Formula One team Hispania Racing is using a 175-mile-per-hour billboard to drum up sponsors ahead of the Monaco Grand Prix this weekend.

The move has come after the team failed to secure a main corporate backer in its second season in the world’s most-watched racing series. Its cars in the Monaco Grand Prix in two days will feature ‘This Could Be You’ signs to lure support as the economic slump at home makes it harder to find a sponsor.

Team owner Jose Ramon Carabante said he is using his own funds to cover part of its US$71m budget as Spain continues to struggle to emerge from a three-year economic slump, check with a 21 per cent unemployment rate, ambulance the highest in Europe.

Carabante stated: “We’re still alive, which in these times is no small feat. The car’s message is striking but we hope it disappears soon.”

According to Adam Parr, chairman of Grove, England- based Williams, whose main backer is AT&T Inc., many Formula One teams are having difficulty finding sponsors as companies don’t see the series as environmentally friendly.

Carabante claimed his team is in talks with two Spanish companies about sponsorship, without identifying them. He is also steering his Murcia-based real estate company, Grupo Hispania, through the fallout of a housing market collapse.

The governing council of cricket’s Indian Premier League (IPL) has ruled that a minimum of three players per team have to appear in any franchises’ commercial and promotional activities.

The council went on to clarify that if a certain player has no objection to promoting the brands of the teams individually, he can do so by signing a declaration.

However, DNA newspaper reports that the players will have to avail themselves for 10 promotional activities of their franchises. The governing council also came to the decision that the team logo has to be as prominent as the sponsor of the team on each of the franchises shirts.

The ruling has been made after some players had refused to endorse certain brands associated with the franchises arguing that there was a conflict of interest since they were already promoting rival brands.

Prominent players like Sachin Tendulkar, Yuvraj Singh, Harbhajan Singh and Ashish Nehra had recently met BCCI president Shashank Manohar to look into the matter.

Money is being raised by a group calling itself the Hornets’ Business Council to buy tickets for National Basketball Association (NBA) side the New Orleans Hornets and encouraged local businesses to do the same.

The efforts are being made in an attempt to prevent the team from moving outside of New Orleans after majority owner George Shinn revealed that he was selling the team to the league. This has sparked fears that the team could be shipped out of New Orleans by prospective buyers.

Michael Hecht, president of Greater New Orleans Inc. stated: “The Hornets franchise is important to economic development, the team is also important to our civic pride and quality of life.”

The group has raised US$250,000 in 48 hours to be used to purchase tickets and boost attendance at games. The ticket sales boost is an attempt to stop the rates falling below an average attendance 14,735 which would spark a clause in the teams lease at the New Orleans Arena that would allow them to leave after this season.

The effort to boost ticket sales began last week when Gov. Bobby Jinidal and Mayor Mitch Landrieu solicited community support to pack the arena and support the team.

Toronto’s Planet Bowl has been named the bowling venue for the Toronto 2015 Pan Am Games.

Known as the Pan Am Bowling Centre during the Games, the facility will host 48 athletes from up to 20 countries competing in individual and team competitions. The location is part of the Etobicoke cluster for the Games with aquatics training and BMX competitions nearby.

“Elite bowling is an amazing sport to watch,” said Ian Troop, chief executive officer of the TORONTO 2015 Pan Am/Parapan Am Games Organizing Committee (TO2015).

“Almost everyone has tried bowling and knows how hard it is to get that elusive strike,” he said. “These athletes make it look easy. It’ll be a great community atmosphere as we cheer them on to victory in 2015.”

John Chapman, manager of Planet Bowl and a senior member of the Professional Bowlers Association (PBA), added: “We’re incredibly excited to host the TORONTO 2015 Pan Am bowling tournament. This is a wonderful opportunity for our facility to host an international competition and to join together in the community celebration when the Games come to Toronto and Canada in the summer of 2015!”

Last week, Lagrange won her second Bowling World Cup after defeating Cherie Tan of Singapore at the competition inSiberia. Aumi Guerra of the Dominican Republic, a two-time World Cup champion and 2007 Pan Am Games bronze medallist, finished third.

“Hosting the 2015 Games offers an exciting opportunity for Canada’s athletes to compete at home in front of friends and family,” said the Honourable Bal Gosal, Minister of State (Sport). “Our Government is proud to support theTORONTO 2015 Pan Am/Parapan Am Games and encourages Canadians to get to know our country’s top bowlers better as we welcome the best players from the Americas and Caribbean.”

Planet Bowl’s 48 lanes meet the standards set by the International Federation of Bowlers (FIQ) and the Pan American Bowling Confederation (PABCON), which oversees national federations in the region.

Previously, the alley hosted the Ontario final World Cup trials, 2007 Canadian national finals of the Bowling World Cup and 2006 Canadian team trials. In May 2014, it will be hosting the 2014 Canadian team trials, which determine the Canadian bowlers for the 2015 Pan Am Games.

“As a sport that can be enjoyed by people of all ages and abilities, bowling offers an opportunity to encourage communities to come together and lead more healthy, active lives,” said Michael Chan, Minister Responsible for the 2015 Pan /Parapan American Games.  “As we prepare for the 2015 Pan Am/Parapan Am Games, we are proud to support our local athletes, including our internationally top-ranked Canadian bowling team, as they compete on home soil.”

Toronto City Councillor Mark Grimes (Ward 6 Etobicoke-Lakeshore), The City’s Pan Am Games Champion, added: “As the Host City of the Games, Toronto is excited to add bowling to its roster of sports competitions we’ll be hosting in 2015. Toronto and Canada have a wealth of amateur bowling talent and success in this sport on the international stage. It will be great to bring those two elements together in 2015.”

Alad Limited, cough owners of Stadium & Arena Management (SAM) magazine, has agreed a deal to purchase PanStadia for an undisclosed sum.

Robert Else, Chairman of Terraplas plc (current owners of PanStadia) said: “In these austere times it makes good business sense that the top two industry magazines should merge to form one. I am delighted that it will be branded as ‘PanStadia & Arena Management’, as it is very important to me that the name PanStadia continues and I am certain that this merger will not only ensure this, but will take the combined magazine to new heights. Terraplas plc will continue to be a substantial advertiser, as we know that this is the best media vehicle with which to spend our marketing budget.”

Alan Levett, Managing Director of Alad Limited added: “Robert and I have known each other for over 15 years and share similar business ethics. As such we have become firm friends and so instead of owning two magazines that were competing against each other it seemed natural to work together and to offer the best of both titles – all wrapped up in one. Thus PanStadia & Arena Management is born.”

Levett continued: “This is a great deal for the industry, with both titles hugely respected around the world. Another major element of the deal that excites me is that Katie McIntyre will be joining our team, and she will be an ideal compliment to our other recent appointment of Sam Wibrew.”

PanStadia’s Publishing Editor, Katie McIntyre, commented: “This is going to be a very exciting merger, which will create a super-brand and ensure the new title ‘PanStadia & Arena Management’ is the undisputed leader for the sector, with an unrivalled global readership. Additionally when SAM’s annual Stadia & Arena event is added into the equation, it will be a win-win for our clients too.”

The Infant Nutrition Council (INC) today expressed strong concern over the sponsorship deal between the Warriors rugby league club and Chinese-owned New Zealand infant formula company Fernbaby.

INC CEO Jan Carey said it is not in the interests of New Zealand’s reputation internationally for the NRL club to be promoting any infant formula brand.

“The infant formula industry in New Zealand has worked hard to make sure its marketing practices are ethical, to ensure that the important role of breastfeeding is not undermined,” Ms Carey said.

“This sponsorship steps outside industry practice which restricts promotion to parents.”

Ms Carey said the INC, which represents the interests of the infant formula industry in New Zealand, advocates optimal nutrition for all infants. Its members adhere to a voluntary Code of Practice which restricts advertising infant formula directly to the public. This Code is part of New Zealand’s response to the World Health Organisation International Code of Marketing of Breast Milk Substitutes (WHO 1981) (WHO Code) which prescribes how information about infant formula can be marketed.

“We fully support the importance of encouraging and maintaining breastfeeding for as long as possible. Breast milk contains all of the essential nutrients, antibodies, and other factors important for growth and development, and they cannot be replicated by any infant formula product.

“This sponsorship deal, which will see Warriors players in the 2013 National Youth Competition and those in the 2014 and 2015 NRL team promoting an infant formula product on their uniforms, will undermine important breastfeeding messages and the Code of Practice in New Zealand,” Ms Carey said.

“The INC’s objective is to improve infant nutrition by supporting the public health goals for the protection and promotion of breastfeeding and, when needed, infant formula as the only suitable alternative.

“It is important that all companies manufacturing and marketing infant formula in New Zealand understand this and act responsibly by complying with both the voluntary marketing Code and the regulatory regime.”

The INC believes that breast milk provides an infant with the best source of nutrition, and that breastfeeding, with its numerous benefits for both mothers and babies, is the normal way to feed an infant.

Fernbaby is not a member of the INC.

INC members include Abbott Nutrition, Bayer, Biolife New Zealand, Fonterra, Dairy Goat Cooperative, H J Heinz, Murray Goulburn Co-operative, Nestlé, Nutricia, Pfizer Nutrition, Sutton Group, Synlait Milk, and Westland Milk Products.

Sports Giant Nike is trying to get the Advertising Standards Authority to reverse their decision banning brand ambassadors Wayne Rooney and Jack Wilshere for breaching advertising rules.

Nike became the first UK company to have a Twitter campaign banned when the ASA cracked down last month on the following tweets the footballers published in January. 

Wayne Rooney tweeted: “My resolution – to start the year as a champion, and finish it as a champion….#makeitcount  gonike.me/makeitcount”.

Jack Wilshere tweeted: “In 2012, I will come back for my club – and be ready for my country. #makeitcount.gonike.me/Makeitcount”.

Makeitcount is the name of a Nike Twitter-centric campaign devised by AKQA.

The ASA investigated after one complaint that challenged whether both tweets were identifiable as marketing communications. 

It ruled that in the absence of a marker, for example #ad, the tweets were not obviously identifiable as Nike marketing communications and therefore breached the CAP Code rules on recognition of marketing communications. 

However, Nike spokesman said it does not believe that Rooney and Wilshire’s Twitter followers were misled “because it was clear that the messages were connected to Nike’s Make It Count message”.

It also claims the judgement of the initial ASA examiner on the case “was that the tweets were clear and not misleading about their connection to Nike’s Make It Count campaign”.

The Greenbrier Classic will continue to be on the PGA Tour following a new six-year agreement taking their partnership through 2021.

The PGA TOUR and The Greenbrier announced today that they have signed a six-year extension that carries The Greenbrier Classic agreement through 2021.

By extending the original six-year contract, which runs through 2015, The Greenbrier Classic now becomes the longest tournament commitment on the PGA TOUR. It also extends through the length of the TOUR’s television agreements with CBS, NBC and Golf Channel. The Greenbrier Classic, which begins Thursday at The Greenbrier’s The Old White TPC Course, is televised by Golf Channel through the first two rounds and by CBS during the weekend.

“The first three years of our contract with the PGA TOUR have been a thrilling ride,” said Jim Justice, Chairman and Owner of The Greenbrier. “The TOUR is a fantastic partner and we’re so proud and excited to announce that The Greenbrier Classic will remain a bright light on the landscape of the PGA TOUR and continue to give our fans heart-pounding tournament action for years to come. The entire state of West Virginia and the region as a whole have embraced the tournament from the very beginning. Without the passion and support of our local and regional communities The Greenbrier Classic could not have grown so quickly into one of the premiere events on TOUR.”

A West Virginian who was born and raised near The Greenbrier, Justice wanted to bring a PGA TOUR tournament to The Greenbrier from the time he purchased the resort in May 2009, believing a top-tier tournament would help restore The Greenbrier’s reputation as a five-star resort.

In just its second year, The Greenbrier Classic received several awards from the PGA TOUR at last year’s Annual PGA TOUR Tournament Meeting in December, including the coveted Best in Class among all tournaments.

“Jim Justice has shown genuine passion and commitment to not only host a PGA TOUR event, but to build one into a premier stop on the PGA TOUR,” said PGA TOUR Commissioner Tim Finchem. “Through his dedicated efforts, Jim has managed to achieve his goal in just two years, as evidenced by last year’s Best in Class Award. He has turned The Greenbrier Classic into a true celebratory event during Fourth of July week. We’re obviously thrilled that Jim had a desire to move forward and extend beyond his original commitment after just three years.”

The Old White TPC Course, The Greenbrier’s original of four golf courses dating back to 1914, was designed by Charles Blair MacDonald. Following the inaugural Greenbrier Classic in 2010, when champion Stuart Applebyclosed with a 59 to tie the all-time PGA TOUR single round record and finish 22-under par, the course underwent a renovation to make it more challenging for TOUR professionals. Last year, Scott Stallings won a one-hole playoff against Bob Estes and Bill Haas after they tied at 10-under par.

“I know the players will be excited that The Greenbrier Classic will be on the schedule for years to come,” said Andy Pazder, Chief of Operations for the PGA TOUR. “The Greenbrier is one of the finest resorts in the world and provides the players and their families with a great experience to complement the tournament.”

The Greenbrier is steeped in golf history and has enjoyed considerable involvement with professional golf over the years. The Greenbrier Course, built in 1924 and renovated by Jack Nicklaus in 1977, played host to the 1979 Ryder Cup Matches as well as the 1994 Solheim Cup Matches. It also played host to a Champions Tour tournament from 1985-87. World Golf Hall of Fame member Sam Snead, the winningest player in PGA TOUR history with 82 victories, served as Golf Professional Emeritus from 1994 until his death in 2002. Tom Watson became The Greenbrier’s second Golf Professional Emeritus in 2005. The Golf Club also features a large collection of Snead and Watson memorabilia.