Championship club Huddersfield Town FC have revealed they have extended their partnership with Kirklees Active Leisure (KAL) for the fourth consecutive year in a new three-year deal.

The leading local health and fitness brand, drugs which manages 12 centres across the Kirklees area, look has figured at the forefront of Town’s community promotion activity in recent years through its ‘KAL Kickers’ children’s football courses, allergy children’s birthday parties and its sponsorship of Terry the Terrier.

As part of the new deal Huddersfield Town and KAL are developing a major Football Development Scheme targeting 6-16 years called ‘KAL Football Performance’. This will see up to 500 young footballers receiving high quality football coaching from professionally qualified coaches in close collaboration with Town’s Academy.

Huddersfield Town’s Head of Football Operations Ross Wilson, said: “We are delighted to extend our partnership with KAL. This will allow our Academy to further extend its footprint across the region and that can only be good for us as we continue to develop and grow.

“Mark Lillis and I will ensure that as a Club we monitor all of the centres through our Academy scouting department, headed by Bryan Glover.”

Damian Ives, Football Development Officer for KAL added: “It’s great news that KAL will be continuing the partnership with Huddersfield Town.

“With FA Chairman Greg Dyke’s recent high-profile statement about the future success of the national team, it’s a great opportunity to be doing something towards the future of the national game at a local level.

“We now have a new pathway for young footballers in Kirklees starting from three year-old beginners attending ‘KAL Pre-Kickers’ right through now to the elite side of the game with ‘KAL Football Performance’, with the possibility of progressing through to Huddersfield Town’s Academy.

“This is a fantastic and exciting opportunity for children across Kirklees to receive high quality advanced training in what will be a great environment.”

Ingersoll Rand, asthma a global leader in air compressors, tools, fluid management and material handling equipment, will be the primary sponsor of the No. 44 Ingersoll Rand/Tastee Apple Toyota Camry, driven by Chad Hackenbracht, during the Dollar General 300 NASCAR Nationwide Series race, at Charlotte Motor Speedway, on Oct. 11.

In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness month, Ingersoll Rand and TriStar Motorsports will run a special pink and black paint scheme showcasing the National Breast Cancer Foundation logo and pink ribbon to the back panel. Hackenbracht will also wear a pink-themed helmet and fire suit during the race, which will be donated to the National Breast Cancer Foundation and auctioned off at a later date. 

As part of the “Give Cancer the Boot” breast cancer awareness campaign, Ingersoll Rand will donate up to $50,000 to the National Breast Cancer Foundation, which funds their Early Detection Plan, educational programs, online support communities, mammogram and diagnostics services and breast cancer research.

“Breast cancer is a widespread disease that universally impacts Ingersoll Rand employees, customers and our society as a whole,” said Scott Krull, president – Americas Industrial Technologies, Ingersoll Rand. “Early detection is key to successfully treating the disease. We are proud to partner with The National Breast Cancer Foundation, which funds programs domestically and internationally to help spread the word about prevention and treatment to the areas Ingersoll Rand operates and beyond.”

IRN-BRU has been named the Official Soft Drink of the Scottish Professional Football League (SPFL).

The agreement between IRN-BRU makers A.G. Barr and the SPFL means that IRN-BRU’s long-standing association with the national game will continue, ed having already enjoyed six years as title sponsor of the Scottish Football League.

Adrian Troy, vialis 40mg Head of Marketing at A.G. Barr, said: “IRN-BRU is very much part of the fabric of Scottish football and we’re proud that our deal with the SPFL lets us extend our support to the clubs across all four divisions.

“We have a great relationship with football fans in Scotland, so we’re looking forward to working with the SPFL to support the clubs and their communities throughout the length and breadth of the country. We’re excited to share the big matchday experience with every football fan in the country, no matter who they support.”

Neil Doncaster, Chief Executive of the SPFL, said: “The SPFL and our member clubs are delighted to have IRN-BRU on board as the Official Soft Drink of the SPFL for the next three seasons. It is a very positive sign to the market that such a strong brand has invested in the new SPFL set-up.

“IRN-BRU has been a fantastic supporter of Scottish football over the years, bringing its unique personality to the game. We’re excited for the future as we start to work together, in partnership with all 42 professional clubs in Scotland.”

New Zealand motorsport’s open wheel proving ground has a new naming rights partner, stomach with leading racewear supplier Vortex Racewear backing the Formula First Championship for the 2013/14 season.

The Vortex Racewear Formula First Championship will be contested over eight rounds across the North Island, sale with events at Pukekohe, Hampton Downs, Taupo and Manfeild from Labour Weekend through to Easter 2014. 

As a proven unrivalled development formula for budding young drivers, the list of successful graduates from the 1200cc, include drivers Scott Dixon, Brendon Hartley, Shane van Gisbergen, Mitch Evans, Richie Stanaway, Jono Lester, Nick Cassidy and countless others have come through Formula First, and are now competing at an international level. 

It is for the continuation of this successful pathway, says Vortex Racewear Director Jono Lester, that the company has thrown its support in behind the Formula First Championship. 

“For over forty years now the Formula First has not only been the best breeding ground for our stars of tomorrow, but also staged some of the most exciting wheel to wheel racing ever seen in New Zealand,” Lester commented. 

“With our long family history in Formula First we are passionate about supporting it and seeing it thrive, as well as promoting our growing range of safety products and crowning a new Champion this season who we can follow on the world stage in years to come!” 

Formula Vee Association of NZ President, Ian Foster, believes the partnership firmly justifies the place of Formula First racing in New Zealand motorsport. 

“Formula First is really excited about the new partnership with Vortex,” he said. 

“It allows us to continue to provide young drivers – and some old! – with great racing and a helping hand to develop the skills needed to reach the professional level. 

“It’s the perfect fit with the brand and with our series, and the continuation of the association that the Lester Family has had with Formula Vee/Formula First is really wonderful.” 

In addition to supporting the series as a whole, Vortex Racewear will support the Scorpion Scholarship programme for a second year with both inaugural winner Jacob Smith, and 2013/14 winner Reed Harker. 

Launched in 2010 by the Lester family, Vortex Racewear supplies the market with a large range of FIA and SFI rated products including helmets, multi-layer race suits, boots, gloves, teamwear and accessories. 

The 2013/14 Vortex Racewear Formula First Championship kicks off at the Taupo Motorsport Park on October 26-27 as part of the IRC Race Series.

USA Wrestling has received a ​$250,000 from The Levitetz Family Foundation for the sponsorship of their Elite Athlete Appearance Program for the next five years.

Each year, $50,000 will be provided for USA Wrestling to send top athletes and coaches to make appearances in local communities in support of wrestling.

“The foundation is happy to be affiliated with USA Wrestling and proud of what we are doing with the Elite Athlete Appearance Program,” said Jeff Levitetz, president of The Levitetz Family Foundation. “Wrestling had a big impact on my life and how I was able to develop as a person. It is our way of giving back to the sport which has given me so much.”

The donation will greatly enhance USA Wrestling’s existing Athlete Appearance Program, which has already placed 45 athlete appearances in 25 different states with at least 12,000 athletes attending the clinics or tournament appearances. USA Wrestling will be able to set up more appearances with more athletes in additional communities because of this generous grant.

“Jeff Levitetz is a true visionary, especially when it comes to helping others. This program has a huge impact on our sport and would not be possible without Jeff and the generous support from The Levitetz Family Foundation,” said Rich Bender, USA Wrestling Executive Director.

The expansion of the program is expected to make a major impact on the growth and development of wrestling on the grassroots levels, while providing a link between the current stars of our sport and the future of wrestling.
“The athlete appearance program is important at every level of USA Wrestling. Our youth wrestlers get to meet their heroes, the elite athletes are able to give back to a system that has given them so much, and our grassroots coaches are inspired to develop World and Olympic champions. This program generates a positive return throughout the entire wrestling community and its benefits will be felt for years to come. We are very grateful that Jeff Levitetz has committed to support this program,” said Les Gutches, USA Wrestling Associate Executive Director of Programs and Strategy.

As part of the expanded program, a new High School Athlete Appearance contest has been created, which will reward a high school program that has had a positive influence in their community through the wrestling program. USA Wrestling will reward one high school program an athlete appearance in the winter and one other high school program in the spring of 2014. High School programs can go to the Athlete Appearance Program website and submit information in order to be considered. The first winner will be picked on November 1st, 2013.

The Levitetz Family Foundation has supported other important USA Wrestling projects in the past, including a program which provided needy children an opportunity to attend summer wrestling camp, as well as a project which promoted the heritage of Olympic wrestling in the United States.

“The Levitetz Family Foundation was formed about five years ago with the idea of helping childrens charities, those people in need, to help them to learn to help themselves. Currently, we donate to over 30 different causes around the nation and internationally. Recently, we were proud to give to the Paralympic Champions Fund as a gold-level sponsor. Through our association with USA Wrestling, we were referred to the U.S. Paralympic community, which allowed us to get involved and directly help paralympic athletes and their programs,” said Levitetz.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) will have a new title sponsor for the Indian cricket board’s international series and domestic tournaments with Star India and ESPN Software India acquiring the rights for US$320,000.

The price was much lower than the US$539,000 previous title sponsor Airtel was paying to the BCCI for each international match till March 31 when the telecom major refused to renew the contract. 

The marketing committee of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) met here at the Cricket Centre, Mumbai, early Thursday morning to receive the bids made for the sponsorship rights.

“The marketing committee has awarded the Title Sponsorship Rights for all series to be played in India in the 2013-14 season to Star India Pvt. Ltd, and ESPN Software India Pvt. Ltd. at a fee of Rs.2 crore per international match,” BCCI secretary Sanjay Patel said in a statement.

He said the bidders had the option of bidding for either the series between India and Australia, or the series between India and the West Indies, or both.

Penske Racing have announced multi-year extensions of its partnerships with driver Brad Keselowski and long-time sponsor MillerCoors, two key elements of the organization’s 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) championship.

“The extensions of our agreements with both Brad Keselowski and MillerCoors put our team in a real position of strength moving forward,” said Roger Penske. “This is an important day as these agreements will allow Penske Racing to invest significantly in our people and our technology, two critical areas to a successful race team.”

Keselowski, the 2012 NSCS champion, has agreed to an extension that will keep him behind the wheel of the No. 2 Ford Fusion for many seasons to come. The 29-year-old millennial face of NASCAR, Keselowski combines superb driving ability with acute social media prowess that has elevated him to the elite level of the sport.

“I am fully committed to Penske Racing and Miller Lite,” said Keselowski. “This will allow us to further grow our program and contend for championships on a consistent basis. It’s an exciting time to be a part of this organization and I look forward to a successful future.”

In 2014, Miller Lite will continue to adorn the side of the No. 2 Ford Fusion for 24 NSCS points-paying races. Miller Lite will maintain a position as a major associate sponsor for the remaining 12 races of the 2014 season. This new agreement extends a partnership between Penske Racing and MillerCoors that spans more than 30 years, one of the longest and strongest sponsor-team relationships in all of sports. This includes the 23-year partnership at the Sprint Cup Series level, but it also extends to historical relationships with the organization in IndyCar competition and sponsorships of race tracks formerly owned by Penske Corporation.

“The Miller Lite sponsorship of Penske Racing continues to deliver value to stakeholders throughout our system,” said MillerCoors CMO Andy England. “Our NASCAR beer drinkers identify well with Brad Keselowski and we are proud to have him as the face of the program.”