Work Begins on England’s USD161m National Football Centre

Work has officially begun on the £100m (US$161.2m) development of the National Football Centre near Burton, after plans were first made public for the venue 10 years ago.

The St. George’s Park facility will be the new base for the England side when they meet up for international fixtures and is due to open in the summer of 2012.

The site, bought by the FA in 2001, will also host the Football Association’s coach training courses.

FA Chairman, David Sheepshanks, said: “Today is a momentous day for everyone in England who has football in their heart.”

“St. George’s Park will be the home of FA Learning – in short it will be a multi-sporting destination of choice for all.”

It will also be the headquarters for the League Managers’ Association and home to a centre for sports medicine and performance analysis. There will be community-use pitches and a multi-sports centre as well as hotels and conference facilities.

The project has created 280 permanent new jobs and is expected to generate between £5m ($8m) and £6m ($9.6m) for the local economy.

A-League Teams to Get Share from FFA Sale of Western Sydney Wanderers

Football Federation Australia Chairman Frank Lowy has revealed all A-League clubs will get a share from their $10 million sale of Western Sydney Wanderers.

The long-awaited deal means ownership of the club will pass to a consortium chaired by Primo Smallgoods businessman Paul Lederer.

Lederer will be joined by Pirtek founder Peter Duncan, Filipino-Chinese businessman Jefferson Cheng and a fourth investor who Lowy confirmed would be David Slade, who is a family friend of the FFA chairman and a partner in British fashion outlet Topshop-Topman.

The FFA, which started the Wanderers with the help of $4 million in federal funding almost two years ago, has been eager to sell the club.

While Lowy called the Wanderers “a good investment”, the amount of money the FFA poured into the club is not known.

Lowy would not disclose what revenue the governing body was expected to make, but he confirmed A-League clubs would get a share.

“The new people who are coming in are very experienced in running the club,” Lowy said.

“I think we’ll get around $10 million or so (for the sale).

“I don’t dare to tell you (the expected surplus). We don’t have the final result and I don’t like to talk before then, but we’ll be sharing some of the surplus with the clubs.

Asked what other areas the money would be allocated to, Lowy simply said: “The whole of the game will benefit from this.”

60 Sponsorship Deals of the Week: 14/02/14

1

BMW Motorsport Announces GermanPV as Official Partner

Friday, 14 February 2014

2

Adrenaline Sponsors Major League Lacrosse

Friday, 14 February 2014

3

Shell Named Official Fuel Partner of FIA World Endurance Championship & European Le Mans

Friday, 14 February 2014

4

Mizuno to Sponsor Triathlete Javier Gómez Noya

Friday, 14 February 2014

5

Kelley Blue Book Joins Hendrick Motorsports as Primary Sponsor in 2014 & 2015

Friday, 14 February 2014

6

TMS to Title Sponsor NCTTA Table Tennis Championships

Friday, 14 February 2014

7

MMA Fighter Sheldon Westcott Joins Nutrie as Ambassador

Friday, 14 February 2014

8

Attack Poker Becomes Official Online Gaming Partner of Bellator MMA

Friday, 14 February 2014

9

Joe Gibbs Racing Retains Ingersoll Rand Sponsorship

Thursday, 13 February 2014

10 

PGA Tour’s Jimmy Walker Reveals Celestron Partnership

Thursday, 13 February 2014

11

MLL’s Tucker Durkin to Endorse STX Products

Thursday, 13 February 2014

12

NSW Waratahs Reveal Elderton as Official Wine Partner

Thursday, 13 February 2014

13

AutoTrader Sponsors Team Penske’s Joey Logano for 2014 Season

Thursday, 13 February 2014

14

U.S. Bank Named New Title Sponsor of OC Marathon

Thursday, 13 February 2014

15

Talking Stick Extends Title Sponsorship of NASCAR K&N Pro Series-West Race at PIR

Thursday, 13 February 2014

16

Undefeated Boxer Ryan “Blue Chip” Martin Inks Endorsement Deal with RevolutionWear

Thursday, 13 February 2014

17

Hinckley Yachts to Support Bermuda Race

Thursday, 13 February 2014

18

AIA Expands Tottenham Hotspur Deal as New Principal Shirt Sponsor

Thursday, 13 February 2014

19

Herbalife Renew Sponsorship of Triathlete Heather Jackson

Thursday, 13 February 2014

20

Speed Stick GEAR to Sponsor Swan Racing’s Cole Whitt at Daytona 500

Thursday, 13 February 2014

21

SmartStop Self Storage to Sponsor MMA Fighter Shawn “The Great” Bunch

Thursday, 13 February 2014

22

BetBright to Sponsor Kempton Park Chase

Wednesday, 12 February 2014

23

Olympic Gold Medalist Kerri Walsh Jennings Becomes Designer Whey Ambassador

Wednesday, 12 February 2014

24

Under Armour to Sponsor Bay to Breakers Race

Wednesday, 12 February 2014

25

Rising Golf Star Mackenzie Hughes Retains theScore Sponsorship

Wednesday, 12 February 2014

26

Fulham Partner with Gaming Technology Brand Power8

Wednesday, 12 February 2014

27

AC Milan Ink Fujitsu Partnership

Wednesday, 12 February 2014

28

Gremio to Suit Up with Spirito Santo

Wednesday, 12 February 2014

29

Spec-Savers Named Official Optical Supplier of Cricket South Africa

Wednesday, 12 February 2014

30

Genworth to Sponsor Williams F1

Wednesday, 12 February 2014

31

Asteron Life Secures Naming Rights to Super Rugby’s Australian Conference

Wednesday, 12 February 2014

32

Allianz Agree Bayern Munich Extension Worth 150 Million Dollars

Wednesday, 12 February 2014

33

Wiley X Reveals Sponsorship Line-Up for 2014 NASCAR Season

Wednesday, 12 February 2014

34

Arena to Supply Equipment for England Team at Glasgow 2014 Games

Wednesday, 12 February 2014

35

AdvoCare Signs Three-Year Deal as Texas Bowl Title Sponsor

Tuesday, 11 February 2014

36

Boxer Anthony Ogogo Inks Nike Endorsement Deal

Tuesday, 11 February 2014

37

Providence Health Secures Naming Rights to Portland Timbers’ Stadium

Tuesday, 11 February 2014

38

Mobile Solutions to Sponsor PGA Tour’s David Duval

Tuesday, 11 February 2014

39

Saracens Announce CME Group as Back of Shirt Sponsor

Tuesday, 11 February 2014

40

MK Dons Announce Bidvest 3663 Partnership

Tuesday, 11 February 2014

41

Major League Lacrosse Reveal STX Partnership for 2014 Season

Tuesday, 11 February 2014

42

Zhik to Supply Yachting New Zealand

Tuesday, 11 February 2014

43

Australian Open Champion Stanislas Wawrinka Endorses SUBARU

Tuesday, 11 February 2014

44

USA Triathlon Extends Deals with Four Sponsors

Tuesday, 11 February 2014

45

NASCAR Names ACORE as Official Green Partner

Tuesday, 11 February 2014

46

Tower Hospitality Becomes Exclusive Hotel Partner of New Jersey Motorsports Park

Tuesday, 11 February 2014

47

COMP Cams to Sponsor Summit SuperSeries at Memphis International Raceway

Tuesday, 11 February 2014

48

Arsenal Announce Cooper Tire as Official Partner

Tuesday, 11 February 2014

49

CMC Markets to Sponsor NSW Waratahs

Tuesday, 11 February 2014

50

Gilbert Remains Exclusive Super Rugby Ball Supplier

Monday, 10 February 2014

51

Kukri Named Official Kit Supplier of Warwickshire Cricket

Monday, 10 February 2014

52

Schüco Renews Naming Rights of Arminia Bielefeld’s Stadium

Monday, 10 February 2014

53

Verizon Wireless Expands Team Penske Sponsorship to Include Juan Pablo Montoya

Monday, 10 February 2014

54

STX to Supply Team USA Lacrosse Until 2016

Monday, 10 February 2014

55

Budweiser Set to End Title Sponsorship of FA Cup

Monday, 10 February 2014

56

Mercedes-Benz Becomes Exclusive Car Partner of Hong Kong Golf Association

Monday, 10 February 2014

57

IOC Extends Atos TOP Partnership Until 2020

Monday, 10 February 2014

58

PEAK Antifreeze Sponsors NHRA’s John Force Racing

Monday, 10 February 2014

59

CNBC’s ‘The PROFIT’ to Title Sponsor NASCAR Race at Phoenix International Raceway

Monday, 10 February 2014

60

Continental Continues as Presenting Partner of Canadian Touring Car Championship

Monday, 10 February 2014

Former IRB Commercial Director Huw Morgan Becomes England Basketball CEO

Huw Morgan, buy the former Commercial Director of the International Rugby Board (IRB), erectile has been announced as the new chief executive of England Basketball.

Morgan will begin his new role next week, viagra after the National Governing Body announced the appointment today.

“I am privileged in having this opportunity to be part of an organisation that has an ambition to progress in many areas,” said Morgan.

“I hope to assist with this development through an approach which maintains the traditions and ethos of the sport combined with innovative and creative projects which are attractive to all constituents and participants.”

It marks the end of over two months of uncertainty, after former CEO, Keith Mair, officially left at the end of August, leaving the federation without a boss and forcing members of the independent board to oversee proceedings.

Morgan, a Welshman, resigned from his job with the IRB at the end of March, after over a decade in the position, citing the need for “new challenges”.

He took the Rugby World Cup’s commercial revenues to in excess of over £630m under his tenure, and helped “transform the revenue raising capacity of the IRB”, exceeding all financial targets in the process,according to IRB chairman Bernard Lapasset.

In addition, Morgan has worked with the European PGA, Arrows F1 and as CEO of Rugby Union team Harlequins. He has considerable operational management experience and has developed major commercial programmes which include all aspects of broadcasting, sponsorship, commercial ticketing and licensing.

“We were delighted with the quality of the candidates which led to Huw’s appointment,” England Basketball’s Chairman Jan Hagen said.

“In Huw we have found a senior sports leader that can help us bring basketball to a much bigger stage. I am very much looking forward to working with Huw and all other stakeholders to continue to bring the sport together and drive it forward.”

LOCOG Apologise for Flag Mix-Up During North Korean Olympic Soccer Match

London 2012 event organisers LOCOG have apologised to North Korea’s women’s football team after the wrong flag was displayed during national anthems.

The South Korea flag was shown alongside players’ names on screens at Hampden Park instead of the North Korea equivalent when a video package was being shown ahead of kick-off.

The Koreans headed back into their dressing room in digust but were eventually persuaded to take the field and the game kicked off an hour and five minutes after it was meant to.

However, the organisers of the London 2012 event (LOCOG) issued a statement of apology over the incident which came a day before the Games were officially opened.

It read: “Today ahead of the women’s football match at Hampden Park, the South Korean flag was shown on a big screen video package instead of the North Korean flag. Clearly this is a mistake, we will apologise to the team and the national Olympic committee and steps will be taken to ensure this does not happen again.”

South Korea and North Korea exist as neighbours but have a far from harmonious relationship.

The countries were formally established as separate entities in 1948, and the Korean War began in 1950. Only two years ago, North Korean artillery shells killed four people, two from the military and two civilians, on Yeonpyeong Island in South Korea.

Manchester City to Expand New Ticketing Scheme

Manchester City are in the midst of expanding their season ticket scheme to allow fans to use their membership cards to interact with each other and swap content.

The football club, discount currently hitting the heights at the top of the Premier League, site is utilising the cards’ RFID (radio frequency identification) technology to make the cards more personal to each individual fan.

Manchester City supporters will soon be able to use their smartphones to access exclusive augmented reality content based around players from the team. When they are in the vicinity of another fan with a membership card they could soon be able to swap the content – like stickers – with friends.

Richard Ayers, rx Manchester City’s head of digital, says: “[This] takes [being a fan] out of the TV and the home and the stadium and puts it in the pub and makes it very personal.”

Manchester City launched its digital membership scheme this season. Beyond augmented reality content, the tiered scheme also allows fans to collect points to go towards purchases at the City of Manchester Stadium and the club’s website.

The football club has launched a series of digital initiatives in recent months as it looks to take advantage of the team’s current good run of form and engage with more fans to boost online revenue.

They recently signed a lucrative deal with YouTube.

Blatter Gets Boost Amid Corruption Chaos with Oceania Backing

Despite untimely fresh allegations of corruption within FIFA, the current president of world soccer’s governing body Sepp Blatter has received another boost in his bid to re-elected for a fourth term after the Oceania confederation confirmed their support for the Swiss.

Blatter is widely expected to gain the support of CONCACAF at the elections, as well as UEFA, who last week confirmed their backing for the 75-year-old, up against Qatari Asian Football Confederation (AFC) president Mohamed Bin Hammam.

Oceania have followed suit following a meeting of their executive committee in Auckland today, May 12, with a statement revealing Blatter’s “significant impact” on the region during his 13 years in office had been a determining factor.

The statement read: “As the 61st FIFA Congress draws closer, OFC has confirmed its support for the re-election of FIFA president Joseph Blatter citing a range of initiatives that have positively impacted the region under his leadership.

“The OFC Executive Committee met in Auckland today to discuss key issues including the upcoming FIFA election that will be held in Zurich on the 1st of June.

“OFC President David Chung says all members agreed that the current FIFA administration has had a significant impact on the development and popularity of football across the Pacific.

“While all Member Associations have an independent right to decide on which candidate to vote for, President Chung says today’s decision highlights the unity and transparency within the Confederation.”

Manchester Council Agree to Naming Rights Sale of City’s Stadium

According to media reports English Premier League soccer club Manchester City has been granted permission by the City’s council, to look for a multi-million pound deal to sell the naming rights of the stadium.

The Blues required the go-ahead from the council, which owns the former Commonwealth Games stadium, to rename Eastlands.

The club can now look for a new title sponsor of the venue, which is still officially named the City of Manchester Stadium, in a deal that would boost revenues as they struggle to meet UEFA’s new financial fair play rules. 

With City posting a loss of £121m (US$193.75m) last year, the new rules in place state that clubs playing in Europe must be close to breaking even within three years.

If the naming rights can be sold for big money than the club may well come close to achieving the required feat. A recent example saw league rivals Arsenal sell the rights to its stadium to the Emirates airline for around £100m ($161m) in 2006, in a deal running until 2021. 

City signed a 250-year lease on their current stadium, after moving from it’s previous home at Maine Road to Eastlands in 2003, which sees the club pay a set rate to the council, regardless of attendances. 

According to media reports, no deal has yet been made, but shirt sponsor Etihad Airways is expected to be amongst the front runners.

FA Committee Rejects Hull City’s Request for Name Change

Hull City owner Assem Allam has been dealt a blow today in his bid to change the name of the Premier League team after the Football Association confirmed their Membership Committee rejected their request.

The Committee made a unanimous recommendation to the FA Council to reject Hull City’s request to change their playing name to Hull Tigers from next season.

The recommendation, which came after consultation with stakeholders within and outside of the game, will now be discussed and voted upon at a full FA Council meeting on April 9.

The Premier League club’s owner Assem Allam is attempting to rebrand the club as Hull Tigers in order to increase their commercial appeal to potential sponsors, and has described the word City as “common” and “lousy.”

The FA said in a statement: “The FA can confirm its Membership Committee met on Wednesday [12 March] and has made a unanimous recommendation to The FA Council to reject Hull City’s request to change their playing name to Hull Tigers from next season.

“The recommendation, which came after consultation with stakeholders within and outside of the game, will be discussed and voted upon at a full FA Council meeting on 9 April 2014.

“Hull City are able to make a further submission to The FA Council in view of the written reasons, which they have received, before the 9 April meeting.

“A final decision will be made at that meeting. As such, The FA will be making no further comment at this time.”

The decision was hailed by the Football Supporters’ Federation.

FSF chief executive Kevin Miles said: “This is undoubtedly the right decision and credit should go both to the FA and to Hull City fans, who led a tremendous campaign.

“The fans’ groups and fanzines who came together under the City Till We Die banner have protected their club’s heritage and 110-year-old name with great dignity.

“The FA’s decision should also serve as a warning to other owners – such fundamental changes to a club’s identity should not be made without the support of the fans.”

Former British Triathlon President Sarah Springman Joins UK Sport Board

Professor Sarah Springman CBE, viagra sale the former British Triathlon President and Chair has been appointed to the Board of UK Sport.

Sarah, clinic who is the current First Vice President of the International Triathlon Union (ITU), has served in a number of key positions in British sport over the last fifteen years. She brings a wealth of experience and performance knowledge to this post.

British Triathlon enjoyed a very successful period of growth and Olympic success during Sarah’s time at the helm and the organisation is ‘delighted that the wider world of British Sport will benefit from her input.’

On the announcement of her appointment, Sarah said: “Leading an aspirational National Governing Body up to, and through, a home Olympics, has been a great experience, allowing me to learn a great deal about how to support the teams behind the athletes and the athletes themselves to deliver success when it matters most, winning Olympic medals.”

She continued, “UK Sport has an extremely important role to play in this next ‘Rio’ cycle, and with a home Commonwealth Games to gauge improvement along the way, I look forward to this exciting opportunity to make a contribution across all of UK Sport’s strategic areas.”