Sponsorship & Marketing
Features
How Tokyo 2020 smashed the domestic sponsorship record for the Olympics
In the second of a trilogy of interviews with the Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee, SportBusiness spoke to Masahiko Sakamaki, the executive director of the committee’s marketing bureau.
“It’s like a wave that hits you” | British Olympic federations on their commercial preparations for the Games
British Gymnastics chief executive Jane Allen, British Swimming chief executive Jack Buckner and UK Athletics chairman Chris Clark discuss their organisations' plans for the final run-in ahead of Tokyo 2020 and explain how to ensure a strong commercial return from the Olympic Games.
Yao Ming’s CBA juggling act gets a boost from NBA travails
After the Morey tweets, sentiment in the Chinese basketball sponsorship marketplace has swung the CBA’s way, making it easier for its leadership to focus on raising the quality of its core product: the league. Chen Yaolin finds out more.
SportBusiness Soccer goes live to open new era for football sponsorship
SportBusiness Soccer has gone live with leading clubs from Europe’s major leagues already signed-up as clients.
Aston Villa looking to turn fan engagement into commercial revenue with new loyalty card scheme
Data-led fan engagement platform Fortress and Barclays have developed a new universal payment scheme at Aston Villa FC, aiming to deepen the connection between a club and its fans and open up whole new commercial revenue opportunities in the process.
Saudia renews title sponsorship of Formula E season opener
Saudi Arabian Airlines has renewed its deal to title sponsor the 2019-20 season-opening race of the Formula E Championship, taking place in Diriyah, Saudi Arabia this weekend
MLR side Glendale Raptors renamed Colorado Raptors
Major League Rugby side Glendale Raptors has rebranded itself as the Colorado Raptors. The refresh includes a change of logo as well as team name.
Puma triples rights fee in Borussia Dortmund kit deal
Sports brand Puma’s strategy of tying up major European football clubs to kit supplier agreements has generated a substantial new deal with Bundesliga club Borussia Dortmund.
Badminton Horse Trials sign deals, ‘unlikely’ to land title sponsor
Organisers of Badminton Horse Trials have signed what they claim are two significant sponsorship deals with Mars Equestrian and Science Supplements after admitting they are unlikely to secure a new title…
Liverpool v New Balance: six things we learned
Liverpool FC’s legal dispute with New Balance has provided unprecedented insights into the minutiae of a modern Premier League kit supplier agreement. Ben Cronin looks at some of the details from the case and examines what they say about the club and the brands involved.
How oil giant Shell is using Nissan’s Formula E team to reposition itself for the energy future
Kevin McCullagh looks at oil company Shell's entrance into the realm of electric motor racing and how it is marketing its diversification into electric vehicle charging and other ‘new energy’ products.
Asia’s sport climbers looking forward to going mainstream after 2020 Tokyo Olympics
Sport climbing’s 22 Asian federations are waiting for the big bucks to roll in after the sport gained Olympic recognition with a spot at the upcoming 2020 Tokyo Olympics. SportBusiness takes a closer look at sport climbing’s sponsorship situation.
“It’s a playground for us” | How SAP’s sponsorship of the WTA is driving innovation in technology and sport
Adam Nelson takes a closer look at how, through its sponsorship of the Women's Tennis Association, SAP's technology aims to analyse in-match performance.
BWF and Total’s para-badminton partnership shows the way forward for parasport
Parasport hasn’t always been able to garner the sponsorship it needs, despite the best efforts of its international and regional organisers. Total’s sponsorship of BWF’s Para-Badminton World Championships is a good case-study of how a win-win solution can be found.
The NBA’s burnt bridges in China won’t be mended easily
Despite NBA commissioner Adam Silver’s best efforts, the wound from Daryl Morey’s pro-Hong Kong protest tweets will have lasting repercussions on the future of basketball in China, not least among fans and sponsors. Industry insiders in China tell SportBusiness about Chinese sentiment on the ground.
Q&A | Chrissy Fice, brand director, Vitality UK
Health insurance provider Vitality has developed a reputation for promoting participation and inclusivity in sport through its extensive sports sponsorship portfolio. Chrissy Fice, brand director for Vitality UK, explains the company’s sponsorship strategy.
Lethwei, Myanmar’s best-kept secret, is preparing for the global stage
Three Burmese businessmen and a former One Championship employee are trying to bring MMA's best-kept secret to the world, with a modernised twist. SportBusiness' Callum McCarthy finds out more.
Formula E closing the gap on Formula 1 as a sponsorship proposition
Sponsorship deal values in Formula E are catching up with Formula One according to Robin Fenwick, founder of specialist motorsport agency Right Formula. Matthew Glendinning reports.
McLaren’s new commercial chief Mark Waller is bringing lessons from American sport
Mark Waller joined McLaren Racing in May from the NFL, becoming the British motorsport team's managing director of sales and marketing. He's relishing his new role, and sees opportunities to drive the business forward in adding consumer-facing sponsors, creating more digital content, and expanding the team's already impressive esports programme.
Why the financial crisis was the making of the modern sponsorship industry
Mark Cornish, founder of roosponsorship.com, explains how sponsorship was forced to take stock and get better at evaluation.
Paddy Power’s Save Our Shirt campaign offers positive message but struggles to balance risk and reward
Never knowingly understated, Irish bookmaker Paddy Power's latest marketing activation ended up garnering a £50,000 fine for one of its partner clubs. Adam Nelson takes a look at the story behind the betting company's 'unsponsorship' of five UK football teams, and whether the campaign can maintain relevance and visibility throughout the season.
Women’s Football: Attributing Value Matters – Sally Horrox, Y Sport
We’re still some way off financial sustainability but it is clear that this has been the year in which women’s football finally secured its rightful place in the spotlight.
After Leoz’s death, South American football is still battling the ghosts of its corrupt past
The death of former Conmebol president Nicolás Leoz has brought South American football one step closer to closing the book on an era of corruption. As global agencies and investment funds are taking advantage of the power vacuum, Callum McCarthy examines the current landscape and asks if and when that book can be closed for good.
LED advertising | Why it took just one second to damage Infront’s reputation
With a former Infront executive under investigation for defrauding sponsors of the German Football Association, Frank Dunne explains how the scandal has affected both the agency and the already-embattled DFB, and how brands can ensure they're getting what they pay for from their partnerships.
Women’s Super League title sponsorship reinforces Barclays’ status as ‘financial partner of football’
Barclays global head of sponsorships and media, Tom Corbett, tells Adam Nelson why the bank has stepped up its association with football by signing a record-breaking title partnership with the Women's Super League.
Rights to beloved Phillie Phanatic mascot in dispute after more than 40 years
Legal battle revives tension that previously existed between the MLB club and the design firm that helped create iconic character.
Ice cream and Kimekomi dolls | Developing a licensing programme for the Rugby World Cup in Japan
IMG Licensing says it has secured contracts with 25 Japanese licensees and 21 global licensees for this year’s Rugby World Cup in Japan. Ben Cronin reports.
Tom Hill, World Rugby | Dual award of 2015 and 2019 World Cups helped mitigate Japan risks
Tom Hill, chief commercial officer, World Rugby speaks exclusively to SportBusiness about the commercial programme for the 2019 World Cup in Japan