Sponsorship & Marketing

The Promotion Marketing Association, the trade association representing the multi-billion dollar promotion marketing industry, has named ESPN as Promotion Marketer of the Year.

The United States Olympic Committee and the Salt Lake Organising Committee announced have named Korbel Champagne Cellars as an Official Supporter of the 2000, 2002 and 2004 U.S. Olympic Teams and the 2002 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.

With one month to go before the kick-off of rugby union?s Welsh-Scottish league, a sponsor is still nowhere to be found, despite the best efforts of international marketing firm IMG

Orad Hi-Tec Systems has signed an agreement to acquire Numeric Video S.A. of France.

Adidas America is to feature the full collection of official U.S. Olympic apparel online on their Olympic concept shop located at thestore.adidas.com.

German former tennis ace Boris Becker said he planned a stock exchange listing for one of his marketing companies next year.

The Guby Network, an internet platform formed by the union of Latin America's top search engines, has signed Todosport, the online sports marketing firm targeting Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking sports enthusiasts, as its exclusive provider of the latest in sports-related news and information.

British athletics governing body UK Athletics has won a top marketing award for its brand development.

Core Capital Partners has made an equity investment of $1.5m in the Women's Sports Network, a new media company focusing on young women and sports.

The FIFA Executive Committee has unveiled a new system designed to allocate tickets for the 2002 FIFA World Cup Korea/Japan.

Nike has selected internet architect Critical Mass for the strategic and creative development of Nike?s personalised online marketing and e-commerce initiative.

Gloucester Rugby Club owner Tom Walkinshaw performed an about turn as he shelved his own proposals for the future of English Rugby Union and joined the other clubs to support a proposal drawn up by Newcastle?s Rob Andrew.

Long-standing Bayern Munich fan Boris Becker will sit next to Franz Beckenbauer at meetings of the prestigious German club's advisory board.

Sportal chief executive Rob Hersov has confirmed yesterday?s Sportbusiness.com report denying claims that Canal Plus has made a buy-out offer for the sports internet company. "Our company sits very well in partnership with the big sports media companies, but there is no offer on the table from Canal Plus," said Hersov.

Judging the success of a sponsorship on consumer recall is `totally flawed? according to Michael Payne, marketing director of the IOC, speaking on the second day of SportBusiness 2000.

Pepsi will be the soft drink of choice for three Chicago sports franchises. Agreements with the Chicago Bulls, Chicago Blackhawks, and United Center begin September 1, 2000. An agreement with the Chicago White Sox begins November 1, 2000.