Financial services company Allianz SE has signed a one-year partnership with IPC Athletics, the International Federation for para-athletics of the International Paralympic Committee (IPC), becoming their global partner.

Together, Allianz and IPC Athletics will develop joint programmes and digital assets to help raise the profile of both the sport and its athletes. In addition, Allianz will support three IPC Athletics Grand Prix events this year and August’s European Championships. 

Sir Philip Craven, IPC President, said: “We are delighted that Allianz, a very trusted friend and partner of the Paralympic Movement, has become IPC Athletics’ first official global partner. Allianz has a strong and exemplary track record for creating engaging awareness campaigns that help to raise the profile of para-sport and leading athletes, and I am confident this partnership will help do the same for para-athletics. 

“Following the success of London 2012, IPC Athletics launched a number of initiatives and competitions designed to get more people practicing the sport at the grassroots, whilst at the same time increasing the number of high level competition opportunities for leading athletes. 

“The IPC Athletics Grand Prix and Marathon World Cup have been great successes since their introduction and, with Allianz supporting the sport, they have the potential to be even better in future years.” 

“Allianz and the IPC have a long tradition in partnership,” says Werner Zedelius, Member of the Board of Management of Allianz SE and long-time para-sport enthusiast. 

“The new partnership with IPC Athletics underlines our engagement for para-sport and our ambition to give people the opportunity to show their excellence. 

“We regularly invite athletes to Allianz to share their experience. Para-athletes inspire our employees and customers with their motivation and their ability to overcome barriers.” 

The new partnership with IPC Athletics extends Allianz’s support of the Paralympic Movement which dates back to 2006. As well as global involvement, nine Allianz companies support National Paralympic Committees in Australia, Croatia, Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Sri Lanka, Switzerland and Ukraine. 

A-League team Newcastle Jets have agreed a new strategic partnership with Ticketmaster for the provision of membership services.

The Newcastle Jets will use Ticketmaster’s innovative membership system to manage the Club’s 10,000 members and 30,000 e-newsletter subscribers.

Ticketmaster was appointed the official ticketing agent for Hunter Stadium earlier this year and this new partnership will see Ticketmaster support the development and growth of the Club Membership Program.

This agreement will also see Ticketmaster become a sponsor of the Club to promote Ticketmaster’s growing presence in the Hunter region.

“We are delighted to sign this long-term partnership and we look forward to working with one of the world’s leading ticketing companies. This new partnership will allow the Club to provide an even better and more seamless member experience,” Jets Commercial Director Mark Duffield-Thomas said.

“Based on feedback we have collected from our members we are enhancing the process of renewing and joining online. Next season our members will enjoy a new, easy-to-use membership website and new features including an Interactive Seat Map, which allows members to select the exact seats included in their membership package.

“We will also continue to offer the most affordable memberships in the A-league as well as a monthly payment plan to help a greater number of supporters attend more matches.

“We are grateful for the support of our members and look forward to welcoming new and existing members to the Club.”

Race Ramps, try an extensive line of specialty car service, order has announced a sponsorship deal with Formula DRIFT. 

Race Ramps joins Formula DRIFT as a Technical Partner/Supplier. Working with Kevin Wells, pills Technical Manager of Formula Drift Holdings, LLC, the custom Scale Pad System that was created is a modification of Race Ramps’ standard Scale Pad System 3, which made its debut at the 2013 Performance Racing Industry Show alongside two other new Scale Pad System models.

The modifications made for Formula DRIFT were raising the ramp height to 8-inches tall from the standard 5-inches, extending the overall length to 372-inches from the standard 192-inches and the incorporation of a sliding scale. After the scale pad’s debut at Formula DRIFT Round 1 in Long Beach, CA, Wells said, “The new Race Ramps system allows the scale pad itself to slide for quick adjustment to fit the variety of wheelbases in Formula DRIFT.”

Race Ramps also renews its sponsorship of Hooked on Driving (HOD). Spread across six regions nationally, HOD provides car enthusiasts with exciting high performance driver training in the controlled environment of a race course. Race Ramps has also committed to supporting their new Team HOD Membership program and silent auction to benefit the Prostate Cancer Foundation.

“Our products are used in many capacities – from racers in their pits and car enthusiasts to the casual DIY individual who enjoys working on their own vehicles. We’re happy to expand our reach this year with joining prominent groups and continuing our grassroots marketing efforts in supporting car clubs, car shows and custom car builders,” said Rich Heinz, Owner of Brute Industries, Inc.

The company also sponsors Hooked on Driving, the US Touring Car Championship and the Bloomington Gold Corvette Show.

Restaurant chain Subway has agreed a partnership with Scottish Premiership club Inverness Caledonian Thistle FC to become their main sponsor for the 2014-15 season.

Subway stores have committed a six-figure sum to help manager John Hughes in his plans for the new campaign.

Caley Thistle chairman Kenny Cameron said: “We’re delighted to sign a one-year rolling contract with such a prestigious sponsor.

“We’ve worked with the Subway brand at community department level for the past couple of years and built up a relationship which has encouraged them to take this much bigger step and be our shirt sponsor.

“The new shirt design, bearing the Subway logo, has been approved and will shortly go into production.

“We know that Liam Dalgarno of Subway stores takes his son to Caley Thistle matches, so he’s a genuine supporter, which is ideal for a principal sponsor, and has excellent ideas for interaction with our supporters.

“Our community coaches are halfway through taking the clubs Heart Research UK and Subway Healthy Heart project to all the 180 primary schools in the Highlands. This offers us the ideal launch pad for this new sponsorship partnership.”

The Subway brand has been working with Heart Research UK for the last five years, encouraging people to eat healthier and lead an active lifestyle. The Subway brand is also the only retailer on the high street to be able to sign up to UK Government Department of Health’s seven nutritional related pledges, encouraging people to eat and live in a healthier manner.

Liam Dalgarno, a former pupil of Hilton Primary School and Inverness Royal Academy, owns the three Subway franchises in Inverness plus one each in Aviemore and Elgin.

Liam Dalgarno the Development Agent for Subway stores added: “I’m extremely pleased that the Subway brand in Scotland has agreed to become the new shirt sponsor for Caley Thistle. This is a great club with considerable TV and media exposure and I hope this can be an excellent opportunity for both Caley Thistle and Subway stores in Scotland.

“I first met Kenny Cameron a few years ago when I took my wee boy to the stadium to buy a Caley Thistle strip and it is thus, as you can imagine, very satisfying to now be involved in this main sponsor arrangement.

“We’ve been impressed by the efficient way the club’s community department has been delivering the Heart Research UK and Subway Healthy Heart campaign, which involves activities, heart rate monitoring and education of pupils on how to keep healthy, exercise and eat properly.

“As main sponsor, we intend to pursue close engagement with the fans, including a series of competitions and offers.”

Huawei Technologies Limited, a Chinese multinational networking and telecommunications equipment and services company, signed a one-year sponsorship deal with the Ghana Football Association (GFA).

The brand will support Ghana’s senior national football team for the FIFA World Cup in Brazil.

The agreement makes the Chinese company the Information Technology partner of Ghana, who will be embarking on their third successive World Cup in June.

The Chinese IT firm joins an array of sponsors for the Ghanaian national team.

President of the GFA Kwesi Nyantakyi commented on the deal: “I will like to assure that you will have a very beneficial relationship with the GFA and I hope that, after the one-year spell, you will be encouraged to continue to deal with the GFA.”

USA Triathlon have announced today a renewal of their Gold-Level partnership with TYR Sport through 2016.

This relationship designates TYR as the National Governing Body’s official supplier in several categories, order including swimwear; triathlon competition and training apparel; swim training accessories and goggles. The extension agreement declares that wetsuits and swimskins are now added as a new exclusive category. 

As the official outfitter of Team USA, TYR will suit the top age-group athletes who annually qualify to represent the United States at each ITU World Championship event. TYR will also support the USA Triathlon National Team Program through performance bonuses at select events. Eligible winners include elite American triathletes who race in TYR suits and finish on the podium at the following events: ITU World Triathlon Series installments, the 2015 Pan American Games in Toronto and the Rio de Janeiro 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Additionally, TYR will remain an integral partner in staging USA Triathlon’s four owned National Championships each year: Age Group (Olympic-Distance & Sprint), Collegiate, Duathlon and Youth & Junior.

“We are thrilled that we are not only continuing our partnership with USA Triathlon, but we are expanding it,” said Matt DiLorenzo, Chief Executive Officer of TYR. “During the last five years of partnership, USA Triathlon has proven to be a phenomenal platform to demonstrate our passion for the sport and to reach triathletes of all ages and levels. We look forward to continued collaboration and success as we move toward the world stage for Rio 2016.”

“As an innovative industry leader, TYR has contributed significantly to USA Triathlon’s success since we originally aligned in 2009,” said Chuck Menke, USA Triathlon Chief Marketing Officer. “From age-groupers to elites, TYR’s state-of-the art product line enables U.S. triathletes to train and compete at the highest level possible. I look forward to expanding our partnership even further in the years ahead.”