The British Basketball League have announced that they have signed a five-year deal that will see Tickets.com become Official Ticketing Partner of the league from the beginning of the new season in September. 

The new agreement will see Tickets.com named as the ‘official ticketing agent’ of the BBL, doctor exclusively managing all ticketing requirements for the league’s 14 clubs, mind which includes two new franchises set to make their Championship debut from September 2014.

Central to the partnership will be the development of the clubs’ fan engagement strategies, ambulance with Tickets.com and BBL working closely with all teams to encourage and facilitate increased online ticket sales.

Each club will utilise Tickets.com’s ProVenue® suite of products to manage ticket sales and provide CRM insight into purchasing and attendance traits. The white label ticketing solution will also allow each franchise to sell tickets via personalised ticketing pages, built into their existing club websites, which will be designed and built by Tickets.com to incorporate the team’s unique brand identity.

As well as ticketing all BBL Championship league fixtures, in which all BBL teams play each other three times, Tickets.com will also be responsible for BBL Trophy and BBL Cup matches.

Spectators will also be able to purchase tickets to all fixtures at www.tickets.com, the consumer-focused website re-launched in 2013 that provides all Tickets.com clients with an additional platform from which to generate ticket sales.

Commenting on the new partnership, David Leyden Dunbar, commercial director for the BBL, said: “I’m thrilled to welcome Tickets.com onto the growing roster of league-wide partners in what we are sure will be an exciting partnership for both parties.

“The company’s pedigree within this space is unquestionable as a privately held subsidiary of MLB Advanced Media, LP, the interactive media and Internet division of Major League Baseball as well as supplier to more than 300 sports and entertainment clients across the UK. A unified deal such as this will allow us to really drive forward our ability to engage with fans, and make their experience of interacting with us easier and more efficient, while also increasing the scale and share of online advance sales.

“Clubs and the BBL have seen significantly increased ticket sales this season, so this is an area of focus for us,” added Leyden Dunbar.

“In addition to this, I’m incredibly excited about the prospect of Tickets.com implementing tried and tested technology from the MLB to these shores, and using the BBL as their preferred partner.”

Giles Bayliss, Tickets.com Business Development Director, said: “We are delighted to enter into a long term partnership with the BBL, which will see us working closely to further grow the clubs’ game day attendances in line with their wider plans to grow the sport,” added.

“In addition, we aim to support the league in building on its relationships with the clubs, using our experience and expertise to develop how they market and sell tickets to their fans. This is an exciting development for both groups and as a first for a professional sports league in the UK, we are looking forward to creating a positive long term partnership with the BBL and all 14 teams, whilst building a showcase for how other sports can benefit from similar league-wide agreements.”

As part of its role as the official ticketing agent for the league, the Tickets.com logo will be present on court branding at all BBL fixtures, as well as included in the perimeter digital signage used for all televised fixtures.

English League Two club Plymouth Argyle have announced a new two-year deal with LTC Powered Access, a division of LTC Group87 Ltd., which begins next month.

The partnership, which succeeds a previous deal with WH Bond, will include the LTC Powered Access logo being carried on the Pilgrims’ home and away shirts this season and next as the former youth-team sponsors continue their long-standing relationship with Argyle.

Mike said: “We were match-day sponsors before and have had advertising boards. The youth sponsorship was obviously a step up in investment by the company and it did whet our appetite. The opportunity to be the main sponsor was too good to turn down.

“When we realised that the opportunity was there – and the current sponsors were passing on the mantle, if you like – it was the right time for our company to raise our profile, in particular the LTC Powered Access Division.

Argyle chief executive Martyn Starnes said: “We’re absolutely delighted to have a local company come on board and be our sponsor for the next two years.

“We’ll be looking to form a cohesive partnership over the next two years. We think we’ve got a good deal, and we hope that LTC think they’ve got a good deal, and we can move ahead with a very positive-looking partnership.

“They are vital. Absolutely essential. A substantial part of our income comes from the commercial activity off the pitch so, the main shirt sponsor is one of the biggest commercial details we will do. It was absolutely vital we got this deal done.”

Business review site Angie’s List announced today that the Indianapolis-based company will be the title sponsor of the Grand Prix of Indianapolis through 2016.

The Angie’s List Grand Prix of Indianapolis is scheduled for Saturday, May 9, 2015, when the Verizon IndyCar Series will kick off the Month of May festivities on the 14-turn, 2.439-mile IMS road course that was redesigned for this year’s inaugural event. The race is scheduled to be broadcast on ABC. 

“We’re thrilled to announce Angie’s List as the new title sponsor of the event through 2016,” said Mark Miles, CEO of Hulman & Co. “Angie’s List is a nationally-renowned, but Indianapolis-based company, so it makes perfect sense that they would help us open the track for the most important month of the year at this iconic venue.”

As part of this title sponsorship, Angie’s List will host 5,000 of the country’s very best service providers at a “Festival of Service” during race weekend to thank them for playing an integral part in the company’s plan to revolutionize local customer service.

“There’s no better place in the world to be than Indianapolis in the Month of May,” said Angie’s List Founder Angie Hicks. “Angie’s List has long sponsored race cars in the Indianapolis 500, but getting involved with the Grand Prix brings a new kind of excitement. This is a world-class race, and we’ll bring in world-class service companies, not just to reward them, but to work hand-in-hand to change the way local service is delivered. Our ‘Festival of Service’ will celebrate companies that are working alongside us on this mission.”

This year, the Month of May schedule was re-cast in order to create excitement and drama among attendees and television viewers alike. The most significant change was the addition of the inaugural Grand Prix of Indianapolis, which kicked off the month’s on-track activities and far surpassed internal attendance expectations.

“The inaugural Grand Prix of Indianapolis was a great success and provided an ideal way to begin the Month of May at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway,” continued Miles. “The event exceeded our attendance expectations and drivers and fans alike seemed to really enjoy the challenge that the road course here at IMS provided. We’ve created significant momentum moving forward and with the help of our new partner Angie’s List, 2015 should be even more exciting.”

Kyocera Document Solutions UK Ltd have been revealed as the official printer and copier supplier to the 2014 ISPS HANDA Ladies European Masters, bronchi the Ladies European Tour have announced.

The event will take place July 3-6 at the prestigious Buckinghamshire Golf Club, asthma London.

Now in its third year, health the ISPS HANDA Ladies European Masters is going from strength to strength. This year, the bar has been raised further with increased prize money of 500,000 euros and live television coverage over the weekend at the Ladies European Tour’s headquarters.

Kyocera will support the tournament for the second successive year and Ladies European Tour chief executive officer Ivan Khodabahksh commented: “We are extremely pleased to have the support of such a world renowned brand as Kyocera and we thank the company for its continued support of the tournament and women’s professional golf.”

Mr Hiro Katsukura, Managing Director, Kyocera Document Solutions UK Ltd said: “We are delighted to support this prestigious event for the second year running.”

Pirelli has been revealed as the Event Main Sponsor for the next eni FIM Superbike World Championship round to be held in Malaysia at the Sepang International Circuit on June 8.

The official name of this sixth round will therefore be Pirelli Malaysian Round.

Pirelli Moto Racing Director, try Giorgio Barbier, apoplectic commented on the deal: “Asia, particularly the Southeast, is for sure the largest two-wheeled market in the world. In particular, in recent years the segment of high displacement machines is having very strong growth and all the major motorcycle manufacturers now have production factories on site.

“We are also going to start our production of motorcycle tyres in Indonesia starting from 2015 and to become the Event Main Sponsor of this Superbike World Championship round, it seemed like a great opportunity for visibility in an area of the world that has recently attracted the strong interest of all motorcycle manufacturers because it is a ‘fertile soil’ and rich in motorcycle enthusiasts.”

The Superbike World Championship will return to Malaysia after twenty years. It was previously held in the early 90’s for four consecutive seasons; in Shah Alam (1990-1991) and Johor Circuit (1992-1993).

Global Investment group Aberdeen Asset Management will continue to support Scotland’s leading amateur golfers through a new two-year sponsorship of the Scottish Golf Union’s national squads.

Making the announcement at The Duke’s, thumb St Andrews, where several of the national squad members will compete in the European Men’s Amateur Championship in August, the partnership between the SGU and Aberdeen Asset Management will see the players wearing the sponsors’ logo on their national apparel and bags through to the end of 2015.

Having become the SGU’s first national team sponsors in 2007, Aberdeen Asset Management are one of the governing body’s longest standing partners. The announcement comes on the back of a record-breaking year of sponsorship for the SGU, with more than £360,000 of cash income generated in 2012-13, which is on target to be surpassed in the current financial year.

Aberdeen Asset Management was also a key sponsor of the Scottish Golf Awards, staged in February, which raised an additional £40,000 in sponsorship and fundraising for the Scottish Golf Charitable Trust.

In addition the investment group supports the SGU’s warm weather training programmes to the United Arab Emirates and South Africa, while providing additional benefits through their Scottish Open and Ladies Scottish Open sponsorship.

Martin Gilbert, Chief Executive of Aberdeen Asset Management, commented: “We are very proud to support Scotland’s national amateur squads and delighted to see the progress of the young players emerging through the ranks at present. It’s vital for Scottish Golf that these players are given the best opportunities to develop their games.”

“Aberdeen Asset Management is committed to helping Scottish golfers perform at the highest level, from our leading amateurs to our top professionals and keeping our profile as ‘The Home of Golf’ within the global game,” he added.

Aberdeen Asset Management also sponsors the Scottish Open, one of the biggest events on the European Tour, and the Ladies Scottish Open, as well as leading Tour professionals Colin Montgomerie, Paul Lawrie, Scott Henry, Catriona Matthew and Kylie Walker.

Ross Duncan, Marketing & Sponsorship Manager for the Scottish Golf Union, is delighted with the continued support provided by Aberdeen Asset Management and said: “Aberdeen Asset Management’s investment to amateur golf in Scotland over the past eight years highlights the strength of our partnership and demonstrates that the Scottish Golf Union is an attractive marketing platform to Scottish businesses.

“We continue to grow our sponsorship income and diversify our revenue streams but we’d love to see even more private sector support to help us grow the game and develop more players to compete at the highest level.

“With Scotland’s historic Ryder Cup year, Scottish golf has never been more in the spotlight so there are some great opportunities for companies to get involved. We have a proven track record in delivering value for money for our partners, as shown by Aberdeen Asset Management’s long-term commitment to us.”

QIPCO Holding have agreed to sponsor Newmarket Racecourses meetings the Falmouth Stakes and the Duchess of Cambridge Stakes, salve both run on Gentlemen’s Day of the Moët & Chandon July Festival, salve Friday, anabolics July 11.

The races will be known as the QIPCO Falmouth Stakes and the Duchess of Cambridge Stakes sponsored by QIPCO.

As part of the sponsorship, the winning filly or mare of the QIPCO Falmouth Stakes will be given a free nomination in 2015 to Makfi. Together with Harbour Watch and Havana Gold, Makfi is owned by Qatar Bloodstock, a subsidiary of QIPCO Holding, and he stands for a stud fee of £25,000 at Tweenhills Farm.

In addition, the breeder of the winner of the QIPCO Falmouth Stakes will receive a 50 per cent discount on one nomination to any Tweenhills stallion, while the winning owner of the Duchess of Cambridge Stakes sponsored by QIPCO will receive the same discount.

The QIPCO Falmouth Stakes, which has an increased prize fund this year of £200,000, up £20,000 from 2013, is the first opportunity for the Classic generation of fillies to meet the older horses over a mile and last year it saw a thrilling finish when Elusive Kate just held off Sky Lantern. The race has also been won by great fillies such as Soviet Song, Goldikova and Giofra in recent years.

The £80,000 Duchess of Cambridge Stakes Sponsored by QIPCO, known up until last year as the Cherry Hinton Stakes, often has a bearing on the following year’s QIPCO 1000 Guineas and has been won in the past by fillies of the calibre of Sayyedati and Attraction.

Speaking on behalf of QIPCO Holding, David Redvers, Managing Director of Tweenhills Farm and Stud, said: “It is a privilege to sponsor such quality races at the July Festival and we are delighted to be associated with both the Falmouth and Duchess of Cambridge Stakes. Both races have a fantastic heritage and play an integral part in the fillies’ pattern.

“It is important to QIPCO to not only be associated with the best of British racing but to also showcase through its sponsorship the company’s assets and commercial activities. We look forward to this year’s winner of the QIPCO Falmouth Stakes taking up the offer of a free nomination to Makfi in 2015.”

Amy Starkey, Regional Director for The Jockey Club East Region, said: “We are delighted that QIPCO, sponsor of the British Champions Series and, of course, our own 1000 Guineas and 2000 Guineas, are for the first time sponsoring at the Moët & Chandon July Festival, where they will put their name to two more of Newmarket’s most famous races.”