It’s official: participation in rugby union is at an all-time high thanks to investment at grassroots.
The three-year deal will run until the end of the 2011-12 football season and will see MasterCard continue to leverage the sponsorship through its exclusive ‘payment systems’ product category.
Mastercard agreed a major new deal to sponsor the Rugby World Cup 2011 in New Zealand, becoming the Official Worldwide Partner and official payment system of Rugby World Cup 2011.
Brewer Fuller's launched a high-profile print marketing campaign for its London Pride beer brand to coincide with the start of rugby union's Six Nations 2009.
3 Mobile's sponsorship of Cricket Australia will remain in place, despite the company's merger with Vodafone Australia.
Eurosport agreed a new co-marketing agreement with Columbia Sportswear Company for a multi-platform advertising campaign to run on Eurosport and Eurosport websites.
GAC Qatar agreed a deal with the Qatar Marine Sport Federation to sponsor its F1 power boat racing team for the 2009 Championship.
UK drinks-producer Magners Irish Cider announced that it well end its deal as main sponsor of rugby union Guinness Premiership side London Wasps.
The Sochi 2014 Organising Committee agreed its first Tier One partnerships for the 2014 Olympic Winter Games, with telecoms companies Rostelecom and MegaFon.
Meydan Group and the Fédération Equestre Internationale agreed a major new deal for 2009 for title sponsorship of the Nations Cup Series.
Youthstream agreed a deal with P&G’s brand Braun to title sponsor the Motocross World Championships.
Drinks company AG Barr extended its three year involvement with the Rugby Football League, agreeing a new two year contract.
Austrian confectionery specialist Josef Manner & Comp AG agreed a deal to sponsor the TelDaFax FIS-Team-Tour organised by the German Ski Association (DSV).
Mastercard said it has been a proud sponsor of the UEFA Champions League since 1994 and is in "ongoing discussions” with UEFA, reviewing how their alliance could be extended.
UEFA agreed a deal with the UniCredit Group to become an official partner of the UEFA Champions League for the new 2009-2012 cycle, as well as for the UEFA Super Cup in 2009-11.
Ben Heyhoe Flint becomes Regional Director for Repucom International – Asia, with Danny Townsend relocating to Europe to run Repucom International - Europe, Middle East, Africa and South Asia.
Scottish Premier League club Celtic FC is reported to be in final negotiations with Nike for a shirt sponsorship deal that could be worth £29 million.
The Co-operative agreed a deal with England Netball to become official sponsor of the International Netball Series, England v Jamaica – The Rematch.
Aston Villa FC and Thomas Cook Sport, agreed a new holiday and travel partnership.
IMG agreed an exclusive, worldwide management and marketing representation deal with present women’s tennis world number one ranked player Jelena Jankovic.
The Scottish Football League has announced an extension of a deal with Co-operative Insurance, extending their title sponsorship the Scottish League Cup for a further two years until 2011.
The IAAF advisory board, headed by IAAF president Lamine Diack, will meet in the first week of February to review proposals for a restructured and extended Golden League from 2010.
Car-maker General Motors Corp. renewed its long-standing sponsorship of the Daytona International Speedway and its signature Nascar race, the Daytona 500.
Konica Minolta Business Solutions (UK) Ltd agreed a deal to become Official Supplier of UK Athletics Major Events for printers, copiers and faxes until September 2013.
Drinks brand Gatorade agreed a deal to become the first isotonic beverage sponsor of action sports athletes and properties.
The IAAF said that its aims for 2009 include the launch of a new IAAF brand and branding system, further improving TV and sponsorship sales and delivering better stadium and city branding at major eve
US swimmer Michael Phelps agreed a deal to endorse carmaker Mazda in China.
Emirates, the Dubai-based airline, renewed its sponsorship with German Bundesliga football club Hamburg SV.
3-mobile extended its sponsorship commitment with the Australian cricket team until 2013.
Carib Breweries has officially withdrawn its 2009 sponsorship of an annual four-day Regional Tournament run by the The West Indies Cricket Board (WICB).
Barclays, which has lent its name to the Premier League since 2001, became the latest global brand to signal a wide ranging review of its sponsorship priorities, UK newspaper, The Guardian reports.
The Sochi 2014 Organising Committee announced the release of the first Categories of Products and Services now open to top-tier domestic sponsors.
Coors Brewers agreed to extend their deal with the Football League to sponsor the Carling Cup, for a further three-years, from 2009-10 to 2011-12.
Chinese computer firm, Lenovo, agreed a new one-year deal to sponsor British Formula One Team, McLaren.
Indian technology giant Tata Consultancy extended its sponsorship deal with Formula One team Ferrari.
Chewing gum brand, Wrigley’s Airwaves, extended their association with GSE Racing to become the title sponsor of the Airwaves Yamaha team for the 2009 British Superbike Championship season.
MLB team the New York Yankees agreed deals with Toyota and Audi as automotive sponsors, taking over from General Motors Corp.
Vodafone said it would not renew its £4million-a-year sponsorship deal with the England cricket team.
Airline conglomerate, Flybe, extended its sponsorship deal with English Championship club Southampton, until 2010.
The Dublin-based Sports and Events agency's task will be to expand the current portfolio of GPA sponsors which currently includes Opel, Halifax and Club Energise (Britvic Ireland) and Carphone Warehou
Mobile phone company 3 are set to announce a three-year deal to sponsor the Irish Open, according to the BBC.
Sportswear manufacturer, Adidas, extended its partnership with UK Athletics (UKA), the sport's national governing body, for five years until 2013.
Three potential buyers have emerged for the Honda Racing Formula One team, which faces a race against time to find a new owner after Honda announced the withdrawal of its support yesterday.
AS Monaco agreed to become an ‘exceptional ambassador’ for the international organisation Peace and Sport that encourages the practice of sport as an instrument of peace and social stability.
Car manufacturer, Audi AG, extended its sponsorship of Bundesliga football club Hertha BSC for three years, from 2008-09 to 2011-12.
The organisers of cycling’s Tour of Britain and a new series of televised city-centre races to launch in 2009 are calling on ‘contemporary consumer-facing brands’ to capitalise on the sport’s
Internet betting exchange, Betfair, agreed a new five year deal to sponsor the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot.
Heineken, extended its partnership with European club rugby’s tournament organisers, ERC, for a further four years until 2013.
Graham Chronographs signed a sponsorship deal with the Isle of Man TT races to become the official timing partner of the event.
Coca-Cola is committed to sponsoring major football events such as the World Cup and European Championship despite financial pressures created by the credit crunch, its European chief said.
International brewer, Efes Pilsener, agreed a new sponsorship deal with Europe's premier basketball competition, Euroleague Basketball.
International financial institution, HSBC, extended its sponsorship of the Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI), the international governing body of Olympic equestrian disciplines.
Korean-based electronics brand LG agreed a 5-year sponsorship deal with Formula One to become the official consumer electronics partner of the sport.
Troubled American car manufacturer, General Motors, announced that it is ending its sponsorship deal with the world's most recognisable athlete, Tiger Woods.
Figures released today show that German football's top domestic league, the Bundesliga, has overtaken the Barclays Premier League as the league with the largest total income from shirt sponsorship.
adidas and the IAAF agreed an 11-year partnership granting adidas the world-wide sponsorship rights for all IAAF World Athletic Series events until 2019.
Castrol UEFA EURO 2008™ was crowned winner of the prestigious International Sponsorship Award at the recent ESA European Sponsorship Awards ceremony in Brussels.
One of the world’s leading sport business experts, Professor Simon Chadwick, says the economic downturn will throw the spotlight on how sport is run as an industry, pushing sports to innovate.
Austrian-based betting company, Interwetten AG, agreed a new sponsorship deal to become the Official Partner of the EHF European Handball Championships (EHF EURO).
US cycling race, the Tour de Georgia, will not be held in 2009 due to lack of interest from sponsors, organisers have said.
Trek Bicycle agreed a new title sponsorship deal with the Women’s Triathlon Series.
The ATP will add a fifth Asian tournament in 2009 and is in talks with several companies to replace Mercedes-Benz as a sponsor of the men's tennis tour, Bloomberg reports.
Financial institution, Rabobank, agreed a three-year sponsorship deal to become a Founding Partner and the Official Bank of the Amgen Tour of California, from 2009 to 2011.
Swiss watch brand, Ebel, agreed a long-term sponsorship deal with Scottish football club, Rangers.
Barloworld, will continue to sponsor professional cycling team, Team Barloworld, until 2009 despite announcing that it was pulling out after doping scandals at the Tour de France.
Sir Keith Mills, Team Principal of TEAMORIGIN, Great Britain’s America’s Cup entrant, has identified reasons to be cheerful for both rights holders and sponsors in the current economic downtown.
Dubai-based airline, Emirates, extended its sponsorship agreement with French Ligue 1 club, Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), until 2014.
The World Poker Tour agreed a new partnership with FullTiltPoker.net, the educational site owned and operated by Full Tilt Poker.
Italian automobile manufacturer, Fiat, extended its sponsorship deal of Yamaha's factory MotoGP team for the next two seasons.
Qtel agreed a new deal with the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) to sponsor the 2011 AFC Asian Cup and the Asian Champions League from 2009 to 2012.
Lewis Hamilton’s fifth place finish in the Brazilian Grand Prix – allowing him to clinch the title by a single point – is likely to see him become a $1 billion sportsman.
Swiss watchmaker, Hublot, agreed a multi-million pound sponsorship deal with English Premier League club, Manchester United.
Sports marketing agency, IMG, has been appointed as the worldwide sponsorship agent for the Kentucky Derby.
Industrial brand management company, Barloworld, has extended their sponsorship of professional cycling team, Team Barloworld, for one-year until 2009.
Volkswagen of America Inc., has agreed a three-year sponsorship deal with NBA team the Washington Wizards and the Verizon Center.
British athletes preparing for London 2012 are to sell a piece of their public image to fund their Olympic dream, according to UK newspaper, The Times.
brandRapport set up an agreement with Avantgarde, a full service global marketing agency, to establish a German office.
FIFA 2010 and 2014 sponsor Satyam signed up as title sponsor for Soccerex’s 2008's Media Workshop, one of six sector-specific workshops at the inaugural International Football Club Summit.
Details of the 2008 ESA European Sponsorship Awards shortlist have been released, following an excellent response to this year’s event, with entries received from 11 European countries.
Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, has agreed a new sponsorship deal with the Telstra Dome in Melbourne.
The Australian state government is exploring ways to bypass federal tobacco advertising bans and allow tobacco companies to sponsor high-profile sport, according to the Sydney Morning Herald.
David Beckham’s proposed loan move to Italian giants AC Milan could be worth up to £10 million to the club over six months.
The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga has agreed in principle to a 10-year relationship with colligate sports marketing agency, Learfield Sports.
English Premier League club, Liverpool FC, has announced a series of new commercial partnerships with a total value in excess of £10 million.
The deal, which will be effective immediately, gives Cadbury the designation of official confectionery and ice cream supporter for London 2012, and rights to use the London 2012 marks on product as we
Sports Marketing 360 a new service for the sports industry.
Confectionary manufacturer, Cadbury, is set to announce a multimillion-pound sponsorship deal of the London 2012 Olympic Games, according to UK newspaper, The Times.
Stephane Ratel Organisation (SRO) sealed a number of key sponsorship agreements on behalf of its two leading UK based domestic motor racing championships.
Australian telecommunications company, Optus, agreed a three-year, multi-million dollar sponsorship deal with Football Federation Australia (FFA) and the Qantas Socceroos.
The $20 million winner-takes-all Twenty20 Stanford match between England and a West Indies' side on November 1 will go ahead after an agreement was reached over sponsorship rights.
Golf's European Tour will be largely unaffected by the global financial crisis in 2009, the tour's director of international policy Keith Waters said.
Bupa renewed its sponsorship of the Great Run series for another five years, from 2009 to 2013, making it one of the longest-running sporting sponsorships in the UK.
Anheuser-Busch renewed its Budweiser brand's sponsorship of Premier League club Manchester United for the 2009-10 season.
Worldwide media coverage of The Artemis Transat 2008 was worth over €10 million, according to figures published by race organisers.
FIA president Max Mosley says that Formula One must implement drastic cost-cuts by 2010.
The $20 million cricket match between England and Sir Allen Stanford's Caribbean team is in doubt after the WICB lost its case in the High Court against team sponsor Digicel.
For sport India has to be the last huge market and possibly the biggest opportunity on the planet today.
The headlines are overwhelming:
North American-based companies will spend an estimated $1.36 billion to sponsor pro and amateur golf tournaments, sanctioning bodies and related events this year, according to new research.
The Australian Medical Association (AMA) wants governments to end sponsorship deals between high profile sports events and fast food companies.
Brands including Nokia, Pepsi, LG and Reliance Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group (ADAG) are competing for the title sponsorship rights for cricket’s Champions League Twenty20 competition.
