Sponsorship & Marketing
Features
NHL helmet sponsors offer stop-gap solution – and insights about the future
Keith Wachtel, NHL's chief business officer, speaks to SportBusiness about the wider strategy behind the league's new division and helmet sponsorships for the 2020-21 season.
Football Association’s Swarbrick looks for silver lining in “tough” 2021
Matthew Glendinning talks to Kathryn Swarbrick, the FA’s commercial and marketing director, about what is on the horizon for English football's governing body as it continues to develop its brand strategy amid the pandemic.
Looking back, looking forward – Apac industry insiders’ reflections on the year past and hopes for 2021
Asia-Pacific sports industry insiders share their personal reflections on a tumultuous 2020, and their hopes and ambitions for the year ahead.
Matt Vandrau | A year of self-reflection for the industry
Matt Vandrau, group chief executive, CSM Sport & Entertainment, says one of the biggest changes brought about by this year’s pandemic was the reappraisal of rights values by clients
Sports sponsorship industry proves its mettle in the year of the pandemic
Rights-holders and sponsors showed differing levels of flexibility this year as the Covid-19 pandemic forced them to review contractual obligations and rights commitments. SportBusiness Sponsorship editor Matthew Glendinning looks at the way the industry responded to the crisis
WRC adds TW Steel to top tier of sponsorship portfolio
The FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) has signed up watchmaker TW Steel as a sponsor
Former MP & Silva, IMG and Sportfive executive Pozzali invests in Entourage agency
Carlo Pozzali, one of the co-founders of MP & Silva and also a former IMG and Sportfive executive, has invested in the Entourage talent management and sports marketing agency
Qukes launches campaign as new sponsor of Football Australia’s MiniRoos
Food wholesaler Perfection Fresh Australia has signed a two-year sponsorship with Football Australia’s ‘MiniRoos’ grassroots programme in support of its Qukes baby cucumber brand.
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UFC names Zappos.com official US licensing partner
The Ultimate Fighting Championship has entered into a multiyear partnership with US online clothing retailer Zappos
2020 | The best comebacks and success stories from a challenging year
SportBusiness regional editors Eric Fisher, Kevin McCullagh and Ben Cronin look back at those rights-holders and properties that adapted best to a year of disruption for the sports industry
EFL’s iFollow experiment unlikely to inform future media strategy, says commercial chief
Ben Wright, chief commercial officer for the English Football League, explains what the league has learnt from streaming more games on its iFollow service and how the league has targeted the fast-food sector to shore up revenues during this year's lockdown
Chinese FA’s new leadership takes fresh aim at hosting Fifa World Cup
SportBusiness speaks to Louis Liu, secretary general of the Chinese Football Association, about China's ambitions to become a football superpower.
Bobbie Ttooulis | Making sure sports brands deliver on online sales
Bobbie Ttooulis, executive director of shipping and e-commerce delivery company, Global Freight Solutions, says sports merchandising needs careful management at peak sales periods, like kit launches and Christmas.
‘We’re got to take the Aston Martin brand to the next level’ | Jeff Slack, Racing Point F1
Jefferson Slack represented some of the world’s leading sports talent, ran Serie A giants Inter Milan and headed IMG’s football division during the first three decades of his career. Now
R&A keeps faith in sponsors and strategy in turbulent year
The R&A’s maintenance of event cancellation insurance “slightly eased” the burden of lost income from the cancellation of this year’s Open and Senior Open
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Nostalgia, internet, and investment | How Covid-19 fueled a sports trading card boom
Jason Howarth, Panini America's vice-president of marketing, tells SportBusiness how the industry has looked to capitalize on the rising popularity and value of trading cards
Murray Barnett | Five reasons why the future’s bright for women’s football
Murray Barnett, former chief commercial officer for World Rugby and head of partnerships for Formula 1, explains why women’s football is sure to recover the commercial momentum lost as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Stevenage FC tries to build on the success of innovative Burger King gaming partnership
Stevenage FC were pleasantly surprised when news arrived of Burger King's interest in becoming its main sponsor. SportBusiness speaks to Stevenage chief executive officer Alex Tunbridge to hear about the journey the club has been on since the association with Burger King began in July 2019.
Williams Racing commercial director on reshaping motorsport’s sponsorship model
Tim Hunt, commercial and marketing director at Williams, wants sponsorship platform to focus on “the USPs of being an F1 team”
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Pandemic pushes sport to double down on data-driven business
SportBusiness speaks with Asia-Pacific industry insiders about the increased urgency of sport adopting data-driven business practices in the Covid and post-Covid worlds. Tom King reports.
Lockdown dampens Brentford FC’s new stadium celebrations
Brentford FC’s plans to open a brand new 17,250-capacity stadium this autumn have been thwarted by the Covid pandemic. Chief executive Jon Varney describes how the club is coping with the lockdown and its plans to compete on a more even commercial footing in the English Championship.
Matthew Glendinning | Kamala Harris, Nike and iconic moments
Amid the drama that followed the US Presidential elections, the Nike brand was present at the iconic moment when Kamala Harris told the President-Elect: “We did it, Joe.” SportBusiness' Matthew Glendinning explains why Nike’s moment of marketing gold owed as much to judgement as it did to luck.
Sports sponsorships transform Hyperice’s profile and spur dramatic growth
Following partnerships with NBA, MLB, UFC, PGA Tour and numerous star athletes, the recovery and performance technology company has transformed its financial fortunes, as well as its domestic and international profile, this year. Bob Williams reports
Michelob Ultra focuses on ‘health and wellness’ for PGA Championship extension
Matthew Glendinning looks at the details of the AB InBev-owned beer brand's extension with the golf major.
DP World continues to see value in sport sponsorship
Logistics brand DP World entered into a long-term deal with IPL franchise Royal Challengers Bangalore in 2020 and become title sponsor of Renault's F1 team, building on its existing sponsorship of the European Tour. Daniel Van Otterdijk, chief communications officer for the company, explains how each deal supports its objectives.
Writing the new rules of sponsorship using technology & data webinar
Co-Founder and Chief Executive Two Circles, Global Head of Sponsorship & Events Standard Chartered Bank, SVP & MD Octagon, Chief Executive & Co-Founder Satisfi Labs
Sponsors warm to cricket ahead of Australian summer, although challenges lie ahead
SportBusiness speaks to Cricket Australia’s national commercial development manager Phil Rigby about how, in spite of the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic, the organisation is confident about its sponsorship prospects. Tom King reports.
ISL still targeting profitability within three years despite Covid ‘disaster’
The International Swimming League is still targeting profitability “within three or four years” despite being heavily impacted by the pandemic, its managing director and head of commercial operations, Hubert Montcoudiol, tells SportBusiness.