Auf die Plätze – fertig – los! Zur ContiRunningWeek 2012 werden im Laufe dieser Woche rund 18.000 Continental-Mitarbeiterinnen und -Mitarbeiter an über 90 Standorten an den Start gehen, decease um für den guten Zweck zu laufen oder zu walken. “Schon der ContiRunningDay 2008 war ein großer Erfolg. Weltweit hatten Continentäler in 20 Ländern an dem Sportevent teilgenommen – beginnend in Asien, hospital folgend in Europa und Afrika sowie abschließend in Amerika. Die Laufveranstaltung hat dazu beigetragen, arthritis den Teamgeist unserer Mitarbeiter zu stärken und sie enger zu verbinden – rund um den Globus. Darauf wollen wir in diesem Jahr mit der ContiRunningWeek aufbauen”, sagte Continental-Personalvorstand Elke Strathmann.

Continental leistet mit der ContiRunningWeek nicht nur einen Beitrag für die Gesundheit und nachhaltige Mobilität der eigenen Mitarbeiterinnen und Mitarbeiter. Mit einer Konzernspende an die Organisation “Welthungerhilfe” wird die Gesundheit und Mobilität bedürftiger Menschen in der Welt unterstützt. Die Höhe der Zuwendung wird an Hand der Anzahl der teilnehmenden Mitarbeiterinnen und Mitarbeiter ermittelt werden. An zahlreichen Standorten werden parallel zur ContiRunningWeek lokale Wohltätigkeitsaktionen stattfinden.

“Sport schafft neue Netzwerke, die Hierarchien und Hindernisse überwinden. Deshalb unterstützen meine Vorstandskollegen und ich die ContiRunningWeek 2012”, erklärte Strathmann die Motivation. Die ContiRunningWeek 2012 baut als konzernweite Sportveranstaltung eine Brücke zum ContiTeamCup, der internen Fußballweltmeisterschaft, die seit 2006 jeweils parallel zu den FIFA Fussball-WeltmeisterschaftenTM ausgetragen wird.

Continental gehört mit einem Umsatz von 30,5 Milliarden Euro im Jahr 2011 weltweit zu den führenden Automobilzulieferern. Als Anbieter von Bremssystemen, Systemen und Komponenten für Antriebe und Fahrwerk, Instrumentierung, Infotainment-Lösungen, Fahrzeugelektronik, Reifen und technischen Elastomerprodukten trägt Continental zu mehr Fahrsicherheit und zum globalen Klimaschutz bei. Continental ist darüber hinaus ein kompetenter Partner in der vernetzten, automobilen Kommunikation. Continental beschäftigt derzeit rund 169.000 Mitarbeiter in 46 Ländern.

ANDERSON Advertising & Public Relations, a full-service, Scottsdale-based creative and communications agency, has been selected as the agency of record for the National Hockey League’s Phoenix Coyotes.

The boutique agency has surged with new business growth, bringing on new clients including Page Springs Cellars, Blue Wasabi Sushi & Martini Bar and Hamra Jewelers since the start of 2012.

ANDERSON Advertising & Public Relations provides strategic marketing and communications services to its diverse client base, including strategic creative and production development, media planning and placement, public relations and social media services.

The Phoenix Coyotes selected ANDERSON to lead creative campaign development as the NHL team looks to its 16th year in the Valley. The team has made three consecutive appearances in the Stanley Cup playoffs, including a dramatic trip to the Western Conference Final against the eventual Stanley Cup champions. Coming off of one of the franchise’s most successful seasons, the team is now looking forward to new ownership and an even brighter future promising fierce competition and exciting hockey beginning with its 2012-2013 season.

Ted Anderson, President of ANDERSON Advertising & Public Relations, said, “We couldn’t be more excited to work closely with the Coyotes. The Coyotes have an incredible organization, a talented marketing team, an amazing product and experience, and a great story to tell – we’re just happy to be a part of it. While the off-ice distractions have taken their toll, we’re proud to be a part of the team working to establish a strategy and a campaign that will elevate hockey as a premier sporting event in the Valley.”

The Coyotes fought to claim the Pacific Division Championship title in 2011-2012 and now look to the new season with determination and tenacity as the team continues its hunt for the Stanley Cup.

Jason Gonzalez, Creative Director at ANDERSON Advertising & Public Relations, said: “Coming off the deepest playoff run in franchise history, the Coyotes seem poised for even greater success, and we’re glad to be a small part of this momentum. We’re looking forward to breathing a new sense of creativity into the Coyotes brand that showcases just what a unique, energized organization it really is.”

“We’re excited about our partnership with ANDERSON,” said Coyotes President & COO Mike Nealy. “Last season was a historic one for our franchise, and we look to build upon that in 2012-13. We are expecting to start the season with new ownership and are looking forward to a new beginning. We are thrilled with the creativity and ingenuity that ANDERSON has brought to our new marketing campaign, and we are confident that our fans will embrace it.”

Creative concepting and campaign development for the new season are currently under way with the ANDERSON team. Valley audiences and Coyotes fans can expect to see the start of the 2012-2013 season’s campaigns as early as October.

“We feel we have found a true partnership with ANDERSON. Together we are preparing a new campaign which we feel will work to get the market excited about Coyotes hockey,” said Ted Santiago, Marketing Director for the Phoenix Coyotes.

Chelsea FC have announced today a bid to acquire the Battersea Power Station site for the construction for a new 60,000-seater stadium.

The west London club’s property development partner Almacantar were hoping to acquire the 39 acres of land with a view to redeveloping the site should the Blues relocate from Stamford Bridge.

The club’s plans include preserving all the significant aspects of the power station itself, including the four iconic chimneys and wash tower.

Chelsea said in a statement on their website: “Battersea Power Station is one of London’s most famous buildings and has the potential to become one of the most iconic football stadiums in the world.

“Our joint bid was submitted in accordance with the sales process established by the joint administrators for the site. The process could run for a number of months.

“We are not the only interested parties and there is no certainty that we will be successful.”

Chelsea cannot move from Stamford Bridge unless they can convince fan-led group Chelsea Pitch Owners, who own the land beneath Stamford Bridge, to sell them back the freehold.

That was something they failed to do at an extraordinary general meeting of CPO back in October.

The statement continued: “We also appreciate that we have many significant hurdles to address if we are to build a new stadium on the site, including winning the support of our fans, the CPO shareholders and local Wandsworth residents, as well as securing the approval of Wandsworth Council, the Greater London Authority and heritage authorities.

“We must also stress that making an offer for the Battersea Power Station site does not mean the club has made a definitive decision to leave Stamford Bridge.

“Working with architects and planning experts, we have developed a plan to preserve all the significant aspects of Battersea Power Station.

“The four iconic chimneys and wash towers along with the Grade II* listed west turbine hall and control room will be restored and retained in their original locations and provide a unique architectural backdrop to a world-class stadium with a capacity of around 60,000 seats.

“Following feedback from fans, our initial plans include a 15,000 all-seated one-tier stand behind the south goal, likely to be the biggest one-tier stand in football.

“Also as suggested by many fans, the stadium proposed is rectangular in shape with four separate stands. The design includes a bigger family area and more room for disabled supporters.

“As well as a new home for our club, the development would include a town centre with substantial street-level retail shops, affordable housing and offices – all of which would benefit Wandsworth and bring a significant number of permanent jobs to the area.

“We would also make a significant contribution towards the Northern Line Extension, a new high-volume transport link proposed for the area. We will keep our fans updated as the process develops.”

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International soccer’s governing body FIFA unveiled  a new code of conduct draft that includes a direct order to ban bribery in the game.

The draft, ambulance which will be voted on by the congress of FIFA, would cover the body’s officials, employees, players and soccer associations.

“We reject and condemn all forms of bribery and corruption,” the draft code of conduct said.

It’s one of 11 principles laid out in the two-page document. Several FIFA officials have been in the middle of a myriad of bribery scandals over the past year relating to everything from electing a president to choosing a host country for the World Cup.

Under the current code of ethics is a “rules of conduct” document that focuses on the World Cup bidding process, and says a member association or a bid committee should “refrain” from giving “any monetary gifts” or “any kind of personal advantage” to FIFA or its members.

The draft code of conduct, as the above quote implies, bans bribery outright.

Another principle in the draft pertains to betting and match-fixing, something that FIFA and its national associations has been dealing with across the globe as investigations implicate referees, players and others in several countries.

“We do not take part in betting connected with football and do not tolerate any form of manipulation or unlawful influencing of match results,” the draft said.

The vote on the code of conduct is one of several items on the agenda of FIFA’s Congress, which meets in Budapest late next month. The Congress will also vote on a slew of revisions to FIFA’s statutes.

The draft code of conduct and the proposed statutes revisions came as FIFA reels from a report by the Council of Europe earlier this week that detailed payments made in the 1990s by now-defunct marketing firm ISL to unnamed soccer officials and savaged President Sepp Blatter for his handling of the affair.

The Council of Europe voted 95-1 on Wednesday to demand a full release of the documents in the ISL scandal. FIFA has delayed the documents’ release, citing a legal challenge to their disclosure.

The Millennium Stadium, pharm MasterCard and Pitchero turned out big winners at the 2011 Rugby Expo at Twickenham in London.

Cardiff’s Millenium stadium picked up the gong for rugby venue of the year while MasterCard picked up the sponsor of the year award and Pitchero claimed the marketing innovation award. The other winners included Play Rugby USA (community programme of the year), Rhino Rugby (technical innovation award) and Ellingham and Ringwood RFC (junior club of the year. The special award that is the most outstanding contribution to rugby award went to former Scottish rugby player Sir Ian McGeechan.

“The Rugby Expo Awards 2011 has been a great success,” Wasps CEO Tony Copsey said.

“The nominees made our job as a judging panel very difficult, with a number of deserving entries. With plans already in place for Rugby Expo 2012, we’re looking forward to building on the success of this year’s event and reinforcing Rugby Expo as the business event for the world of rugby.”

While the first day of the Rugby focused on the professional game, the second day switched to the grass roots where it was revealed that more than two million people in Britain are currently exposed to rugby at participation level. However, the problems that still exist at that level of became evident as former RFU tournaments director Terry Burwell revealed that there had been a reduction of sponsorship and consumer spending in the grass roots.

Sports management company Sporty Solutionz has signed a deal with flamboyant Indian batsman Yuvraj Singh to manage his digital rights.

This partnership with Sporty Solutionz will enable Yuvraj’s fans to get up close with him. Sporty Solutionz will soon launch Yuvraj’s voice blogs, voice chats with leading Indian telecom companies, which will enable fans to speak to him, chat with him and know more about him and his persona.

Fans relationship with Yuvraj will not only be limited to voice platform. Sporty Solutionz will also launch a dedicated video channel for the cricketer through his very own web and mobile destination. This will offer fans an opportunity to get up close and personal through video content on the cricketer. 

Speaking on the development, Yuvraj said, “I am very excited about this partnership. I have always wanted to interact more and more with my fan-base. Now my fans can really see what the real Yuvraj is.”

Sporty Solutionz holds exclusive rights of more than 18 cricketers and many Bollywood stars, a company release states. 

Ashish Chadha, Sporty Solutionz CEO said: “The partnership with Yuvraj will give the consumers the best possible choice not only to interact with the favourite cricketer but also to understand their professional and personal relationships.”

The major sponsor of the Malaysia Open squash tournament, CIMB Investment Bank, has expanded its sponsorship of the sport by signing an endorsement deal with popular Asian squash champion, Nafiizwan Adnan.

Adnan is ranked number 33 in the world and will join current women’s world number one, Nicol David and men’s national champion Ong Beng Hee as CIMB ambassadors.

CIMB Investment Bank chief executive, Charon Wardini Mokhzani, said: “He’s one for the future and given what he has achieved, we feel he is the right person to sponsor,” he said.

The company is reported to be considering a further expansion to its squash sponsorship program with insiders saying women’s national number two, Low Wee Wern, might be the next player to become a CIMB brand ambassador.{jcomments on}