Bradford Bulls Renew Partnership with Provident

Super League team Bradford Bulls have announced an extension to the club’s major partnership with Provident Personal Credit.

The UK’s leading home credit lender, Provident Personal Credit, has this evening revealed how it will be backing the Bulls for an additional fifth year as part of the new agreement.

The sponsorship, which was originally agreed prior to the start of the 2013 season and includes stadium naming rights, will again see their branding take centre stage on Bradford’s playing jerseys.

Bulls chief executive Robbie Hunter-Paul said: “We are absolutely thrilled to have received such incredible, continued support from what is one of the city’s biggest companies – and biggest employers.

“Provident Personal Credit have stood by the club through thick and thin and, together, we want to rise back to the sport’s summit.

“The journey has begun for us and we are delighted to have Provident Personal Credit on board for what promises to be an exciting ride.

“In my 20 years working in the industry, I have seen few better partners than Provident Personal Credit.

“They have certainly set the benchmark in terms of how a partner operates, not only supporting the club but supporting the supporters.

“Tonight, they have given away five memberships – for 2015 and 2016 – and they intend to replicate that at next week’s End of Season Ball!”

Managing director of Provident Personal Credit, Mark Stevens, said: “Whilst it has been a tough few years for the Bulls, we have thoroughly enjoyed our partnership with the club – through thick and thin.

“We have every faith in Marc Green and his team achieving their goal of getting the club back to where it belongs, both on and off the pitch, so we are delighted to extend our partnership into a fifth year and join the Bulls every step of the way on their journey back.”

MTG brings Premier League to Denmark

Swedish media company Modern Times Group (MTG) has extended its offering of the Premier League across Scandinavia by announcing two new pay-TV channels in Denmark dedicated to the coverage of the League.

The company’s TV 2 Sport joint venture with TV 2 in Denmark will launch two new TV 2 Sport subscription channels which will provide live coverage of the Premier League for the next three years.

The announcement follows on from the news that MTG-owned Viasat had acquired the exclusive rights to Premier League football in Sweden, and the carriage of three TV 2 HD channels featuring coverage of the League in Norway.

This means Viasat will be the only platform to hold the rights across Scandinavia, and Hans-Holger Albrecht, President and CEO of MTG, said: “This changes the Scandinavian pay-TV broadcasting landscape in terms of premium sports coverage, and clearly positions Viasat as the home of premium sports entertainment by adding to our already extensive portfolio of local and international sports rights.

“Not only will subscribers be able to watch matches from one of the most exciting leagues in the world, with local language commentary, but they will also be able to access a wide range of high quality related programming including highlights, profiles, interviews and analysis.”

TV 2 Sport Premier League and TV 2 Sport Premier League HD will be launched on the Viasat satellite platform and third party IPTV (Internet Protocol Television) networks in Denmark on 13 August, and will provide coverage of all 380 matches during the Premier League season.

AHL Partner with Premier Technology Solutions

The Australian Hockey League (AHL) have partnered with Premier Technology Solutions that will see the Australian owned and operated ICT provider become Hockey Australia’s integrated IT partner.

The forthcoming men’s and women’s tournaments, help which get underway in Adelaide and Brisbane respectively on Saturday 4 October, herbal will be known as the Australian Hockey League powered by Premier Technology Solutions. 

Cam Vale, purchase Hockey Australia Chief Executive, said, “This marks the first time in more than a decade that the AHL will have a title sponsor and it’s a real boost for the sport that the Australian Hockey League will be powered by Premier Technology Solutions. Their experience in the IT industry and customer-focused solutions will help Hockey Australia continue to operate as a leading organisation in our industry.” 

Vale added, “Both Hockey South Australia and Hockey Queensland are doing an excellent job in preparing to host the championships and we look forward to crowning our national champions on 11 October.”

Founder and Director of Premier, Matt Beesley said, “Partnering with Hockey Australia was an obvious choice because like the Australian Hockey League, Premier offers a world class product and often doesn’t receive the recognition it deserves. Working together we hope to lift the profile of both organisations.”

In the coming weeks, Hockey Australia will announce the 16 squads for the Australian Hockey League powered by Premier Technology Solutions.

Cincinatti Bengals Extend with Official Bank Partner

Cincinatti Bengals have announced an extension of their relationship with Fifth Third Bank, discount the “Hometown Bank” of Cincinnati.

First forged in 2009, the club’s partnership with Fifth Third will now run an additional five years, through the 2019 NFL season.

The “Official Bank of the Bengals” will also remain the annual presenting sponsor of Bengals Training Camp.

“We are excited to announce this extension,” said Katie Blackburn, Bengals executive vice-president. “Fifth Third has done a tremendous job activating our partnership with creative promotions that provide value to their customers and to our fans. We look forward to our continued relationship with this Cincinnati icon.”

Through the mutually-beneficial alliance, Fifth Third will continue to offer exclusive, team-affiliated banking products and services like Bengals Checking, and will maintain its comprehensive signage and promotional presence within Paul Brown Stadium, including ATM services. The contract also preserves Fifth Third’s television, radio, in-game and social media relationships with the Bengals. 

Perks for Fifth Third Bengals Checking account holders will be upgraded starting in 2015. In addition to their specially designed Bengals debit card and checks, plus priority seating at Training Camp, account holders will receive early access to the stadium on game days and a 15 percent discount at the Bengals Pro-Shop on non-game days.  

“The alliance between Fifth Third and the Bengals not only provides an effective and unique way for us to reach and interact with customers and prospects, but also allows us to further support our headquarters city of Cincinnati,” said Mike Michael, President and CEO of Fifth Third Bank (Cincinnati). 

“From Bengals ‘Who Dey’ pride and national visibility of the Queen City, to hospitality, tourism, and development along the Banks, the social and economic impacts of the Cincinnati Bengals are enormous. The extension of our relationship as ‘The Official Bank of the Cincinnati Bengals’ is not only an expression of our proud support for the team, but a demonstration of our continued investment and commitment to the families and businesses that call Greater Cincinnati home.”

“When you’re a Bengals season ticket holder, Paul Brown Stadium and the Jungle Zone are like your second home,” said Mike Michael. “We’re excited to provide one lucky local Bengals fan with season tickets for the next 20 years, so they can ‘Move Into The Jungle.’”

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Ulster Partner with Health Insurance Brand

Pro 12 team Ulster have signed a sponsorship deal with H3, Northern Ireland’s first local provider of private health insurance and part of the 3fivetwo Group.

The sponsorship deal will see a new premier H3 lounge introduced at Kingspan Stadium, which will host 452 season ticket holders and their VIP guests. 

“We are delighted that H3 Health Insurance has become the first sponsor of our Premium Lounge, which will now be called The H3 Lounge,” said Phillip Polack, business development manager at Ulster Rugby.

“It’s a great facility which is all just part of the Ulster Rugby success story as we wait for the first home game of the season to kick off this Friday. H3 Lounge season tickets are sold out for the second year in succession and there is an extensive waiting list for the 2015/16 season.”

Director of H3 Health Insurance Gavin Higgins added: “We are huge fans of our rugby heroes and we saw this as a great opportunity to support local sporting excellence while putting across the message that health insurance can give everyone, from athletes to businesses and families to young children, immediate access to local medical expertise.”

BT pens Sky Sports deal

British Telecom (BT) has agreed a deal that will see it show more Premier League matches next season after it signed a contract with BSkyB for the supply of two Sky Sports channels.

The deal follows regulator Ofcom’s ruling that BSkyB must sell its premium sports content to rivals at regulated prices.

BT on-demand digital television customers will now be able to view Sky Sports 1 and Sky Sports 2 from 1 August, in time for the new Premier League Season.

Chief Executive of BT Retail, Gavin Patterson, said: “We are delighted to have reached this milestone, which means that we can be certain of offering Sky Sports 1 and Sky Sports 2 to our customers before the football season kicks off. We know our customers will be keen to sign up for the two channels.”

The price to BT cusotmers will be announced shortly, but it has also promised to undercut its rivals by offering a package which includes both Sky Sports channels and ESPN – the other channel which shows live Premier League matches – at less than £20 a month.

NHL Signs New Procter and Gamble Deal

The National Hockey League (NHL) today announced have announced a partnership with consumer product company, Procter and Gamble Co. (P&G).

The consumer products giant will partner its Oral Care division with the NHL in Canada, aligning products that are part of P&G’s ‘Leadership Brands’ portfolio, which are among the world’s best known household names.

The Official Partner of the NHL has also signed NHL player Martin St. Louis as the official spokesperson for its newest product, Crest Sensi-Relief, which is available in stores nationwide. Along with his wife, Heather, the St. Louis’ will be featured in a national print ad campaign this fall. St. Louis, winner of the 2003-04 Stanley Cup, has played in more than 1,000 games over his 15 seasons in the NHL. He is also the winner of numerous NHL Awards, including the 2003-04 Hart Trophy as League MVP, and is a six-time NHL All-Star.

“We’re thrilled to be partnering with the NHL on the launch of the new Crest Sensi line of products,” said Victoria Maybee, Communications Manager for Crest Canada. “Hockey is a favourite Canadian pastime that highlights how we make the best of our long cold winters, and tooth sensitivity is most often triggered by cold food, drinks and cold air. No one wants to suffer with tooth sensitivity, and with new Crest Sensi Relief toothpaste, we’re helping Canadians bench sensitivity.”

“Crest, Oral-B and Scope are powerful household names and through our partnership with P&G we have found a fantastic way to express to NHL fans a core product benefit of reducing tooth sensitivity through an engaging hockey-themed story,” said Kyle McMann, NHL Group VP, Integrated Sales. “The collaboration with NHL superstar Martin St. Louis will make our communication even more powerful, connecting fans to the player they already know on the ice in a meaningful way, while reinforcing the benefits P&G brands provide.”

P&G Canada will introduce its starting line-up of leadership brands Crest, Oral-B, Scope, and Fixodent to the 2014-15 NHL season via a co-branded broadcast spot, digital vignettes, and on-site activations at NHL events.

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England’s defeat draws close to 20 million viewers

A peak audience of 19.5 million watched England’s 4-1 defeat by Germany on the BBC as they were knocked out of the FIFA World Cup.

The BBC’s coverage of the game had an average audience of 17.8 million between 2pm and 5pm, which was an 82 per cent share of the TV-watching audience.

The audience was England’s second highest of the tournament, after their group game against Algeria drew an average of 18.8 million viewers.

Their first match against the United States attracted an average audience of 17.6 million, while the game against Slovenia drew 12.8 million viewers.

Gatorade Sign Multi-Year Ironman Deal

Gatorade have signed a multi-year deal with IRONMAN and IRONMAN 70.3 to have the energy sports drink on U.S. race courses beginning in 2015.

Through the new partnership, Gatorade Endurance Formula, served on over 300 endurance race courses nationwide, will be distributed at all IRONMAN and IRONMAN 70.3 triathlons in the United States. 

“We are thrilled to be an official partner of IRONMAN, an organization that shares our passion for fueling the endurance community,” said Brett O’Brien, Gatorade General Manager and Senior Vice President. “This partnership is a natural progression in our mission to provide the endurance community with innovative solutions that meet their specific fueling needs.”

“We always look to partner with organizations that share our passion and commitment to helping our athletes succeed,” said Andrew Messick, Chief Executive Officer for IRONMAN. “Gatorade Endurance Formula is a product backed by science and one that our athletes know and trust. We’re confident that its presence on our U.S. race courses will help get them to the finish line. We are delighted to have Gatorade Endurance in the IRONMAN family in the United States.”

Ditech to Sponsor Stewart-Haas Racing

Ditech Mortgage Corp. has announced a partnership with Stewart-Haas Racing to serve as an associate sponsor for Kevin Harvick’s team beginning with the Sept. 12-14 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race weekend at Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet, Illinois. 

ditech will appear on Harvick’s car and on the chest of his firesuit, the company announced this week.

“At ditech, we’re all NASCAR fans,” said Patti Cook, president of DT Holdings, parent company of ditech. “NASCAR is part of the fabric of America, and so is ditech’s goal of securing home ownership for as many Americans as possible. Everyone – from our employees to our customers – can’t wait to cheer on Kevin’s amazing team on the racetrack.”

ditech was once one of the biggest names in the mortgage market. In the pre-crash days, ditech was one of the leading subprime lenders, with the bulk of its mortgages being interest-only, low-documentation subprime loans.

The company was also a pioneer in offering 125% loans, which allowed the borrower to borrow more than the sale price of the home. When the mortgage bubble broke, ditech suffered huge losses and disappeared from view until very recently.

The company re-launched in a new form in May, having been formed from the assets of the GMACRescap estate, purchased by Walter Investment Management Corp. (WAC) in November 2012.

At the time, the company said it was launching with a three-pronged approach to reclaiming some of the market share it once had, albeit with a new plan. The company’s new plan called for a focus on direct consumer lending, retail lending and correspondent lending with their 600-plus institutional partners.

“The fact that the ditech brand was so recognizable and highly regarded convinced us that this was the name under which we wanted to do business,” Cook said at the time.

Now the company is leveraging that brand with the Stewart-Haas partnership, which the company refers to as “multiyear.”

Stewart-Haas Racing is co-owned by former Sprint Cup champion Tony Stewart and Gene Haas, the founder of Haas Automation. Stewart-Haas also fields three other teams in the Sprint Cup circuit, the #14 Bass Pro Shops/Mobil 1 Chevrolet for Stewart, the #10GoDaddy Chevrolet for Danica Patrick, and the #41 Haas Automation Chevrolet for Kurt Busch.

Harvick’s primary sponsors are currently Budweiser and Jimmy John’s.

“What ditech stands for are the same things I stand for,” said Harvick of the partnership. “Anyone who knows me knows that I’m pretty direct, and that I expect people to be treated fairly and honestly.

“It’s how I operate, and it’s how we all operate at Stewart-Haas Racing. Our expertise is in racing, and ditech’s is in the mortgage industry. Together, we make a powerful team that delivers on and off the racetrack.”