Specsavers Agrees ECB Partnership to Sponsor Umpires

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) have appointed Specsavers as Official Optometry and Hearing Partner of ECB and the Principal Partner of the Association of Cricket Officials (ACO) under a three-year deal.

The opticians chain will benefit from branding on clothing worn by umpires officiating in county cricket’s three major competitions – the LV= County Championship, NatWest T20 Blast and Royal London One-Day Cup. 

Additionally, the partnership includes brand exposure on clothing worn by ACO-appointed umpires in the latter stages of the Royal London National Club Championship, NatWest Club T20 matches and ECB County Age Group competitions.

Specsavers will also support numerous awards to recognise outstanding umpires. 

ECB Chief Executive David Collier said: “This partnership is of great benefit to the ECB, ACO and the game’s umpires themselves. It recognises the importance of umpires and officials, and ECB is indebted to Specsavers for this sponsorship.” 

Richard Holmes, Specsavers’ marketing director, added: “Technological advancements in recent years have certainly helped umpires but we will always rely on their personal judgements. At Specsavers we are glad to do our bit where we can to help ensure they get the best possible support to do their job.”

USA Track & Field Inks Long-Term Partnership with Chocolate Producer Hershey

Chocolate producer the Hershey Company have announced a new, therapy seven-year partnership with USA Track & Field (USATF).

The deal includes a national youth activity initiative featureing “Run Jump Throw, ask ” an educational and learning program developed by USATF and Hershey. The new program will introduce kids ages 7 through 12 to the basic skills of running, viagra jumping and throwing through track and field. Hershey’s Track & Field Games, a youth track and field program launched in the 1970s, will transition to the national Run Jump Throw programin early 2015.

Launching in 2015, Run Jump Throw will use a curriculum developed by USATF. Kids around the country will have the opportunity to participate in fun, hands-on learning events designed to build basic running, jumping and throwing skills and have fun exploring track and field. The program is the key piece of a larger partnership between USATF and Hershey that extends through 2020.

“This new program is a true partnership of two great organizations,” said Bernie Banas, who serves as Hershey’s Vice President of Customer Innovation and Hershey’s Track & Field Games board chair. “As Hershey looked at how to expand the reach and impact of our long-standing commitment to youth activity through track and field, we were inspired by the legacy of our founder, Milton Hershey, and his commitment to youth development through learning. Through partnering with USATF, we look forward to creating more learning opportunities and expanding the reach of our track and field program and the sport as a whole.”

“We are thrilled to bring Hershey on board as a long-term partner and are excited about the work we will do together in the youth activity space,” USATF Chief Executive Officer Max Siegel said. “With Run Jump Throw, we are creating a foundational program for track and field as well as all activities and sports. Positively impacting culture and improving lives is something we aspire to achieve, and we couldn’t be more proud to have Hershey as our partner in this effort.”

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Esurance to Sponsor Victoria Azarenka

Insurance company Esurance has signed a two-year agreement to be an official sponsor of Victoria Azarenka.

Esurance will be her exclusive insurance partner during the length of the term.Her activities with Esurance will include appearances on the company’s behalf along with other marketing and social media integrations.

“Esurance has a long history of supporting tennis, and partnering with one of the world’s top female players will help amplify our presence in the tennis world,” said Esurance President and CEO Gary Tolman. “Vika’s popularity provides us an incredible opportunity to engage with millions of tennis fans and potential Esurance customers, and we look forward to working with her.”

Partnering with the Bryans, Tursunov

Esurance is also continuing two other tennis partnerships in 2014. For the fourth consecutive year, Esurance will partner with the Bryan Brothers. The most successful men’s doubles team in tennis history.

Additionally, Dmitry Tursunov, currently ranked 32nd in men’s tennis, has also re-signed with Esurance in 2014. Tursunov has partnered with Esurance since 2005, and has consistently been in the top 100 in men’s tennis over the last several years.

Esurance will also continue as the exclusive insurance sponsor of the US Open and BNP Paribas Open through 2015.

FIH Announces Loughborough University as Official Innovation Partner

The International Hockey Federation (FIH) announced today Loughborough University as its official Innovation Partner.

The FIH will look to utilise the significant expertise and resource of Loughborough University to proactively driver its strategic objectives and expand its delivery capability.  

A key project of the partnership will be to work towards the development of a new and dynamic, entertainment-focussed complementary game designed to help hockey reach new markets. 

The highly-acclaimed School of Business and Economics will also be a key contributor and will assist the FIH to develop a strategic ten-year plan that will run from 2014 to 2024. 

Today’s announcement follows from the FIH’s recent decision to change the game from two halves to four quarters, a move which will improve the quality and flow of the game in time for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.

Kelly Fairweather, FIH Chief Executive Officer said: “We are delighted to enter into this Innovation Partnership with such a well-respected and talented organisation. I have been incredibly impressed by the scale and standard of design innovation and insight research on offer, matched by the high levels of staff dedication and talent. I am really looking forward to working with Loughborough University to develop our sport to reach more people.” 

Loughborough University will provide expertise from their Sports Development Centre; Sports Technology Institute; School of Sport, Health and Exercise Sciences; School of Business and Economics, as well as their Design School to help the FIH improve hockey for both players and fans. 

Peter Keen, Director of Sport at Loughborough University said: “Naturally I am delighted that we will be working in partnership with the International Hockey Federation (FIH). I believe this agreement to provide our knowledge and expertise across a wide range of academic disciplines will enhance the sport of hockey and increase interest globally. 

“This agreement is timely for us as we look we look to extend our reputation for sport at Loughborough.  Working in partnership with such a progressive world governing body will undoubtedly help us to raise our international profile and further build our association with such a significant global and Olympic sport.”

As part of the successful recent event assignment process for the Hockey World Cups in 2018, bidders were given the opportunity to introduce a global partner to the FIH.

Werner Named Official Ladder of NCAA Men’s Championship Game

Werner announced today that it will again partner with the NCAA to provide a custom stepladder for the student-athletes and coaches during the net-cutting ceremony of the NCAA Men’s Championship Game hosted in North Texas on April 7.

As the official ladder of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship, Werner supplies the custom 9′ ladder that has been an integral part of the winning moment when the champion cuts down the net during post-game ceremonies. Werner is the only ladder company to be an official part of the games.

In addition, Werner is an official Corporate Teammate of the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC). In support of the NABC, Tom Izzo, coach of the 2014 Big Ten Champion Michigan State Spartans, participated in the filming of Werner’s new podium ladder TV spot. 

“Having a coach as highly regarded and entertaining as Tom Izzo dancing on one of our new ladders is a wonderful sign of how integrated our partnership with NABC and the NCAA Basketball Championship has become,” said Chris Filardi, vice president of marketing.

A1 Comms Becomes Derbyshire Cricket’s New Training Kit Sponsor

Derbyshire County Cricket Club have announced telecommunications company A1 Comms as a new sponsor.

The Alfreton based specialist in mobile phones, 4G contracts and unified communications for businesses have become sponsors of Derbyshire’s new elite performance training kit ahead of the 2014 season.

The new attire will be sported by the squad during the build-up to all matches – and in training – as well as kitting-out the newly assembled elite performance coaching team as their mission begins to bring sustainable success to Derbyshire on the field.

With Derbyshire playing 42 days of cricket on the road this summer, A1 Comms will also gain national exposure in locations spanning from Durham to Southampton.

Led by Director, Tonia Baldwin, A1 Comms has grown from strength-to-strength in recent years and is now one of the largest independent high street and online retailers in the UK, with a sales turnover of over £100m a year.

Baldwin said: “We’re delighted to agree this partnership with Derbyshire County Cricket Club as we continue to extend our reach into the wider business community.

“Combining this relationship with our ongoing involvement at Derby County Football Club provides all-year-round exposure within premier local sporting attractions.

“We’re also very proud of our grassroots sponsorship of Belper Meadows Cricket Club who lifted the Boolers Wright Cup in 2013.”

Simon Storey, Chief Executive of Derbyshire County Cricket Club, added: “A1 Comms have saved the Club over 40% since taking over our mobile phone contract.

“Through this partnership – and through the 1870 Business Club – we’re looking forward to connecting them with many other local and national companies who can in turn make similar savings.

“We are focussed on providing cricketing opportunities from playground to Test ground, as well as acting as a hub for business engagement.

“Coming on the back of our hard work establishing the 1870 Business Club last season, this is the latest in a succession of exciting partnerships completed in recent weeks.

“It demonstrates the pride that Derbyshire companies have in our club and their desire to see our groundbreaking elite performance programme bring success to the county.”

Geico to Title Sponsor Motorcycle Superbike Shootout

GEICO has partnered with Team Hammer Promotions to present the GEICO Motorcycle Superbike Shootout, a three-race series featuring the best motorcycle road racers in the United States.

The GEICO Motorcycle Superbike Shootout starts with the Yamaha SoCal Nationals at Auto Club Speedway on April 26-27 in Fontana, Calif., and continues with the Pacific Nationals at Sonoma Raceway on May 3-4 in Sonoma, Calif. The Shootout concludes with the Mountain Nationals at Miller Motorsports Park on May 24-25 in Tooele, Utah.

“When we started this, there were no national-level, professional motorcycle road races scheduled west of the Mississippi River for the 2014 season,” said Shootout organizer John Ulrich, publisher of Roadracing World and a motorcycle road-racing team owner. “We wanted to do something to make sure the fans in the western part of the United States had an opportunity to see their favorite racers in action.

“We decided to increase the number of national-level road races in the United States for the fans, for the teams, and for the riders.”

Each of the events will feature one Pro Superbike and one Pro Sportbike race on the final day of competition. In addition, MAVTV will broadcast two one-hour shows from each of the three events.

Ulrich’s Team Hammer Promotions partnered with regional organizations and sanctioning bodies for each event: Fastrack Riders/WERA Motorcycle Roadracing for Fontana, American Federation of Motorcyclists for Sonoma, and Utah Sport Bike Association for Salt Lake City.

“We couldn’t have done it without the help of GEICO Motorcycle,” Ulrich said. “GEICO is a big supporter of motorcycle racing in the United States, and we’re really grateful for its support of the series.”

Each of the events will include a full schedule of other motorcycle classes in addition to Pro Superbike and Pro Sportbike.

“We looked at the model of the successful British Superbike series,” Ulrich said. “They have a lot of classes and a lot of races on a typical weekend, with a few featured races on TV. I started looking for regional events at good racetracks that fit in the 11-week gap between Daytona and Road America and started making deals.”

Road racing teams from across the country have already expressed their support for the Shootout.

“I was walking through the garages in Daytona, and there were guys from different teams running out of the garages, running out of their haulers to shake my hand and thank me for doing this,” Ulrich said. “We’re just trying to make it better for everybody. This is what we do, this is our sport, and we’re doing the best we can do to help it in its time of need.”

Force India Announce Auden Mckenzie Partnership

Formula 1 team Sahara Force India have announced a partnership today with Auden Mckenzie. 

The pharmaceutical group will feature its branding on the cars of Nico Hulkenberg and Sergio Perez, and on team clothing from this weekend’s Bahrain Grand Prix.

Dr Vijay Mallya, Team Principal and Managing Director of Sahara Force India, added: “I am very happy to welcome Auden Mckenzie to the Sahara Force India family. We look forward to laying the foundations for a strong, mutually beneficial relationship – one that further reaffirms our standing as a global brand in the world of sport. As an international company, Auden Mckenzie is perfectly placed to make the most of Formula One’s global reach and its networking opportunities, and we are in the ideal position to help them achieve their goals.”

Amit Patel, Auden Mckenzie CEO added: “Sport has been a powerful vehicle to promote our brand and we are delighted to begin a partnership with Sahara Force India. Formula One is a global sport and to be associated with such a motivated, up-and-coming team is a sign of the ambition and values both companies share. We are confident our partnership will be a very prosperous one and we look forward to success both on and off the track.”

MLB Signs Pepsico Deal

Major League Baseball have extended their partnership with PepsiCo, Inc., building on an over 15-year relationship.

As part of the sponsorship, PepsiCo maintains exclusive rights within the non-alcoholic beverage, sports fuel and salty snack categories to use MLB marks and logos. PepsiCo brands, including Pepsi, Gatorade, Aquafina, Frito-Lay Seeds, Cracker Jack and Lay’s remain official MLB sponsors.

Through its brands, PepsiCo will continue to create local and national MLB fan marketing programs; integrate into the League’s TV assets; work with the League’s mobile and digital properties through its long-standing partnership with MLB Advanced Media (MLBAM); produce retail promotional opportunities with its customers; fuel the League’s athletes and activate at marquee MLB events, such as the All-Star Game and World Series.

“PepsiCo has been a tremendous supporter of Major League Baseball for nearly two decades. PepsiCo will enhance the fan experience at the ballpark and at retail with promotions across its food and beverage portfolio,” said Tim Brosnan, Executive Vice President, Business, Major League Baseball. “As one of baseball’s great rising stars, Bryce Harper is a perfect selection by Gatorade as a brand endorser.”

“MLB is a terrific PepsiCo partner and provides a strong platform to activate our food and beverage brands in ways that benefit the League, our retail customers and baseball fans across the country,” said Jennifer Storms, Senior Vice President, Global Sports Marketing, PepsiCo. “Opening Day marks the start of a busy selling season for many PepsiCo brands and we’re delighted to continue our relationship with one of the world’s most iconic sports properties.”

Later this month, Gatorade will debut a new ad supporting the launch of its Fierce subline starring All-Star Bryce Harper. Gatorade continues to provide fuel, fluid and nutrients to players on the field with products supported by the latest sports science and developed in collaboration with the Gatorade Sports Science Institute.

Oakley Becomes Official Eyewear Sponsor of Little League Baseball

Eyewear provider Oakley, doctor Inc. today announced it has entered into a partnership agreement with Little League International, making the company the Official Eyewear Sponsor of Little League Baseball and Softball.

“We are honored to be Little League’s new partner and proud to bring our premium technologies to today’s young players,” said Oakley CEO Colin Baden. “With 2.4 million boys and girls playing in more than 80 countries, Little League is the world’s largest youth sports organization, and the partnership will further our efforts to promote awareness of eye safety for youth around the globe.”

This year marks the 75th anniversary of Little League, and part of its ongoing success can be attributed to assistance provided by sponsorships that offset the costs of programs on the local league level. Partnerships such as the new alliance with Oakley help maintain low team affiliation fees and provide valuable training, educational resources and expertise, aiding in projects such as the Coaches Resource Center video training and the new Tee Ball program.

Baden continued, “From Hall of Famers Tony Gwynn and Rickey Henderson to today’s superstars like Miguel Cabrera and Matt Kemp, some of the greatest players in the game consider Oakley eyewear to be essential gear for the sport. Tomorrow’s legends deserve the performance of our optical innovation. More importantly, players young and old need the protection of our technologies because injuries can happen in the blink of an eye.”

“Little League’s national partners play an important role in ensuring that millions of boys and girls have a wonderful Little League experience, and parents have a healthy, affordable recreational outlet for their children,” said Liz DiLullo Brown, Little League Vice President of Marketing and Strategic Partnerships. “We’re excited to welcome Oakley as the Official Eyewear Sponsor of Little League Baseball and Softball and work with them to inform all our players, parents and volunteers on the role that Oakley products can play in enhancing the experience on the field.”