Royal London to Title Sponsor ECB’s One Day Cricket Matches

Royal London has announced a partnership with the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) that will allow the UK’s largest mutual life and pensions company to headline sponsor England’s one-day cricket at international, county and recreational levels from 2014.

As part of the deal, Royal London will sponsor forty ODI matches over four years against Sri Lanka, India, New Zealand, Australia, Pakistan, West Indies and South Africa. They will also title sponsor the Women’s ODIs, One Day Cup, National Club Championship and Junior County Cups.

Royal London has six million customers, and recently announced a new strategy which will see each of its 11 existing brands migrate to its Royal London masterbrand.

The ECB’s vision of game-wide title sponsorship for each format has now come to fruition with Royal London sponsoring all one-day cricket, Investec sponsoring Test cricket, NatWest sponsoring all T20 cricket and LV= backing the County Championship.

David Collier, ECB Chief Executive, said: “It is with great pleasure that we welcome Royal London as our newest commercial partner. Our commercial and broadcast deals provide the foundation and long-term stability for our investment in cricket from the playground to Test arena, and this deal is further proof of cricket’s popularity in England and Wales.

“The public’s appetite for one-day cricket remains extremely high with international sell-outs every summer and the recent success of the ICC Champions Trophy is also testament to the format’s strength.

“It is fitting that I take this opportunity to thank our previous county one-day cricket partners Yorkshire Bank and Clydesdale Bank for their support since 2005.”

Phil Loney, Group CEO of Royal London, said: “Cricket is a very British sport, we are a very British company and we are pleased to be working in partnership with the ECB to help them develop one-day cricket at an international and domestic level. As a mutual, we are particularly pleased to be helping them sustain local communities through the grassroots development of the sport.”

Microsoft Confirms Talks to Rename Real Madrid’s Santiago Bernabeu

Real Madrid are considering selling their naming rights for the Santiago Bernabeu to Microsoft, according to the company’s Spanish president.

The 85,00-seater stadium was inaugurated in 1947 and was named after former Blancos president Santiago Bernabeu Yeste.

And now Maria Garana, the president of the software giant’s Spanish operation, has confirmed they are in the running.

“We have an excellent relationship with Real Madrid and in fact we recently signed an agreement with its foundation,” she told Spanish television channel antena 3.

“They’ve raised, as have other companies, renaming the stadium and we’re only talking about this possibility.”

The La Liga club’s president Florentino Perez stated last month that he was looking to get a sponsor for the stadium which is set to undergo a major renovation.

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AutoZone to Sponsor Penske Racing for 2014 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series

Penske Racing announced today that AutoZone will join the team as an associate sponsor for the 2014 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season.

AutoZone’s company logo will be prominently featured on the C-post of the No. 22 Shell-Pennzoil Ford Fusion driven by 2013 Chase driver Joey Logano beginning next season. AutoZone will also work with other Penske Racing partners to increase its presence in the racing community. In addition, the Memphis, Tenn.-based company will launch a marketing campaign focused around Penske Racing and Logano. 

“We are very excited to welcome AutoZone to the Penske Racing family,” said Roger Penske. “We take great pride in the companies like AutoZone that invest in our organization. This partnership will help us continue to grow at Penske Racing and provide an opportunity for the rest of our partners to work with yet another great company in AutoZone.” 

AutoZone has an extensive history in motorsports, including various sponsorships in NASCAR, powerboat racing and regional racing series around the country. This marks the automotive company’s first sponsor relationship in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. 

“When you decide to enter into an agreement like this, you want to work with a company that everyone respects and that’s what Penske Racing is, especially in the motorsports world,” said Bill Rhodes, President and CEO of AutoZone. “We are all really excited to form this new partnership with Roger Penske and his first-class organization. Already from the beginning, they’ve made us feel very welcome. And to get to work with an up-and-coming driver and a car guy like Joey Logano is about as good as it gets.” 

“It’s pretty cool to see a new company come into our sport and to get involved at the level that AutoZone is planning to do next season,” said the 23-year-old Logano, who won at Michigan International Speedway earlier this season. “To have a company come in and be really excited about working with you and your team, it really makes you feel good. Having AutoZone on board starting next season is great for our sport and Penske Racing and it makes me want to go out there and win even more races for them.”

AutoZone is the nation’s leading retailer and a leading distributor of automotive replacement parts and accessories with more than 5,000 stores in the US, Puerto Rico, and Mexico.

Cooper Tire Named Official Tire of the Canadian Hockey League

Cooper Tire has announced a partnership with the Canadian Hockey League (CHL) for the 2013-2014 season.

Cooper will be the “Official Tire of the Canadian Hockey League, impotent ” featuring a strong presence at each of the CHL national events as a partner of the SUBWAY Super Series, the CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game, and the MasterCard Memorial Cup.

The partnership supports the company’s brand expansion into the Canadian market. In partnership with its existing customer network, Cooper Tire is reaching Canadian consumers with tires crafted for life’s road trips, from suburban commuting and city driving to rugged rural terrain and winter weather. 

“Celebrating Canada’s greatest national sport, Cooper Tire is looking forward to the Canadian Hockey League season and connecting personally with fans,” said Hal Gardner, Vice President of Marketing Communications and Market Intelligence. “Our brand’s expansion into Canada has been well-received and we’re thrilled to continue the momentum, capitalizing on the energy and passion of the CHL. The partnership is an incredible match, pairing Canada’s most loved national sport with a brand consumers trust for all of life’s road trips.”

“On behalf of the Canadian Hockey League we are proud to partner with Cooper Tire, a brand trusted by many Canadians,” said CHL President David Branch. “Cooper Tire’s commitment to safety is a value shared by the CHL; we look forward to launching exciting programs through our partnership this season.”

Core Power Named Official Protein Drink of Sochi 2014

Core Power have been announced as The Official Protein Drink of Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games.

In a statement Core Power said: “We are super excited to have achieved this great honor and look forward to being THE protein drink that such a discerning group of athletes will turn to as they POWER their way towards their dreams!”

Core Power has aligned with four top Team USA athletes currently striving for a slot at the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi. These elite Olympic hopefuls are training heavily and competing hard to reach the goal of their lifetime, look and Core Power will be at their side, allergist powering their recovery all the way to the podium.

The Core Power #Sochi2014 Olympic hopefuls are Emily Cook (Aerial Skiing), cheap  Jazmine Fenlator(Bobsled), Eric Willett (Slope-style Snowboarding), and Jordie Karlinski (Slope-style Snowboarding).

Core Power will also be producing limited edition bottles featuring their Olympic hopefuls that hit shelves in January of 2014.

Riverside to Sponsor Castleford Tigers’ Kits

English Rugby League club Castleford Tigers have announced a new kit sponsorship with Riverside Car Sales.

As part of the agreement the Castleford based used car dealership’s logo will feature on the back of the Tigers’ home and away playing shirts throughout the 2014 Super League season.

Riverside Car Sales’ association with the Tigers started in 2009 and increased a year later when they featured on the back of the 2010 shirts.

Castleford Tigers’ Commercial Manager Richard Pell said: “Riverside Car Sales has been a commercial partner of Castleford Tigers for a number of years and we’re pleased that they will appear on the back of the club’s shirts again next season.

“They have supported a number of the club’s activities recently and by increasing their involvement with the club even further in 2014 they are sure to see a fantastic return on their investment.”

Established in 1992, the Lock Lane based dealership has been selling an extensive range of high quality used vehicles at affordable prices for over 20 years.

Gary Jenkinson, owner of Riverside Car Sales said: “Castleford Tigers is a huge part of the local community and so it’s a pleasure to partner with an organisation who shares the same consumer base as us.

“We have enjoyed a good relationship with the club for a number of years and as such we are pleased to agree a new deal that will increase our level of exposure on a national scale and we are looking forward to our business growing off the back of it.

“Like many of our customers, we too are Cas fans so we are really excited about the potential that next season holds.”

Red Bull Named Official Energy Drink of Global Rallycross

Global Rallycross have announced a multi-year agreement with Red Bull as the series’ title sponsor and official energy drink.

The partnership will mark the first primary sponsorship for Global Rallycross since its inception in 2011.

“We see the team at Red Bull not just as our sponsor, capsule but truly as our partner in helping us to build Global Rallycross into the premier motorsports platform, cheap ” says Colin Dyne, CEO of Global Rallycross. “Their legacy of growing brands in the motorsports arena, from Formula One to motocross and beyond, makes them the perfect partner to take Global Rallycross to the next level.”

The 2014 series calendar, consisting of 10 – 11 races, will be announced in late November. 

M&J Chickens Expands Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs Sponsorship

The Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs have announced long-term Corporate Partner, drugs M&J Chickens, drugs has expanded its partnership with the National Rugby League side to include sleeve sponsorship, drug through until the end of 2016.

M&J Chickens has now reached a significant milestone of being associated with the Bulldogs for 10 years and will now appear on both the shorts and sleeve of the playing and training apparel.

M&J Chickens was established as a family business in 1982, as a wholesale supplier of high quality specialised poultry products to the hospitality industry and over the past 32 years, now has a presence in a number of Australian states and have recently obtained an export licence that will see their brand grow internationally.

Group General Manager of M&J Chickens, Sam Phylactou, is proud to be growing the partnership with the Bulldogs that has been in place for a decade.

‘We’ve reached the 10 year mark in our support for the Club and to be able to take on an extra property on the apparel is great for our business,” Phylactou said.
“We have been in the local area for many years and to be able to have this strong relationship with the Bulldogs gives us the opportunity to do some great and exciting things within the local community.”

Bulldogs Chief Executive Raelene Castle commented: “Each year the support from M&J Chickens has grown and to now see them at this significant level of partnership is a sign of that commitment,” Castle said. “Sam and his team are fantastic and we have enjoyed seeing our brands grow together.”

BLK to Sponsor Super Rugby’s Sharks

Super Rugby club The Sharks have announced a new partnership with sports apparel brand BLK in a deal that will run from January 2014 until December 2018.

BLK CEO Tyron Brant said the opportunity to join forces with one of the world’s most famous and recognised rugby brands provided a perfect platform for BLK to showcase their technically advanced apparel.

“The Sharks have long been celebrated as a key global rugby brand which is reflected in their relentless pursuit of success both on and off the field, tadalafil ” Brant said.

John Smit, who took over as CEO of The Sharks in July, said they were looking forward to developing a relationship with a brand that has a distinct heritage and understanding of rugby, but more importantly has shown consistent advancements in apparel and a proven record of designing popular supporter ranges across various codes.

“BLK epitomise technical advancement, each elite range they develop represents years of research in garment innovation and this drive for continual improvement matches our values,” Smit said.

Sintons to Sponsor Newcastle Falcons & Esh Group Eagles

Rugby club Newcastle Falcons and British Basketball club Esh Group Eagles Newcastle are to be both supported this season by Sintons.

The deals are an continuation of a long standing relationship with the Aviva Premiership rugby club, erectile but a newly formed association with the BBL team.

Newcastle-based Sintons is also lending its support to Falcons captain Will Welch who recently made his 100th Falcons appearance, asthma and has been sponsored by Sintons since he was an Academy player as well as Fabulous Flournoy, rx player and head coach at the Eagles. The law firm is also sponsoring 19 year-old Sean Brown, part of the Falcons Academy, who has recently made his first team debut and is being tipped for the top.

The sports division at Sintons, led by Associate and specialist sports lawyer Iona Sims, is highly regarded throughout the region and beyond for its work with clubs and individuals of all levels, from grassroots to high profile professionals.

Alan Dawson, Chairman of Sintons, commented on the deals: “The North East is a region renowned for its love of sport, and that is something we share at Sintons. I have always played and coached rugby, and now referee for my local club, Morpeth RFC, and my daughter Kayleigh has just retired from the Great Britain swimming team, so sport is something I am hugely passionate about.

“At Sintons, we are specialist legal advisors to clubs and sporting individuals of all levels, but we are also committed to giving our support in other ways. We are delighted to extend our long term relationship with the Newcastle Falcons and Will Welch, as well as beginning our support of Sean, Fabulous and the whole Eagles set-up.

“We wish them all the best of luck for the season ahead and look forward to supporting and working with them for many seasons to come.”