NFL Draft Prospect Michael Sam Signs Endorsement Deal with Visa

NFL draft prospect Michael Sam has signed his first endorsement deal with Visa, ESPN has reported.

The American multinational financial services corporation has partnered with Sam, the SEC Defensive Player of the Year out of Missouri, who could become the first active openly gay NFL player.

Visa’s chief marketing officer Kevin Burke told ESPN.com: “We felt that Michael’s story was a perfect fit for our ‘everywhere’ campaign, which is meant to inspire people to reach their own personal goals and aspirations. We wish Michael the best on and off the field as he embarks on the next chapter of his life.”

Cameron Weiss, Sam’s agent and attorney, added: “We’ve been really selective in trying to find the right partners and we couldn’t be more pleased to start with a world-class company like Visa.”

Sam, who came out in February, is projected to be selected Saturday — the third day of the NFL draft. 

Skins Announced as Official Compression Partner of Stoke City

Premier League out fit Stoke City have signed an agreement with compression brand SKINS to become the Club’s Official Compression Partner. 

The three-year partnership deal will commence at the start of next season with SKINS supplying base layer garments to the Club’s first team and Academy players and staff.

“We are always looking to innovate and create new partnerships at Stoke City and we believe this will be the first partnership of its kind in football, giving us a competitive edge in the industry,” said City’s Head of Commercial Andrew Billingham.

“We believe there are three important layers to any professional athlete – the body which trains and eats the right nutrition to improve performance; the compression layer that helps reduce muscle damage by increasing circulation of oxygen to the muscles and the top layer which is traditionally the Club’s identity but has technical and lightweight fabrics to aid performance.

“We were delighted to conclude negotiations with SKINS several months ago and are looking forward to the players wearing their products from the start of next season and making it available in our stores for fans to purchase.”

SKINS compression clothing is designed to help reduce exercise induced muscle damage and helps athletes quickly bounce back to their maximum regular season level of performance.

SKINS General Manager David Ling added: “This is a tremendous opportunity to be involved with one of England’s premier soccer clubs and one whose fanbase and general visibility stretches across the entire globe. The Premier League is a truly global product and Stoke City’s association with historic names such as Sir Stanley Matthews and Gordon Banks, together with the international status of its current squad, reinforces our presence in the world’s most popular team sport.”

Caterham F1 Sign Silanna Partnership Ahead of Spanish GP

Formula 1 team Caterham F1 have announced Silanna, drug an international semiconductor company, as an official partner beginning from the Spanish Grand Prix.

The Silanna logo will be seen on Caterham F1 Team’s CT05 racecars from the Spanish Grand Prix, race six of the 2014 FIA Formula One World Championship.

Cyril Abiteboul, Team Principal, Caterham F1 Team: “Silanna is a company that is working right at the cutting edge of modern technology and we are delighted to see them join us as an Official Partner.

“There are obvious synergies between our two businesses and we are already working actively to identify specific areas that we can learn from Silanna, and aim to integrate elements of their technological know-how into our challenge on track.”

Rob Lobban, Silanna’s Managing Director:  “The Caterham F1 Team and F1 Racing in general represents the extreme edge of racing, and we are very proud and excited to be associated with both of them.   Silanna’s charter is to bring disruptive technologies and products to market.  Working with Caterham F1 provides Silanna the opportunity to get our message and name into the spotlight that has long been associated with F1 racing.”

Melbourne Storm Reveals New Energy Partner

Australian energy retailer Lumo Energy has today signed a three-year deal with NRL team Melbourne Storm to be their official energy partner.

As part of the deal Lumo Energy branding will appear on the back of the Club’s playing shorts for Storm’s Round 9 match against Manly Sea Eagles at AAMI Park on Saturday 10 May, adiposity 2014.

As well as delivering strong awareness for the Lumo Energy brand, the partnership will offer Storm members and fans a range of benefits when looking for a better energy deal.

Melbourne Storm Commercial Director Ben Dunn commented: “Lumo Energy is the first energy partner of Melbourne Storm.  Lumo is a dynamic brand and we look forward to creating some exciting marketing programs together.

“This is another endorsement of the strength of Melbourne Storm’s brand being able to unite the Melbourne market whilst delivering significant national exposure,” Dunn said.

Lumo Energy Executive General Manager of Marketing and Sales, Tim Harrington  commented: “Lumo Energy looked at a range of sporting codes to partner with and Melbourne Storm was a natural choice, it’ regarded as Australia’s number one sports teams across all codes in awareness and likeability, it has great brand recognition, is a professional outfit and is as passionate about its fans as we are our customers.  We are proud to have the opportunity to partner with such a powerhouse in sport.”

NRL’s North Queensland Cowboys Extend Toyota Sponsorship

National Rugby League (NRL) team North Queensland Cowboys have extended their partnership with principal sponsor Toyota Australia until 2017.

The three-year deal extends Toyota’s relationship with the Cowboys to 15 years, making it one of the longest running partnerships in the NRL.

Tim Easey, Regional Manager – Northern Region, representing Toyota Australia and the 10 North Queensland Toyota dealerships, said: “Toyota is delighted to be able to renew its principal sponsorship with the Cowboys for a further three years,” Mr Easey said.

“We’re very proud to have the Toyota name on the front of the North Queensland jersey and to support all that the club does for this region and rugby league in general.

“Our relationship with the Cowboys is an enduring one and we look forward to sharing in even more success stories on and off the field until at least 2017.

“Of course, our partnership with the Cowboys would not be possible without the loyal support from the North Queensland Toyota Dealer network, who have constantly shown they are right behind their NRL club.”

Toyota Cowboys CEO Peter Jourdain said the club was thrilled that Toyota Australia and the Toyota Dealers of North Queensland had renewed their sponsorship and that the Toyota name would remain associated with the Cowboys.

“Re-signing with the club for a further three years is a huge endorsement from Toyota that they see great benefits from their partnership with us and reflects the confidence Toyota has in the Cowboys,” Mr Jourdain said.

“We’re honoured that this naming rights partnership with Toyota Australia and the North Queensland Toyota Dealers has now become one of the longest running in Australian sport.

“The Toyota brand is now intrinsically linked with the Cowboys and I’m sure our members and supporters are very grateful that they have once again extended their agreement with us.”

Lindsey Vonn Becomes Hyperice Equity Partner

Hyperice announced today that Olympic Gold Medalist, World Champion and Four-time overall World Cup ski champion Lindsey Vonn joins the company as an equity partner.

The strategic partnership between Hyperice—a company committed to developing products for injury prevention and recovery—and Vonn, will integrate sports science and technology to advance product development innovation, tracking progress throughout Vonn’s rehabilitation period. The goal of this partnership is to further advance Vonn’s recovery efforts, while also ensuring that Hyperice technology continues to progress in delivering effective solutions for decreasing injury, optimizing performance and enhancing recovery.

Vonn was introduced to Hyperice’s signature ice compression device after tearing her ACL and MCL in her right knee on February 5th, 2013 while competing in the World Championships in Schladming, Austria.

“As an athlete you learn quickly that your performance isn’t just dependent on training but also what you do to recover afterwards,” said Vonn. “Following my injuries, Hyperice became a huge part of my routine so I’m excited to work with them on driving innovation in recovery.”

With the feedback and direction provided by Vonn and her Physical Therapist, Lindsay Winninger, Hyperice is set to launch new innovative products following their signature ice compression device line starting this summer. Vonn joins Adrian Peterson, Hope Solo, Blake Griffin, Rudy Gay and Troy Polamalu as Hyperice shareholders.

“The same dedication that made Lindsey the best skier in the world is the same dedication she is applying to her recovery,” said Hyperice founder Anthony Katz. “She embodies every quality that we look for in an athlete, and we’re confident that our partnership, along with her incredible work ethic will get her back on top.”

Belk Named Official Retail Department Store of Southeastern Conference

US department store Belk has announced its official sponsorship of the Southeastern Conference (SEC) and the SEC Network, a new multiplatform national network devoted to the conference and operated by ESPN.

With the new relationship, Belk will be the official retail department store of the SEC, giving the company exclusive access to all SEC championship events, including the SEC FanFare events held annually in conjunction with the SEC Football Championship Game and Men’s Basketball Tournament.

The new deal also gives Belk prime exposure on the forthcoming SEC Network, which will launch August 14, 2014 from the ESPN studios in Charlotte, N.C. The new network and its accompanying digital platforms will air SEC content 24/7 including more than 1,000 events in its first year.

“Our six-year  collaboration with the SEC Network will build upon the success we’ve seen with the Belk Bowl,” says Jon Pollack, Belk’s executive vice president of marketing, sales promotion and eCommerce. “We know that collegiate sports are an important part of the Southern lifestyle, and we are excited to further deepen our relationships with ESPN and the Southeastern Conference.”

“Belk’s support for the SEC Network combined with our cross-platform coverage will help us provide each of the 14 schools with unparalleled exposure across all local markets,” said Ed Erhardt, president of global customer marketing and sales at ESPN.

Cavallino Named Official Clothing Supplier for Williams Martini Racing

US based automotive lifestyle company Cavallino Group has been named the official clothing supplier for Williams Martini Racing.

As part of the agreement Cavallino will supply the range of official Williams Martini Racing merchandise that will be available to purchase by fans from approved retailers and the Williams Martini Racing online shop. Cavallino will also be supplying the range of apparel worn at races and various functions by the teams’ drivers and personnel from the 2014 British Grand Prix onwards. 

Speaking about the new agreement Edward Spivak, President and Co-Founder of Cavallino Group, said: “We are honoured and excited to be chosen as the merchandise partner for Williams Martini Racing, and to be working with such a prestigious Formula One team. We are working with some of the top apparel and accessory factories all over the world to be able to bring new ideas to Formula One merchandise and we will use new printing techniques to improve on already premier products. We cannot wait to bring high quality products to eagerly awaiting Formula One fans.”

Sir Frank Williams, Founder and Team Principal of Williams, added: “As a Formula One team we take great pride in our appearance and demand team clothing that is befitting of our premium brand image and can withstand working in challenging conditions. We also need to supply fans with a range of merchandise that makes them feel part of the team. In Cavallino we have an official supplier that can meet our demands and we look forward to working together.”

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Sky Sport Italia to Sponsor AS Roma’s Shirts

AS Roma have agreed a deal with Sky Sport Italia that will see the Serie A club take to the field for their final two games of the season with shirts bearing the media company’s logo.

With the Giallorossi set to make their return to the Champions League next season, unhealthy  Sky Italia reportedly struck the deal as a means of celebrating the club’s recent success.

Roma’s remaining fixtures see them play recently-crowned champions Juventus to the Stadio Olimpico on 11 May before they travel to Genoa on 18 May.

Harrogate Spring Announced as Official Water of England Cricket

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) today announced that British bottled water, asthma Harrogate Spring, pills will be designated The Official Water of England Cricket for the next year.

David Collier, ECB Chief Executive, said: “We’d like to thank Harrogate Spring Water for becoming the new Official Water of England Cricket. Harrogate Spring Water and the England and Wales Cricket Board both share a rich heritage, and we feel there is an excellent brand fit between Harrogate Spring Water and the England Cricket Team that will positively impact both parties.”

As part of the agreement, the Water Brands Group has revealed a contemporary new look across its entire Harrogate Spring Water range, available from the end of May. The new ‘Diamond Bottles’ will carry the England Cricket logo and ‘Official Water of England Cricket’ on all new labels and packaging.

James Cain, Managing Director of the Water Brands Group, explained “We’re thrilled to work with the ECB to become The Official Water of England Cricket. The sponsorship deal is with one of the best cricket teams in the world and is a major statement of intent from Harrogate Spring Water, and emphasises our commitment to maintaining our position as the No.1 premium British Spring Water.”