Reigning Major League Soccer (MLS) champions Sporting Kansas City have announced Price Chopper as the presenting partner of the Sporting Club Network.

Price Chopper is the newest of five “First Team” founding level partnerships for the 2013 MLS Cup champions. The locally owned company comes in as the club’s official grocery partner and will take an ownership position in the youth soccer space.

“We have been looking for the right strategic partner for quite some time,” said Jake Reid, Chief Revenue Officer at Sporting Kansas City. “We are ecstatic to announce this marquee partnership with Price Chopper.”

The Sporting Club Network provides a platform for Price Chopper to reach and support multiple organizations. The Sporting Club Network features 45 affiliates with more than 50,000 members in six states across the Midwest.

“Two of Price Chopper’s core values are family and community,” said Pete Ciacco, President of Price Chopper. “By partnering with Sporting KC, we are able to support Kansas City’s young athletes and their families on a new level.”

“Price Chopper is excited to join forces with Sporting KC,” said Casie Broker, Price Chopper’s Director of Marketing. “Our organizations share similar values of supporting those around us. We look forward to the good that this partnership will bring to the Kansas City community, Sporting KC and Price Chopper in the years to come.”

“Price Chopper checks every box for our organization, when we look to form a relationship. The most attractive attribute for us is being a local, homegrown Kansas City company,” said Jamie Guin, VP of Corporate Partnerships at Sporting Kansas City.  “We look forward to a long-lasting relationship with Price Chopper and its entire ownership group.”

PGA Tour golfer Brandt Snedeker has become the ambassador of Lamkin Corporation which manufactures premium golf grips.

The agreement cements the company’s long relationship with the 2012 FedEx Cup winner, ask who has played with Lamkin grips throughout his professional golf career.

“I couldn’t be more excited to finalize Lamkin’s team of brand ambassadors with the addition of Brandt Snedeker,” said Lamkin CEO, Bob Lamkin.  “As a family-owned business, it’s incredibly important that we align ourselves with players that not only share our passion for golf, but also represent the integrity and authenticity that are hallmarks of the Lamkin brand.  Brandt’s conduct and accomplishments on and off the course make him an exceptional representative of our core brand values.”

Brandt Snedeker has won six PGA TOUR events, including his outstanding win of the 2012 Tour Championship and FedEx Cup.  He has amassed over 40 Top 10 finishes on the Tour and is currently ranked 17th in the Official World Golf Ranking.  

In addition to continuing to use Lamkin golf grips, Brandt will be prominently featured in a number of Lamkin’s upcoming advertising, promotional and social media campaigns.  He will also provide ongoing product development and player testing feedback.   Brandt’s current grip of choice is the best-selling Crossline, a favorite among top Tour players for nearly 15 years.

Lamkin Grips also has on its books legendary golfer Arnold Palmer who has used the equipment for more than 60 years, becoming an official spokesman for the company in 1997. 

Petrobras, a multi-national energy company based in Brazil has secured a new multi-year partnership agreement with Williams F1 team.

Williams and Petrobras have had a history of technology collaboration dating back to 1998 when the team started using Petrobras’ fuel for the first time in a partnership which lasted for 11 years.

The new agreement will see the Williams and Petrobras technical collaboration continue once more as the two parties work together to develop a new specialist motorsport fuel for use by the team starting in the 2015 season. With new engine regulations coming into effect from 2014 that require teams to use more efficient fuels, Petrobras’ expertise will ensure that the team is well placed to meet the demands of greater energy efficiency within the sport.

Petrobras will place its logo on the side of the Williams Mercedes FW36 chassis and across the team environment and apparel as part of the deal.

Petrobras President Maria das Graças Silva Foster celebrated the return of the company to a Formula One team by saying: “We are very happy to be going back to the biggest motorsport competition in the world. During the 11 years that Williams was by our side we made significant advances in product development, such as Podium gasoline. Participating in this competition is a huge challenge, since it requires us to always be ready to meet the highest standards for quality and efficiency demanded by the category. We are very excited to start this new challenge.”  

Speaking about the new partnership Sir Frank Williams, Founder and Team Principal of Williams, said: “Petrobras and Williams have had a successful partnership before and we are both looking forward to reuniting for 2014. Technologically they are very strong and that will be important for the team as the new regulations have made fuel efficiency increasingly important. They are also a very ambitious global company and we are looking forward to working together to further their marketing goals.”

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PGA Tour golfer Zach Johnson, ranked seventh in the world, has announced John Deere will be his new corporate sponsor.

Beginning with this week’s World Golf Championship event in Marana, AZ, the well-known John Deere trademark will be displayed on Johnson’s golf bag at all events he plays during the tenure of the multi-year sponsorship deal.

Johnson has won 11 PGA TOUR events including the 2007 Masters. He has also played on three Ryder Cup and three Presidents Cup teams.

“We admire Zach Johnson as a competitor and for the overall values he exemplifies in his life,” said James Field, president of Deere’s Worldwide Agriculture & Turf Division. “We believe Zach represents the core values for which the John Deere brand is known. He has unquestioned integrity, has displayed great commitment to his profession, family and community, and is one of the highest quality players in the game today.”

Field said while the sponsorship has definite business objectives of promoting the John Deere brand name, it also is important to note that a portion of the company’s sponsorship goes to the Zach Johnson Foundation, which focuses on children and families in need.

Johnson’s relationship with Deere’s professional golf tournament is longstanding. He received sponsor exemptions to play in the John Deere Classic both in 2002 and 2003 before he earned a full-time PGA TOUR membership. He won the John Deere Classic in 2012, has been runner-up twice, and has played in the tournament 12 straight years. Johnson also is a member of the tournament’s executive committee.

“It is a privilege to represent John Deere, one of the world’s most admired companies,” said Johnson. “It is a significant responsibility to be entrusted with representing a company known around the world for its strong values. I am sincerely looking forward to it.”

National Football League (NFL) franchise Buffalo Bills have announced Admar Supply Co. Inc. as the team’s construction equipment supplier.

Admar has worked with the teams regularly, ambulance supplying equipment to Ralph Wilson Stadium in Buffalo and its training camp at St. John Fisher College. The new deal coincides with the Bills undergo a $130 million stadium renovation project. 

The Ralph Wilson Stadium renovation and improvement project began in June, ailment It includes new technology, price a west-end plaza with a team store and enhanced gate entries, and renovated and expanded concessions, restrooms and training facility. 

Admar will offer the subcontractors on the renovation project access to necessary construction equipment, including aerial lifts, light towers, generators and earth movers, officials said. The company already has lifts, light towers and generators onsite during the season.  

“ADMAR is a local, family-owned company in the Western New York region that has proudly worked with the Bills for many years,” said Greg Downing, ADMAR’s director of branch operations. “We believe in developing mutually beneficial partnerships with local organizations, and we support the Buffalo Bills as our hometown team.”

“Admar not only helped us with our training camp construction equipment needs in Rochester, but will play a vital role in the renovation project at Ralph Wilson Stadium in Orchard Park,” said Bruce Popko, Bills senior vice president of business development, in a statement.

Castrol has announced today that Brazil and FC Barcelona forward Neymar has joined the British automotive lubricants brand as a global ambassador.

The partnership between the international football star and the world’s leading lubricants brand will run for 12 months.

The deal will see Neymar become the face of Castrol’s World Cup promotions as well as a ground-breaking new Castrol activation to be launched in April. Castrol is an official sponsor of the 2014 FIFA World Cup.

A. S. Ramchander, VP Global Marketing at Castrol, said: “We are thrilled to be working with Neymar. He demands the best performance from himself in every game he plays, just as Castrol demands the best performance from our oils every time the engine starts. The 2014 FIFA World Cup™ is the perfect opportunity for us to combine our respective passions for superior performance, innovation and football.”

Commenting on the new partnership, Neymar said: “I’m delighted to be working with Castrol on an exciting new project that I hope will enable me to take my game to a new level.”

The partnership was signed in consultation with Rhodri Burgess of Wasserman Media Group, who has previously worked with Castrol to secure the services of Cristiano Ronaldo, Cafu and Marcel Desailly.

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