AdvoCare has been named the new title sponsor of the Texas Bowl, ampoule a postseason collegiate football game, ed | it was announced today.

Owned and operated by ESPN Regional Television (ERT), a subsidiary of ESPN, and managed locally by Lone Star Sports & Entertainment (LSSE), the Houston-based event will now be known as the AdvoCare Texas Bowl. The initial agreement is for three years through the 2016 bowl game and aligns with their sponsorship of the AdvoCare Texas Kickoff – a Labor Day weekend college football game.

Teams from the Big 12 and the Southeastern Conferences will square off at Reliant Stadium starting in December 2014. The new agreement with the SEC will give the Texas Bowl the ability to showcase two of the country’s premier conferences against one another for the next six years. The extension with the Big 12 results in a higher selection order for the game. The Texas Bowl will now select after teams have been chosen for the College Football Playoff, followed by the Alamo and Russell Athletic Bowls.

“We are excited to have AdvoCare as the title sponsor of the bowl,” Clint Overby, senior director of events, ESPN Regional Television, said in the release. “Having them share our vision in bookending the year with two exciting football games is a tremendous positive and provides the opportunity to continue to grow the game and showcase college football in the City of Houston.”

The deal comes on the heels of AdvoCare’s five-year sponsorship of the Independence Bowl in Shreveport. AdvoCare vowed to double its payout if the Shreveport area could up its ante, too. AdvoCare’s president and CEO, Richard Wright, a Shreveporter, wanted his hometown’s bowl game to get better selections in the SEC and ACC.

Local politcians balked at a hotel tax to help fund the game’s efforts to move up the ladder. Therefore, as promised, AdvoCare took its money elsewhere.

“We are excited to expand our relationship with a Texas company like AdvoCare to celebrate the culture, heritage and football tradition of the Lone Star State through this game,” said David Fletcher, executive director, AdvoCare Texas Bowl. “With the Big 12 and the SEC, two of America’s elite football conferences, coming together now each year in Houston for the AdvoCare Texas Bowl, it further solidifies the city of Houston and Reliant Stadium as a premier destination for college football.”

“Building brand awareness is one of our primary goals at AdvoCare, and we are proud to join the Texas Bowl in 2014 to continue in these efforts,” said Mike Vaught, AdvoCare Director of Corporate Sponsorships. “The sponsorship of the AdvoCare Texas Bowl is a powerful opportunity for both AdvoCare and the Texas Bowl organization to grow even stronger. We’re excited to bring AdvoCare to Houston and looking forward to December’s showdown between the Big 12 and SEC!”

Mahor League Soccer (MLS) side Portland Timbers have announced a new partnership today granting Providence Health & Services naming rights to their Jeld-Wen Field stadium.

The multi-year deal club’s will involve naming the historic downtown home venue to Providence Park, capsule which annually plays host to home games for the Timbers, Portland Thorns FC and a wide variety of sports, entertainment and community-related events.

“Just like Providence, the Timbers and Thorns have a proven track record of giving back to the community,” says Dave Underriner, chief executive for Providence in Oregon. “Together, we’ll bring the spirit of the people of Providence alongside the Timbers and Thorns to reach out to the community in new and exciting ways.”

The multi-dimensional partnership will provide Providence with exclusive exposure and signage inside and outside of Providence Park, including marquee signage at the main entrances; state-of-the-art, field-level LED signage during Timbers and Thorns FC home matches; and additional promotional elements throughout Providence Park’s concourses.

“I am thrilled to announce our new, expanded community partnership with Providence Health & Services,” said Merritt Paulson, president of the Timbers. “This partnership signifies a huge commitment to the community from the largest private employer in Oregon, which will keep Providence Park the name of our facility for years to come. Additionally, I want to thank JELD-WEN for their past and continued significant commitment to the Portland Timbers.”

JELD-WEN Windows & Doors, the stadium naming-rights partner for the Timbers’ first three seasons in MLS, will continue to serve as one of the club’s Founding Partners and will continue its involvement in the Timbers’ community outreach, including the Score-a-Goal, Plant-a-Tree program. JELD-WEN Windows & Doors will remain the Official Window and Door Provider of Major League Soccer and the Timbers.

“JELD-WEN has greatly enjoyed being a part of the Timbers’ community. We are looking forward to continuing our involvement as a founding partner and our association with the team and the sport,” said Bill Hueffner, vice president for JELD-WEN. “We are extremely proud to have been one of the original supporters and sponsors of the team and the stadium at a monumental time in both of their histories.”

As part of the partnership with the Timbers, Providence will continue to share its health and wellness initiatives for youth, including the Play Smart heart screening and concussion awareness programs, through the annual Health & Fitness School Days for local youth in conjunction with Portland Timbers U-23s games at Providence Park. Providence is already committed to the “Tix for Kids” program, providing tickets for local underprivileged youth to attend home games for the Timbers and Thorns.

“Every Timbers game is a teachable moment to encourage fitness and wellness at any age,” said James Beckerman, M.D., cardiologist for the Providence Heart and Vascular Institute and the Timbers. “Standing together, with the Timbers, we look forward to inspiring the people in our communities to be more active, lead healthier lives and have fun.”

Mobile Solutions, a telecom and mobile expense management firm, announced that it will sponsor PGA Tour golfer David Duval.

“We are thrilled to welcome David Duval to the Mobile Solutions family,” stated Kim Johnson, CEO of Mobile Solutions. “He is a natural fit for us, as we have a shared passion for golf and exceeding fans’ and customers’ expectations. As we continue to expand outside of the United States, David will play an important role during his international tournaments as one of our brand ambassadors.” 

Duval, who turned pro in 1993, has 13 career victories on the PGA Tour and also a major winning the 2001 British Open

“I look forward to sharing many future successes with Mobile Solutions, a company that has an impressive track record of delivering outstanding customer service backed by state-of-the-art technology,” said Duval.

Major League Lacrosse have announced today it has partnered with Baltimore-based STX, to provide equipment to MLL players for the 2014 season.

“We’re excited to have STX join Major League Lacrosse as an Official Equipment Partner,” said MLL Commissioner David Gross.  “Our goal when opening the equipment category was to help unite the sport and with STX being the first manufacturer to take advantage of this opportunity, we believe this will create the impetus for others to join them.”

The one-year partnership with the MLL makes STX an Official Equipment Partner of Major League Lacrosse. As part of the agreement, STX will equip members of the MLL teams with product, including gloves, pads, handles and heads.

“We are very excited at the opportunity to partner with Major League Lacrosse and by doing so provide the top players in the sport with the chance to compete at the highest level, in our equipment,” said Ed Saunders, STX Director of Marketing. “We believe this partnership is a benefit to the game and yet another important benchmark in the progression of the industry.”

MLL have also signed new mesh providers with Jimalax, StringKing Lacrosse, East Coast Dyes and Stylin’ Strings supporting the league. 

Zhik have announced a partnership Yachting New Zealand to supply the sailors world class technical wet gear and clothing.

Zhik, the Australian based watersports brand, will be supplying the NZL Sailing team athletes and coaches with on water gear and shore uniform through until Rio 2016 as Yachting New Zealand’s Official Technical Clothing Partner.

“Zhik wet gear is a clear winning choice of technical apparel for the NZL Sailing Team” said High Performance Director Jez Fanstone. “The team is really comfortable in this brand and are excited to wear the used team uniform.”

Brian Conolly, Zhik’s Managing Director, was introduced to the NZL Sailing Team at the 50th Anniversary 2013 Volvo Yachting Excellence Awards in Auckland. “I was humbled to hear the recent achievements of the NZL Sailing Team, and kused this was a team we wanted to be a part of.” Brian explains.

Like the NZL Sailing Team’s rise from grassroots clubs around used Zealand to successful international athletes, Zhik has grown from a small Australasian dinghy sailing company to a global leader in fast wet gear products and high tech footwear.

“We put the same dedication and commitment into developing our gear as these sailors put into their campaigns. We want our gear to help the NZL Sailing Team win medals at World Championships and the Rio 2016 Olympics.” Brian continues.

YNZ’s Chief Executive Dave Abercrombie explained: “When we launch the NZL Sailing range of clothing later this year, a percentage of sales from those garments will be put back into YNZ’s club-based programmes.”

USA Triathlon have today extended with four existing sponsors — Competitor Group, FuelBelt, NormaTec and Avis Budget Group.

Triathlete will serve as an Official Silver-Level Sponsor and Media Partner through December 2015. Through the agreement, USA Triathlon annual members can receive a discount on a subscription to Triathlete Magazine. Participants at USA Triathlon-owned National Championship events may also receive the publication in their goodie bags. 

As an Official Bronze-Level Sponsor and the Official Hydration Belt of USA Triathlon, FuelBelt will provide a 30 percent discount to USA Triathlon annual members through 2016. FuelBelt will also participate in membership promotions and giveaways at select National Championships each year. FuelBelt is a long-time leader in the hydration belt and accessory industry and has been a USA Triathlon partner for more than a decade.

NormaTec have also elevated its partnership to become the Official Recovery System of USA Triathlon and an Official Bronze-Level Sponsor through 2017. NormaTec Recovery Systems will be provided to the USA Triathlon and USA Paratriathlon National Team programs, as well as the VIP area at USA Triathlon’s Age Group Nationals and Collegiate Nationals. V

Avis Budget Group returns as a Bronze-Level Sponsor through 2016, offering USA Triathlon annual members rental savings with Avis Car Rental and Budget Car Rental. Discounts are available for rentals at participating locations in the United States, Canada, Mexico and a number of other countries.