NASCAR’s Roush Fenway Racing has increased the marketing resources available to the team’s partners through the addition of six new hires and the creation of a new department focused on delivering incremental value to team sponsors.

The new personnel bring to Roush Fenway areas of expertise including brand marketing, event marketing, television production, digital engagement, NFL player representation and retail activation. 

“We’re talking to our partners and fans this year about how driven our teams are to win races and championships,” said RFR president Steve Newmark. “That drive to be the best extends beyond the racetrack to the men and women in our organization who work with our world-class partners. We’ve added personnel and equipment to improve our ability to perform on the track for the 2013 race season, and in a similar way we’ve increased our resources for our partners to be able to win at retail and in the boardroom.”

Included in RFR’s new hires is marketing and industry veteran Mike Mooney, as vice president of partnership development. Mooney boasts over 20 years of strategic brand activation and creative marketing experience, most recently serving as vice president of motorsports at The Marketing Arm, Sport’s Business Journal’s “Sports Marketing Agency of the Year” in 2012. During his impressive career, the Elon University graduate has led marketing efforts for Fortune 500 companies such as Sprint Nextel, Walmart, Tylenol, Sunoco, Lowe’s Home Improvement, Daimler-Chrysler and Mercedes-Benz.

Mooney joins a staff led by SVP of business development Pete Thuresson, whose team renewed nine team partners (who reached the end of their agreements – this is redundant/implied if you have renewed, right? You could take out) at the close of the 2012 season – representing a 100% renewal rate for the organization during the off-season. In addition to the renewals, Roush Fenway recently announced its newest partner, World Financial Group, would be joining the fold through a primary sponsorship of Trevor Bayne for multiple races in the NASCAR Nationwide Series.

In addition, the business development department has brought in Garrett Hess as an account executive. Hess moves to RFR from K Sports & Entertainment in Boston where his was Sponsorship Sales Manager and an athlete liaison.

“With the introduction of the new Gen-6 cars, our race teams experienced their busiest and most productive ‘off-season’ in history,” said Thuresson. “By securing all nine of the nine partners up for renewal, adding a new partner and growing our internal team, the same can be said for our marketing staff. It’s been a whirlwind of activity across the entire organization leading up to this season.”

In addition to the new personnel is the creation of a strategic marketing department focused on delivering incremental value to team partners through ideation and execution of activation, digital and public relations channels. This team is led by industry veterans Kevin Thomas, Amber Darnell and Kevin Woods, who represent nearly 40 years of NASCAR marketing experience. A season-long marketing platform titled “Driven” has already been launched as part of the effort.

The Faldo Series will return to The Netherlands in 2013 following a new deal between local organisers Stichting Support2Sports and Bleijenbeek Golf Club in Limburg who will host the global golf development programme for the first time on 24-26 July.

“The number of young Dutch golfers benefiting from the Faldo Series has grown considerably over the last five years, denture ” said Sir Nick Faldo. “I thank Support2Sports for their hard work and efforts in growing the event and we welcome Bleijenbeek as our new venue.”

“We are excited to bring the Faldo Series to Bleijenbeek in the southeast of The Netherlands, generic ” added Tim Gorreê, Chairman of the Board at Stichting Support2Sports. “Sir Nick’s coach, Keith Wood will stage clinics for competitors and local schoolchildren alike on the club’s excellent practice facilities, allowing us to be more than just a youth golf tournament, an objective we share with the Faldo Series.”

With World Amateur Golf Ranking points on offer, more than 130 golfers aged 12 to 21 will compete over three rounds in the fifth Faldo Series Netherlands Championship at Bleijenbeek.  Five age-group winners – three boys and two girls – will qualify for the seventeenth Grand Final, to be hosted by the six-time Major winner.

The 2012 Faldo Series Europe schedule featured a record 20 tournaments in 14 countries including six in England plus others in Bahrain, Ireland, Chile, the Czech Republic, Greece, Wales, Austria, Brazil, Germany, The Netherlands, Scotland, Slovakia and Russia.

A full European schedule for 2013 will be announced in the coming weeks.

Established in 1996, 40 Faldo Series tournaments now take place in 30 countries worldwide with more than 7,000 golfers participating each year. Past winners include Major Champions Rory McIlroy and Yani Tseng.

The Jännerrallye in Austria will open the all-new FIA European Rally Championship in 2013 after its organisers agreed terms with new ERC promoter Eurosport Events.

Based in the town of Freistadt near Linz, the snow event will open the new season in early January as crews battle for glory on the challenging hilly asphalt stages, traditionally coated in snow and ice at that time of year.

Next year’s ERC will feature rounds on all three surfaces – snow, gravel and asphalt – and a number of rally organisers are holding discussions with Eurosport Events as they work to secure a slot on the exciting new calendar for 2013.

“One of the biggest, yet most exciting challenges we face as the new promoter of the ERC is the formalisation of the calendar for 2013,” François Ribeiro, Motorsport Development Director of Eurosport Events, said. “We are delighted to open ERC 2013 in winter conditions with an established event such as the Jännerrallye. Starting the new-look ERC with a snow rally is going to be very exciting for all our teams, drivers, partners, fans and viewers. 

“Over the next few weeks we’ll close negotiations for the remaining ERC rounds before the complete 2013 schedule goes to the FIA Rallies Commission and FIAWorld Motor Sport Council for ratification.”

Jännerrallye promoter Ferdinand Staber said: “We’re delighted to have reached an agreement with Eurosport Events to continue in the ERC in 2013. Being part of the ERC for the first time this year was a huge boost for our event but the opportunity to work with the new ERC promoter, Eurosport Events, at the start of an exciting period for the ERC is even more significant. We look forward to a fruitful partnership with Eurosport Events and a very successful rally.”

Jan Kopecky won this year’s Jännerrallye on its first appearance in the ERC, finishing ahead of Skoda team-mate Juho Hanninen.

Private equity firm, CVC Capital Partners, who owns a majority stake in world racing series Formula One has sold 21 per cent of the business for $1.6billion ahead of a planned flotation on the Singapore stock exchange this summer.

The shares have been sold to three new investors; BlackRock, an American multinational investment corporation; asset manager Waddell & Reed; and Norway’s Norges Bank Investment Management, the asset management unit of the Norwegian central bank. 

The deal, which reduces CVC’s stake to around 40 per cent, sets a benchmark valuation of around $7 billion for the company as financial advisers begin to target investors during the pre-marketing process of the IPO, which could be one of the world’s largest this year.

“It raises some capital, which may be required, and it gives the IPO a little bit more credibility if some well-known investment houses come on board pre-IPO,” said Peter Elston, head of Asia-Pacific strategy and asset allocation at Aberdeen Asset Management’s Asian unit.

CVC Managing Partner Donald McKenzie described the development as an “important step” for Formula One, adding that his company would remain the sport’s controlling shareholder.

“This is great news for Formula One and an important step in its development,” McKenzie said. “CVC became the controlling shareholder of Formula One in 2006. Since that date we have supported the company and its management as they have grown the company with great success.

“The addition of these three highly regarded investors to our share register is validation of this success, and we look forward to working with our new partners over the coming years. CVC will continue to be Formula One’s largest and controlling shareholder.”

Following the decision to allow Manchester to host a high profile International Basketball game between the USA and Great Britain, the Manchester City Council are looking to acquire a regular-season NBA game.

The USA Olympic teams – men and women – will play their British counterparts at the Manchester Arena on July 18 and 19 in a pre-London 2012 warm-up games.

And an NBA exhibition match between two as yet unnamed teams from the world’s top league is due take place in Manchester next year.

But City Council chiefs want to secure a fully competitive league contest – rather than a friendly – to be played in front of the Manchester public. Representatives from the City Council, in attendance at the this weekend’s NBA All-Star extravangaza in Orlando, confirmed their intentions to extend their exciting partnership with US basketball that saw Altanta Dream play GB women last year in the first of three confirmed events.

“We are keen to have a meaningful relationship with the NBA year on year after 2013,” said Neil Fairlamb, the council’s head of sport. “We want a regular-season game. We like the pre-season stuff but we want a competitive game and we’re talking to the NBA about what might be possible. “We’re going to be in discussions with them.”

by Ismail Uddin

discount Helvetica, impotent sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;”>Electricity and Energy company, viagra sale Reliant will offer free Metrorail rides to and from Reliant Park for every Houston Texans home game during the regular season.

Manny Rodriguez, Reliant Vice President, Sponsorship Marketing and Charitable Giving, said: ”Reliant helped bring the NFL back to Houston and offering Metrorail rides is another way to show our support for fans and the home team. The season is already full of excitement and big wins. This effort gives fans one more reason to cheer.”

The offer is valid for every Texans home game beginning at 5:30 a.m. and running until midnight.

“One of the New METRO’s priorities is to be a trusted community partner,” said Metro President & CEO George Greanias. “This particular venture demonstrates that priority and this is also a great opportunity to promote public transit in Houston.”

To help promote the program, one Metrorail train will sport a custom graphic wrap with Reliant’s 2011-2012 slogan “Bring the Energy” and featuring the Texans’ All-Pro wide receiver Andre Johnson. The wrapped Metrorail train is one of the trains that will be used to take fans to and from the stadium on home game days at no cost.

Metrorail averages approximately 15,194 boardings on an average Texans game day. Reliant’s effort will encourage even more riders and support the environment by helping keep vehicles off the road and out of traffic. The rail line offers fans a quick and convenient way to get to Reliant Park, particularly those fans traveling from the downtown area. The average travel time from downtown to Reliant Park by rail is 20 to 25 minutes, depending where you catch the train.

John Schriever, Texans Senior Vice President of Ticketing & Event Management, said: “We constantly strive to find new and innovative ways to make the game day experience a memorable one for Texans fans. We are very appreciative of our friends and partners at Reliant and Metro for providing a safe, reliable and affordable travel solution for Texans fans every Sunday.”

UK Anti-Doping (UKAD) has backed the United States Olympic Committee’s (USOC) attempt to have the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) controversial eligibility rule, preventing defending 400 metres champion LaShawn Merritt from running at London 2012 scrapped, which would open the way for British drugs cheats like Dwain Chambers to compete at the Olympics.

The USOC and IOC have asked the Court of Arbitration of Sport (CAS) to determine the validity of IOC Rule 45, which bars any athlete receiving a doping sanction of greater than six months from competing at the next Olympic Games.

Andy Parkinson, the chief executive of UKAD, stated: “I have gone on record previously stating that UK Anti-Doping does not believe that additional eligibility rules provide athletes who are charged with an anti-doping rule violation with any incentive to assist in the fight against doping in sport.

“With London 2012 around the corner, we are very encouraged by this positive development and will watch these proceedings before the CAS with interest.”

Parkinson has previously criticised the rule, claiming that it confuses the situation and impedes the work of organisations like UKAD because there is no incentive for athletes banned for taking drugs to cooperate with them.

“At the least any decision will provide clarity around this area and the timing will ensure that this international issue will be resolved well in advance of the 2012 Games,” Parkinson said.

“The World Anti-Doping Code, agreed at an international level, encourages athletes to provide substantial assistance which can be grounds for a reduction in the sanction period.

“All Anti-Doping Organisations need the ability to offer athletes the motivation to share information with their relevant authorities, therefore assisting to catch those who are involved in the supply of performance enhancing substances.”

English League One club Doncaster Rovers have announced the appointment of David Blunt as their new chairman.

As part of the reshuffle, major shareholder Dick Watson has been named as club president.

Rovers have been without a chairman since John Ryan resigned last November. But following Ryan’s failed takeover alongside One Direction singer Louis Tomlinson this summer, the club has moved to fill the role.

Blunt is the former chief executive of Keepmoat PLC, the company formerly owned by Doncaster’s major shareholders Terry Bramall and Watson. The 66-year-old previously turned down the chance to become chairman in January.

“I’m delighted to be taking on the role of chairman of Doncaster Rovers,” said Blunt, who joined Rovers in 2010.

“Terry and Dick have done an excellent job in steering this club during the past few years, helping to fund two promotions and five seasons of Championship football.

“I hope that during my time as chairman we can build a solid foundation for the club to be successful both on and off the field.

“It is my vision that we try to create a clear pathway so that children in Doncaster can play for their hometown club, whilst simultaneously ensuring we become a regular fixture within the Championship.

“I’m also keen to invigorate ‘In Rovers We Trust’, the clubs fan engagement programme, which has helped deliver a range of successful projects in recent years and it is now time to step up our approach.

“The community of Doncaster deserve a club they can be proud of and we will aim to ensure that happens. We will never lose our community focus.”

Watson, who first joined the club’s board of directors in 2006, said: “Having beaten my recent health problems, I’m excited to become president of the club.

“I hope we can deliver a third promotion to the fans of Doncaster Rovers – they deserve it.”