreeing to sponsor the twelfth World Championships in Berlin, Germany.

Thomas Cook extends Man City shirt sponsorship

mglendinning — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 10:14:51 +0100

English Premier League football club Manchester City and travel operator Thomas Cook UK & Ireland have agreed a one-year extension to their shirt sponsorship agreement, covering the 2008-09 season. The renewal will take the sponsorship into its sixth year.

PGA Tour will feature $1m ‘Kodak Challenge’

mglendinning — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 09:51:17 +0100

The Eastman Kodak Company (Kodak) and the PGA Tour have announced a new competition, the Kodak Challenge, taking place during the 2009 season, which will see one player walk away with a $1 million prize.

No Brainer for Welsh Rugby

mglendinning — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 11:02:47 +0100

Welsh brewer Brains will retain its shirt sponsor rights at least until September 2009 under a new deal with the Welsh Rugby Union.

EURO 2008 demonstrates need to prepare for ambush marketing attacks

mglendinning — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 10:59:45 +0100

There is a strong likelihood that the Olympic Games will subject to ambush marketing attacks following several cases of ambush marketing at the UEFA European Championships, according to new research, released by the Centre for the International Business of Sport (CIBS).

Hydra Properties to sponsor UAE Olympic Committee

mglendinning — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 10:55:48 +0100

Real estate developer, Hydra Properties, will sponsor the United Arab Emirates National Olympic Committee (NOC) participation in the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

2008 ESA European sponsorship awards open for entries

msherlock — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 09:55:51 +0100

The 2008 ESA European Sponsorship Awards are now open for entries, presenting sponsorship professionals with the ideal opportunity to showcase outstanding campaigns across Europe.

Infront becomes Official Marketing Partner of the World Curling Federation

msherlock — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 09:48:35 +0100

Infront Sports & Media signed a three-year agreement with the World Curling Federation (WCF) from 2008-2011.

Beijing sponsorships gaining Chinese recognition

msherlock — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 09:29:48 +0100

Seventy per cent of Chinese consumers consider Olympic sponsorship a positive endorsement of a company’s products, according to a report by China’s largest market research company, CTR Market Research.

Behind the scenes on the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour ad campaign

msherlock — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 10:56:01 +0100

The Sony Ericsson WTA Tour yesterday unveiled the single largest league advertising campaign in the history of women’s sport in terms of scope. Click here for an exclusive behind the scenes look showing the "making of" the ad campaign that marks a quantum leap in terms of marketing/promotion of women’s tennis.

Nissan launches US athletics sponsorship programmes

msherlock — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 10:43:25 +0100

Automobile manufacturer Nissan has been named official sponsor of the 2008 USA National Track & Field Team.

Looking for a Hero

admin — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 10:27:17 +0100

South African Airways Extends $20m ATP Sponsorship

msherlock — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 12:01:46 +0100

The ATP, governing body for the men's professional ATP tennis circuit, agreed a deal with South African Airways (SAA)to extend its role as the official airline of the ATP for a further three and a half years in a deal worth $20 million.

SPORTCEL appointed agency for ‘Stanford Twenty20 for 20’

msherlock — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 10:06:29 +0100

UK sports and event marketing consultancy SPORTCEL has been appointed by Stanford 20/20 cricket as exclusive marketing and commercial rights agency in the UK for the new Stanford 20/20 for 20 West Indies-England cricket series.

Sportfive appoint new managing director

msherlock — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 09:00:13 +0100

Phillip Hasenbein was appointed the new managing director of sports marketing agency, SPORTFIVE.

Sony Ericsson WTA unveils largest campaign in Tour history

msherlock — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 10:09:34 +0100

The Sony Ericsson WTA Tour unveiled the TV and print creative for its landmark global advertising campaign to the international media at an exclusive screening at the Charlotte Street Hotel in London.

Global sports market to be worth $141 billion by 2012

msherlock — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 09:46:24 +0100

Spending related to large sporting events, such as the Olympic Games and the World Cup, will boost revenue in the global sports market by 37 per cent over the next five years to almost $141 billion, according to a report by consulting firm, Pricewaterhouse Coopers (PwC).

Garmin International to sponsor Tour de France team

msherlock — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 09:45:19 +0100

GPS manufacturer, Garmin International, has agreed a two-year title sponsorship deal with professional cycling team Slipstream-Chipotle, until 2010.

AEG appoints van Veen as Vice President, AEG Sports, Europe

msherlock — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 10:52:11 +0100

AEG appointed former NBA International executive Matthieu van Veen to help lead AEG Sports’ European expansion.

Team High Road gets new sponsor

msherlock — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 10:43:40 +0100

Outdoor clothing manufacturer, Columbia Sportswear Company agreed a three-year sponsorship deal with professional cycling team, Team High Road, until 2010.

ASO to announce AEG marketing partnership

mglendinning — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 10:53:18 +0100

The Amaury Sport Organisation (ASO), the owner and organiser of the Tour de France, is set to announce a marketing partnership with AEG, the organiser of the Amgen Tour of California later today.

LTA seeks £24m sponsor

mglendinning — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 10:24:35 +0100

The Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) is launching the biggest sponsorship drive in its history.

bwin becomes title sponsor of the British Grand Prix

msherlock — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 09:44:16 +0100

bwin extended its sports sponsorship of the MotoGP World Championship by signing an agreement to be the title sponsor of the British round of the series at Donington Park.

Borussia Dortmund extends marketing partnership

msherlock — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 09:42:00 +0100

German Bundesliga club, Borussia Dortmund, has extended its marketing partnership with sports rights marketing agency, Sportfive, until 2020.

Sweeney Report Questions Sports Personality Sponsorship

msherlock — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 10:53:16 +0100

The Australian Sweeney Report revealed a distinct drop in the Australian public’s response to their sports stars. Of the top ten most marketable stars all but one had suffered a marked decline in ratings. The rankings as a whole, according to the report, demonstrate a downwards trend in marketability.

SA Rugby and Absa renew domestic Cup deal

msherlock — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 10:06:55 +0100

SA Rugby agreed a deal with Absa to extend their Currie Cup sponsorship for another five years.

Total Sports Asia appoint Suvrangsu Mukherjee as MD for India

msherlock — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 09:58:11 +0100

Suvrangsu Mukherjee joined Total Sports & Entertainment India Pte Ltd (TSEIPL) a 100% subsidiary of Total Sports Asia (TSA) as Managing Director for the Indian subcontinent and will set up an additional office in New Delhi.

Former Newcastle United chairman bids for Real Mallorca

msherlock — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 11:24:28 +0100

Former Newcastle United chairman Freddy Shepherd has bid £40 million for Spanish Primera Liga club Real Deportivo Mallorca according to UK press reports.

Saxo takes over CSC cycling sponsorship

msherlock — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 10:27:25 +0100

Online investment bank, Saxo Bank, reportedly agreed a three-year sponsorship deal to become the co-sponsor of professional cycling team, Team CSC.

VERO appoints St-Laurent to senior team

msherlock — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 09:47:22 +0100

VERO, the sport business communications consultancy, appointed Catherine St-Laurent as Senior Consultant, specialising in international communications.

Emirates to sponsor Breeders’ Cup Turf

msherlock — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 11:37:07 +0100

Emirates Airline and Breeders’ Cup Limited agreed a sponsorship deal for Emirates, the Dubai-based international airline, to become title sponsor of the $3 million Breeders’ Cup Turf at the Breeders’ Cup World Championships.

Swatch continues beach volleyball sponsorship

msherlock — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 09:20:50 +0100

The Fédération Internationale de Volleyball (FIVB) and Swiss watch manufacturer Swatch agreed a sponsorship contract under which Swatch will be the official time-keeper and title sponsor FIVB competitions.

Chelsea FC teams up with CAA

msherlock — Mon, 9 Jun 2008 10:58:39 +0100

Chelsea Football Club teamed up with the sports division of sports and entertainment agency CAA (Creative Artists Agency).

Primera Liga to become Liga BBVA under new sponsorship

msherlock — Fri, 6 Jun 2008 11:09:07 +0100

Spanish football’s top two divisions, the Primera Liga and the Segunda Liga, will be renamed under a new three-year sponsorship agreement with Spanish bank BBVA.

EHF appoints Infront exclusive marketing partner

msherlock — Fri, 6 Jun 2008 11:05:30 +0100

The European Handball Federation appointed Infront Sports & Media AG, as its exclusive marketing partner for the newly revamped men’s and women’s EHF European Handball Championship qualification events, from 2010 to 2015.

Sony Ericsson WTA Tour appoints Global Head of Sponsorship Sales

msherlock — Fri, 6 Jun 2008 09:51:48 +0100

The Sony Ericsson WTA Tour appointed Scott MacLeod as Senior VP Business Development for the Tour. The 20-Year international sales veteran will lead the Tour’s continued partnerships growth strategy.

LA Lakers agree Sports Chalet deal

msherlock — Thu, 5 Jun 2008 10:50:12 +0100

NBA team Los Angeles Lakers signed a three-year exclusive sponsorship deal with sportswear retailer Sports Chalet. Under the deal Sports Chalet becomes the ‘Official Sporting Goods Retailer of the Los Angeles Lakers.’ The deal will start next season.

Perform Sales expands sports display network with No. 9 Media acquisition

msherlock — Thu, 5 Jun 2008 10:06:20 +0100

Perform Sales, the wholly owned subsidiary of Perform acquired rival sales house, No. 9 Media, creating a major UK player in sports media with combined traffic of over 11.5 million monthly unique users and over 105 million monthly page impressions.

Ecclestone fears for Mosley future

msherlock — Wed, 4 Jun 2008 11:13:20 +0100

FIA president Max Mosley won a vote of confidence at the FIA meeting on Tuesday, but Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone said he fears Mosley will continue to be shunned by major world figures.

Peace for sport becomes generations for peace

mglendinning — Tue, 3 Jun 2008 10:44:02 +0100

Jordan’s Peace Through Sport initiative has been re-named Generations For Peace in a move which clearly distinguishes it from similarly titled projects and underscores a fresh global focus.

Lifeforce suspends all future sponsorship deals

mglendinning — Mon, 2 Jun 2008 10:04:58 +0100

UK Biotechnology firm, Lifeforce Immune System Bank Plc, has suspended all future sports sponsorship deals.

Record revenues fuel Premier League clubs’ on pitch success

msherlock — Thu, 29 May 2008 09:41:06 +0100

Premier League clubs now generate more revenue than any other league across each of the three primary revenue categories; matchday, broadcast and commercial, according to Deloitte’s latest Annual Review of Football Finance.

Microsoft to sponsor Major League Soccer team

msherlock — Thu, 29 May 2008 09:30:34 +0100

Microsoft agreed a five-year sponsorship deal with new Major League Soccer (MLS) team, Seattle Sounders FC, worth a reported $20 million.

Diageo brands to partner British & Irish Lions Tour of South Africa

msherlock — Thu, 29 May 2008 09:25:29 +0100

Diageo agreed a deal for its brands, Guinness and Bushmills to become the commercial partners for the British & Irish Lions Tour of South Africa next year.

QobliQ acquires SponsorClick to create brandRapport France

msherlock — Wed, 28 May 2008 09:39:25 +0100

QobliQ completed the acquisition of Paris-based sponsorship consultancy, SponsorClick France, which is to be renamed brandRapport France.

Miller Brewing extends sponsorship of Dallas Cowboys

msherlock — Wed, 28 May 2008 09:38:48 +0100

US brewer, the Miller Brewing Company extended its sponsorship deal with American Football franchise, the Dallas Cowboys, for 12 years until 2020.

Leicester Tigers sign up with Caterpillar

msherlock — Wed, 28 May 2008 09:37:46 +0100

English rugby union team the Leicester Tigers has agreed a five-year, £6 million shirt sponsorship and naming rights agreement with construction and mining equipment manufacturer Caterpillar.

Soccerex partners with PA Photos

msherlock — Wed, 28 May 2008 09:16:22 +0100

Soccerex confirmed PA Photos as its official photography partner for 2008. Under the deal, PA Photos will provide photographic coverage of all Soccerex events in 2008 including the Soccerex Convention in South Africa, November 23 - 26.

New era begins as Karen Earl sponsorship becomes Synergy

msherlock — Tue, 27 May 2008 11:32:38 +0100

Karen Earl Sponsorship, one of the iconic names in UK and global sports sponsorship, is re-branding as Synergy and moving to new London headquarters as it continues to develop traction as a part of the Engine Group.

Mazda to sponsor Japanese All-Star baseball

msherlock — Tue, 27 May 2008 10:31:58 +0100

Japanese car manufacturer Mazda agreed to become the main sponsor for two all-star baseball matches organised by the Nippon Professional Baseball Association in Japan.

Share of newspaper ad revenue demanded by football fixture company

msherlock — Tue, 27 May 2008 10:08:16 +0100

Newspaper trade body the Newspaper Publishers Association is in talks with Football DataCo over demands in the latest contracts for football match fixture information for a share of revenue from advertisements “surrounding” the published information.

Vodafone in running to sponsor Fiji National Stadium

msherlock — Fri, 23 May 2008 10:06:10 +0100

The Fiji Sports Council is expected to name a new sponsor of the National Stadium in Suva next week, with telecoms company, Vodafone Fiji, which already sponsors the Vodafone Arena at the National Stadium complex in Laucala is thought to be among those short-listed.

New York Yankees to sign Nike sponsorship deal

mglendinning — Thu, 22 May 2008 10:24:13 +0100

The New York Yankees have agreed in principle to a new five-year sponsorship agreement with sportswear manufacturer Nike, beginning in 2009, that will end the team’s 11-year relationship with Adidas.

CBS to launch college sport ad network

mglendinning — Thu, 22 May 2008 09:12:42 +0100

American media conglomerate, CBS Corporation, is set to launch an online ad network focusing on college sports.

Champions League winner to claim £85m, says MasterCard

mglendinning — Wed, 21 May 2008 12:50:35 +0100

The winners of tonight's first ever all-English UEFA Champions League final in Moscow will take home more than £85m, according to a comprehensive economic study commissioned by MasterCard.

Northern Rock to continue sports club sponsorships

mglendinning — Wed, 21 May 2008 12:47:37 +0100

Publicly-owned UK bank Northern Rock will continue to sponsor English Premier League football team Newcastle United and rugby union team the Newcastle Falcons, despite the deals effectively involving taxpayer’s money.

Continental renews as FIFA World Cup sponsor

mglendinning — Tue, 20 May 2008 11:03:18 +0100

Car supplier, Continental, has become the fifth company to sign as a FIFA World Cup sponsor - the second-tier commercial category – until 2010, continuing a partnership that started back in 2003.

Lagardère acquires 70 per cent stake in WSG

mglendinning — Mon, 19 May 2008 12:22:27 +0100

French business group Lagardère has acquired a 70 per cent stake in Singapore-based sports marketing and television rights consultancy World Sports Group Holdings Ltd (WSG) in a deal worth up to US$150 million.

Heineken extends Champions League sponsorship

mglendinning — Mon, 19 May 2008 12:01:34 +0100

Netherlands-based brewer Heineken has renewed its Champions League sponsorship agreement with UEFA for the seasons 2009-10 to 2011-12.

Cape Town stadium seeks naming-rights sponsor

mglendinning — Mon, 19 May 2008 11:49:56 +0100

The City of Cape Town has officially opened a public tender for the naming rights for, and long-term contract for operating, the city’s new 68,000-seat stadium at Green Point, which will host eight matches, including a semi-final, at the FIFA World Cup in 2010.

NBA extends partnership with STATS

mglendinning — Mon, 19 May 2008 11:42:24 +0100

Sports information, content and statistical analysis company, STATS LLC, have extended their partnership with the The National Basketball Association (NBA) to become the exclusive provider of NBA, WNBA and NBA Development League statistics for all territories outside of China.

Cardiff City shirt sponsor snub £500K bid for cup final advertising rights

mglendinning — Fri, 16 May 2008 10:11:37 +0100

Cardiff City’s shirt sponsor, CommsDirect, have turned down a £500,000 offer from an Asian online gambling company to buy their advertising rights for tomorrow’s FA Cup final.

Hamilton set to sign $20m sponsorship deal

mglendinning — Wed, 14 May 2008 10:55:28 +0100

Formula One driver, Lewis Hamilton, is set to sign a $20 million personal sponsorship deal with sportswear manufacturer Reebok.

Olympic marketing communications expert joins VERO

msherlock — Wed, 14 May 2008 10:34:16 +0100

Sport business communications consultancy VERO appointed Karen Webb as Director.

IRB announces £48m investment scheme

msherlock — Tue, 13 May 2008 10:29:55 +0100

The International Rugby Board has announced a £48 million investment programme aimed at raising standards of the sport's developing nations.

Juventus announces third-quarter results

msherlock — Tue, 13 May 2008 10:28:28 +0100

Italian Serie A club, Juventus, announced a net loss of €800,000 in its third-quarter, significantly less than the €4.5 million loss it reported a year earlier.

Redgrave joins brandRapport

mglendinning — Mon, 12 May 2008 10:40:00 +0100

Sir Steve Redgrave has joined the associative marketing and sponsorship agency, brandRapport as chairman of its International Advisory Board.

AEG buys De La Hoya stake

mglendinning — Fri, 9 May 2008 10:27:01 +0100

American sports and entertainment company AEG has become the second-largest shareholder in Oscar De La Hoya’s boxing promotion company Golden Boy Promotions.

Barloworld extends cycling sponsorship

mglendinning — Thu, 8 May 2008 09:31:28 +0100

Industrial brand management company, Barloworld, has agreed to extend their sponsorship of Pro Continental cycling team, Team Barloworld, until 2009.

A1GP secures new sponsorship deal

mglendinning — Thu, 8 May 2008 09:26:41 +0100

Dutch watch manufacturer, TW Steel, has agreed a three-year sponsorship deal with A1GP to become the Official Timing and Watch Partner for the A1GP World Cup.

IMG strengthens digital media team with two new hires

msherlock — Wed, 7 May 2008 09:26:06 +0100

IMG Digital Media appointed Clive Baker as Chief Technical Officer, IMG Digital Media and Angela Kyle as Commercial Director, IMG Digital Media.

Toyota to end cycling sponsorship

msherlock — Tue, 6 May 2008 10:49:15 +0100

Car manufacturer, Toyota Motor Sales USA, has announced that it will not renew its sponsorship deal with the Toyota-United professional cycling team when its three-year contract expires in December 2008.

Havas Sports chief joins high-powered sports marketing summit line-up

msherlock — Tue, 6 May 2008 09:12:24 +0100

Lucien Boyer, chief executive of Havas Sport, the sports marketing arm of the giant Havas communications group, is to join the fast-expanding line-up of industry leaders and opinion formers to speak at the SportBusiness International Sports Marketing Summit in London on May 28 and 29.

Manchester United tops Forbes rich list

msherlock — Fri, 2 May 2008 10:38:23 +0100

Manchester United is the most valuable football club in the world, according to Forbes magazine's latest rankings.

Premier League promotion worth £60m

msherlock — Fri, 2 May 2008 10:30:27 +0100

Promotion to England's football Premier League is worth at least £60 million and is the biggest financial boost a football club can receive, according to analysts at global accountancy firm, Deloitte.

ICC appoints licensing partner

msherlock — Thu, 1 May 2008 10:27:36 +0100

The International Cricket Council has appointed Licensing in Motion as its official licensing and merchandising partner in an eight year deal until 2015.

Teixeria scraps plans to buy F1 team

msherlock — Thu, 1 May 2008 10:24:05 +0100

A1 GP chairman Tony Teixeira has ditched plans to buy a Formula One team after the sport changed its rules to ban the use of so-called 'customer cars'.

Edelman makes Arsenal exit

msherlock — Thu, 1 May 2008 10:15:57 +0100

Arsenal managing director Keith Edelman is to leave the club "to seek pastures new and embark upon fresh challenges".

Federer and Mercedes sign China partnership

mglendinning — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 12:06:39 +0100

Mercedes-Benz China have entered into a multi-year advertising and strategic marketing partnership with Roger Federer.

Olympic sponsors win high interest in China

msherlock — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 10:40:13 +0100

Average worldwide interest in the Olympic Games is at 52 per cent according to a new survey from SPORT+MARKT and unprompted awareness of Olympic Sponsors in China shows high interest and good results, especially for international brands.

TOKYO 2016 adds two new sponsor

msherlock — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 10:39:01 +0100

Tokyo 2016 added two new sponsors All Nippon Airways and the East Japan Railway Company to its official partners.

Hilton signs three year extension with Vodafone McLaren Mercedes

msherlock — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 10:12:43 +0100

Hilton Hotels signed an extension on its long-term sponsorship agreement with Vodafone McLaren Mercedes, which will see the partnership continue for a further three years.

New Twins stadium adds $1.2 million in revenues

msherlock — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 10:28:19 +0100

The Minnesota Twins new baseball stadium is set to generate between $1.2 billion and $1.5 billion in additional revenue for the club.

Cricket Ireland wins new sponsor

msherlock — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 10:09:53 +0100

Cricket Ireland agreed a deal with RSA to sponsor for the country's national teams.

EDS extends Byron Nelson Championship deal

mglendinning — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 11:54:39 +0100

Technology services company EDS has extended its commitment as title sponsor of the EDS Byron Nelson Championship PGA Tour event with the sponsorship now running through 2014.

BoscoSport becomes Fed Cup sponsor

msherlock — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 11:05:45 +0100

BoscoSport agreed a deal with the International Tennis Federation to become an international sponsor of Fed Cup by BNP Paribas.

Emirates renews sponsorship of BMW Asian Open

msherlock — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 11:04:14 +0100

Emirates Airline agreed a deal to become the Official Airline of the BMW Asian Open 2008 golf tournament - the fifth year in succession that the company has been a sponsorship partner of the event.

Molson named Official Beer Supplier for Vancouver 2010

msherlock — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 10:40:22 +0100

Molson agreed a deal with the Vancouver Organising Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (VANOC) to become exclusive Official Supplier with sponsorship rights in the beer product/service category.

Human rights campaigns target Beijing sponsors

mglendinning — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 11:37:25 +0100

Campaigners against Chinese rule in Tibet, and Chinese arms trading in Africa have warned sponsors of the Beijing Olympics they risk damaging their brands by endorsing the Games.

M&C Saatchi Sport & Entertainment launches US offering

msherlock — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 09:45:10 +0100

UK based sport and entertainment sponsorship & PR agency M&C Saatchi Sport & Entertainment launched a US office, headed up by Sandra Carreon-John.

UK-based Japanese F1 team in financial trouble

msherlock — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 12:26:31 +0100

The survival of the Super Aguri Formula One team is reported to be in doubt after mooted buyers the Magma Group pulled out at the last minute.

BT Aligns With Athlete-Sponsor Matching Service Catch Sport

msherlock — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 11:08:27 +0100

BT, a London 2012 sponsor, agreed a deal to use Catch Sport’s online athlete database to search for athletes to sponsor in the run up to the Olympics in 2012.

MasterCard to sponsor IPL team

mglendinning — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 10:23:46 +0100

Credit card major, MasterCard, has agreed to sponsor Indian Premier League team, the Mumbai Indians.

NHRA and IMG agree strategic partnership

mglendinning — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 10:24:15 +0100

Global sports and entertainment company, IMG, has agreed a strategic partnership with the NHRA, the world’s largest motorsport organisation, to become its exclusive outside sponsorship marketing agent.

NFL appoints Octagon to support UK commercial strategy

msherlock — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 09:44:51 +0100

The National Football League (NFL) appointed Octagon to work with the NFL to provide strategic advice to develop current and future commercial strategy around the NFL UK’s year-round activity.

CSC to end cycling sponsorship

mglendinning — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 09:48:12 +0100

IT provider, Computer Sciences Corp., has said that it will not renew its eight-year sponsorship of its cycling team -Team CSC- after this year.

Nike extends sponsorship of US Olympic Team

msherlock — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 10:22:25 +0100

Nike extended its sponsorship deal with the US Olympic Committee to become the Official Outfitter of the US Olympic and Paralympic Team until the London 2012 Olympic Games.

Birmingham City shares suspended

msherlock — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 10:11:19 +0100

English football club, Birmingham City, has had its shares temporarily suspended after the club’s co-owners were arrested by police.

Carling logo removed from ‘Old Firm’ kit for kids

mglendinning — Wed, 9 Apr 2008 10:06:44 +0100

Beer brand, Carling, has opted to remove its logo from Rangers and Celtic children's replica kit, two years ahead of an agreed drinks industry ban on branding child-size replica football shirts.

Cordes to head RTL’s re-launched UFA Sports

msherlock — Tue, 8 Apr 2008 10:19:20 +0100

Philip Cordes will become CEO of European broadcast group RTL’s sports rights marketing arm, the re-established UFA Sports.

DirecTV sponsors the IndyCar Series

msherlock — Tue, 8 Apr 2008 10:10:56 +0100

US broadcaster DirecTV agreed a multi-year deal to become the Official Sponsor for the IndyCar Series.

NBA's Bobcats strike naming rights and TV deal

msherlock — Tue, 8 Apr 2008 10:07:17 +0100

NBA team the Charlotte Bobcats agreed a deal with Time Warner Cable for naming rights to the Charlotte Bobcats Arena and for TV distribution.

LG to sponsor Snowboard World Cup

msherlock — Mon, 7 Apr 2008 10:41:44 +0100

LG Electronics has agreed a one season title sponsorship deal with the International Ski Federation for the Snowboard World Cup.

Adidas extends Ajax deal

mglendinning — Fri, 4 Apr 2008 10:48:02 +0100

Adidas and Ajax Amsterdam have extended their kit sponsorship deal for ten years until the end of 2019.

GAA retain Guinness sponsorship despite calls for ban

mglendinning — Fri, 4 Apr 2008 10:27:03 +0100

Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) president, Nicky Brennan, has said that it is the role of the Irish government and other agencies – not the GAA – to take responsibility for the issue of alcohol-related sports sponsorships.

Macquarie partners with World Taekwondo Federation

mglendinning — Thu, 3 Apr 2008 10:11:07 +0100

The Macquarie Group of Companies and the World Taekwondo Federation (WTF) have signed a global partnership agreement, reportedly worth $1 million.

Coca-Cola to sponsor merged IndyCar Series

msherlock — Wed, 2 Apr 2008 10:27:23 +0100

Soft drinks manufacturer, Coca-Cola North America, agreed a three-year sponsorship deal with IndyCar Series, until 2010.

US Figure Skating signs multi-year marketing deal

msherlock — Tue, 1 Apr 2008 10:22:50 +0100

US Figure Skating, the national governing body media and sponsorship deal with sports marketing agency, Van Wagner Sports and Entertainment.

HSBC to sponsor FEI events

msherlock — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 10:10:09 +0100

International banking group, HSBC Holdings plc, has agreed a new global sponsorship partnership with the Fédération Équestre Internationale.

UEFA seeks technology partner

mglendinning — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 11:13:34 +0000

UEFA has launched an ‘Invitation to Submit Offers’ (ISO) process for sponsorship rights packages in the ‘technology’ category for the UEFA Champions League seasons 2009/10, 2010/11 and 2011/12 and UEFA Super Cup 2009, 2010 and 2011.

Sponsor takes legal action against Team Gordon

mglendinning — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 10:36:23 +0000

Business security software firm Vanguard Integrity Professional is taking legal action against the US motorsports outfit, Team Gordon, following comments made by the driver Robby Gordon on the Dakar Rally.

Bwin extends MotoGP sponsorship deal

mglendinning — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 10:10:01 +0000

Online gaming company, bwin, has renewed its sponsorship deal with Dorna Sports, the commercial rights holders of MotoGP, for the seasons 2008 and 2009.

Growth of Sponsorship in Asia tops 50 per cent

msherlock — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 10:38:58 +0000

Sponsorship growth in Asia rose by 54 per cent in 2007, with net spend of $643 million, according to IVCast, Asia’s sponsorship monitor by OgilvyAction.

Microsoft to sponsor NASCAR race car

msherlock — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 10:22:39 +0000

Microsoft Corporation’s Small Business division has agreed to sponsor a NASCAR Sprint Cup Toyota Camry for the 2008 season.

American Airlines signs MLS sponsorship deal

msherlock — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 10:34:39 +0000

American Airlines signed an exclusive sponsorship and promotions deal with Soccer United Marketing, Major League Soccer's marketing arm.

Red Bull to partner Citroen WRC team

msherlock — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 10:28:00 +0000

Drinks manufacturer Red Bull agreed a partnership deal with the Citroen C4 WRC team for the FIA World Rally Championship.

New FTSE-BOA partnerships agreed for equestrian, swimming and table tennis

msherlock — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 09:52:25 +0000

The British Olympic Association (BOA) announced that three further companies have joined the FTSE-BOA Initiative under which major British firms provide skills and knowledge transfer to a particular National Governing Body of Olympic Sport.