Nordea Renew Title Sponsorship of Scandinavian Masters

Nordea, Scandinavia’s largest bank, will remain the title sponsor of European Tour’s Scandinavian Masters after a three-year extension to their deal.

The Nordea Masters will be played at PGA of Sweden National in Bara, near Malmö, for the next two years, before returning to Bro Hof GC in 2016.

Lagardére Scandinavia, who run the ATP and WTA tennis events in Båstad and promote the IF Stockholm Open on the ATP Tour, has taken over the running of the Nordea Masters from Björn Örås, owner of last year’s host venue, Bro Hof Golf Club as well.

“Our ambition is to grow the tournament together with Nordea, and elevate it to the position as one of Europe’s most important golf events. Henrik’s success will inspire a new generation of golfers, and we are very happy that he will play in front of his home fans,” said Thomas Wallén, representative of Lagardére Scandinavia.

Björn Örås said: “We are very satisfied with the development of the event the last few years, and I look forward to seeing Lagardére bring its vision into reality. I am also delighted that Bro Hof will host the event in 2016.”

Ove Sellberg, CEO of PGA of Sweden National, said: “We are proud and happy that the Nordea Masters will be played at the PGA of Sweden National in 2014 and 2015. Henrik Stenson coming home to Sweden to play is the icing on the cake, and will mean a lot to golf fans across Sweden and particularly the region of Skåne. It could not be better.” 

George O’Grady, Chief Executive of The European Tour, said: “It is tremendous for the tournament that Nordea has extended its title sponsorship for three years, and superb news that Henrik has committed to play. Henrik is a true ambassador for The European Tour and golf in general, and his recent return to the upper echelons of the World Ranking has been one of the most heart-warming stories of this, or indeed any other season.  

“I would like to thank Björn Örås for his stewardship of the event, and we look forward to working closely with Lagardére Scandinavia in the coming years. I’m sure the PGA of Sweden National will prove a very worthy host venue, and will serve to enhance what is already a hugely popular and successful tournament.”

Realtor.com Sponsors San Jose Sharks for New Season

Realtor.com, the leader in online real estate, operated by Move, Inc., have announced that it has signed an agreement with the San Jose Sharks to be an official and category exclusive sponsor for the 2013-14 NHL season.

As a result of the agreement, the San Jose Sharks will provide realtor.com with exposure inside SAP Center as well as national and regional television and radio broadcasts for all regular season Sharks home season games. The contract also enables realtor.com to work with the San JoseSharks to offer fans giveaways, develop co-branded items, and launch  campaigns highlighting the benefits of   realtor.com’s mobile apps during the regular season.

“We continue to look for ways to connect with on-the-go, busy consumers to provide a personalized and powerful real estate experience on their mobile devices,” said Barbara O’Connor,chief marketing officer of Move. “Our agreement with the San Jose Sharks aligns perfectly with the audience we want to reach and is fitting given that the Sharks play two blocks away from our company headquarters.”

The realtor.com team will also have the opportunity to meet and connect with Sharks fans at all Sharks Street Rallies during the regular season and playoffs at SAP Center.

“We strive to form alliances with dependable, forward-thinking companies that care greatly about their customers the way that we care about our fans and realtor.comdemonstrates that,” said Sharks Sports & Entertainment Chief Operating Officer John Tortora. “We are pleased to name realtor.com as an official sponsor as they are an ideal affiliate that offers a robust database and intuitive mobile apps that give users an interactive and seamless home searching experience.” 

NASL’s Indy Eleven Announces Honda as Official Automobile

North American Sooccer League (NASL) club Indy Eleven have announced a new partnership with Honda designating the Japanese car manufacturesn as the Official Automobile of Indy Eleven.

Heading into its inaugural season in NASL, Indy Eleven’s three-year deal includes having the Honda logo on the front of their jerseys and all uniforms worn by the Indiana side through the entirety of the agreement.

“Indy Eleven’s partnership with Honda sets the tone for what this club plans to achieve in forming meaningful and lasting partnerships within the business community,” said Indy Eleven Owner Ersal Ozdemir. “While its national and international recognition can assist in getting Indy Eleven wider exposure, it is the possibilities provided by Honda’s Indiana connections that excite us most.”

“The Honda team of 2,000+ Hoosier employees at our Greensburg plant is excited for the upcoming season with Indy Eleven,” said Bob Nelson, HMIN president. “This partnership is a tremendous opportunity for the entire Honda family.”

“In a town where pro teams impact our daily lives and community livelihood, we’re excited and proud to be a major partner of Indiana’s newest sports organization,” said Dave Piercefield, President of Central Indiana Honda Dealers.

After nearly a year of putting together the building blocks for professional soccer in the Hoosier State, the Honda deal is another strong signal of growth for Indy Eleven as the team builds momentum towards its inaugural 2014 season.

USG & CGC to Sponsor Team USA & Canadian Olympic Team Until Rio 2016 Olympics

Leading products company USG Corporation and its Canadian subsidiary, CGC, Inc., have announced a new four-year sponsorships of both the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Teams and the Canadian Olympic Team.

USG and CGC are now the official building materials sponsors of Team USA and the Canadian Olympic Team. L&W Supply Corporation, the company’s distribution subsidiary, becomes the official building materials provider of Team USA.

USG Chairman, President and CEO James S. Metcalf, said: “Being associated with The Olympic Movement, which is recognized throughout the world, gives USG broad exposure and appeal as we roll out our new identity,” said Metcalf.

“Olympic and Paralympic athletes are known for high performance, perseverance and a commitment to excellence – principles that align closely with USG’s own values. We are proud to support the athletes who devote their lives to achieving greatness. It inspires us to do the same as we embark on the next phase of our company’s growth,” adds Metcalf.

“The support of Team USA Partners such as USG is essential to maintaining our commitment to elite-level performance and ensuring U.S. Olympic and Paralympic athletes have every opportunity to succeed,” said Scott Blackmun, chief executive officer, USOC. “In addition to financial support, USG is adding its expertise and materials to aid in the improvements at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs. The work being done to improve facilities at the OTC will have a direct and meaningful impact for the athletes who live and train there.”

“The Canadian Olympic Committee knows it takes a village to raise a champion,” said COC President Marcel Aubut. “In forging a strong and vibrant partnership with USG, we are continuing to foster the development of athletes and coaches. On behalf of the entire Canadian Olympic family, I want to welcome and thank USG for supporting our nation’s sporting future.”

The four-year agreement also includes the sponsorship of Team USA and the Canadian Olympic Team competing in the 2014 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games in Sochi, Russia; the 2015 Pan/Parapan American Games in Toronto; and the 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.

Toronto Raptors Name Rapper Drake as Global Ambassador

Canadian rapper Drake has become the global ambassador for the Toronto Raptors ahead of the new season and following yesterday’s announcement that Toronto will host the 2016 All-Star weekend.

As part of his new role, Drake spoke at the NBA’s press conference overnight announcing that Toronto would become the first city outside the United States to host the flagship All-Star weekend.

“The city of Toronto and the Raptors mean everything to me, and the chance to be able to play a role with this team is something that I could have only dreamed of growing up,” Drake said.

“I’m really excited about the direction of the Raptors, and today’s announcement is another reason why Canadian basketball fans have a lot to look forward to.”

The rapper often watches Raptors games from the sidelines, and speaks publicly about his friendships with NBA players, including superstar LeBron James.

“I would say as far as my relationships, no relationship to me is closer than me and LeBron. LeBron is basically family to me, like a brother,” Drake told ESPN in 2010.

Drake will be consulted to plan a makeover of the Raptors franchise, just as Jay-Z helped turn the Brooklyn Nets into a superstar destination following their move from New Jersey.

Jay-Z owned a miniscule share in the Nets but reportedly helped design the team’s new black-and-white logo and jerseys, before he sold his stake to become a player agent.

It is currently unknown if Drake’s role as a global ambassador includes owning a minority share of the Raptors.

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Stephen Curry Signs Shoe Endorsement Deal with Under Armour

Golden State Warriors point guard Stephen Curry has signed on to endorse sports clothing giant Under Armour, according to ESPN.

Curry played as a Nike branded athlete for the first four years of his NBA career but has opted to move to the Baltimore based retailer.  

“Our key attributes for players we want to have on our team are young, underdog and next — and Steph checked all those boxes,” Matt Mirchin, Under Armour’s senior vice president of global marketing, told ESPN.com. “We couldn’t talk to him until August given his contract, but when we did, both sides realized it was a great opportunity and the deal came together quickly.”

Curry will wear Under Armour’s lightweight shoe, the Spawn Anatomix, this season, and the brand will sell shoes in Warriors colors for $120. Mirchin said he expects Curry will get a signature shoe as early as the end of next season.

Curry will be the biggest star that has stepped into basketball shoes made by Under Armour, which started to seriously play in the basketball shoe marketplace three years ago.

He joins fellow NBA stars Brandon Jennings of the Detroit Pistons, Raymond Felton of the New York Knicks, Kemba Walker of the Charlotte Bobcats andGreivis Vasquez of the Sacramento Kings.

 

Advil Becomes Official Pain Reliever of NHL

Pfizer Consumer Healthcare, medical a unit of Pfizer, sale Inc. have announced a partnership with the National Hockey League (NHL) naming their brand Advil the Official Pain Reliever of the NHL and the 30 NHL athletic trainers in North America for the 2013-14 season.

Under the agreement, look Advil is also an Official Partner and the Official Pain Reliever of the 2014 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic and the 2014 Coors Light NHL Stadium Series™.

As an official partner of the NHL, Advil will receive significant media exposure, including prominent in-ice brand position, camera-visible dasherboards and placement at accompanying fan festivals of League tent-pole events. Advil will also benefit from custom integration throughout all NHL-controlled media properties including NHL.com, NHL Network and NHL Social, in addition to the League’s U.S. national broadcast partner, NBC Sports Group.

“The Advil brand has joined the NHL family at a very exciting time,” said Dave Lehanski, Senior Vice President, Integrated Sales, NHL. “With the most ambitious series of big events in League history planned for this season – six outdoor games over 61 days – we are delivering unprecedented fan engagement while offering our partners more opportunities to activate than ever before.”

“The NHL deal provides a terrific platform for driving the launch of our new, fast acting Advil line,” said Brian Groves, U.S. Chief Marketing Officer at Pfizer Consumer Healthcare. “Advil is built to be as fast as it is tough. We see the players and the League as embodying the fast acting Advil promise of fast recovery from tough pain.”

ASICS to Sponsor Australian Rugby Union

Australian Rugby Union have announced today sports performance brand ASICS as an Official Partner of the Qantas Wallabies and sponsor of Australian Rugby from 2014.

The new deal extends ASICS’ existing partnership with Australian Rugby as the Official Footwear supplier of the Qantas Wallabies and Australian Rugby teams in 2013.

Under the new partnership, viagra buy all Australian Rugby teams, including the Qantas Wallabies and the Qantas men’s and women’s Sevens, will wear ASICS apparel and footwear, with the ASICS logo appearing on jerseys.

Australian Rugby Union Chief Executive Officer, Bill Pulver said the partnership with ASICS is a great vote of confidence in Australian Rugby and will be a terrific opportunity to access world-leading high performance apparel and footwear.

“The Qantas Wallabies are an iconic national team and we’re absolutely delighted to be working with ASICS to help us continue the proud traditions of our game and help our performance reach new heights,” said Mr Pulver.

“We’re particularly pleased that our other national teams, including the Qantas men’s and women’s Sevens, will also be part of this deal.”

Managing Director of ASICS Oceania, Allan Russell said: “Rugby is a proudly celebrated sport in Australia and ASICS is pleased to have established a major partnership with Australian Rugby Union, an organisation with a rich sporting heritage,” said Mr Russell.

“This joint venture will enable ASICS to showcase our leadership in the innovation and design of sporting footwear and apparel, to enhance team performance.

“ASICS not only applauds elite success but also believes in applauding participation in sport at all levels, so we’re looking forward to supporting all of the ARU’s programs, from the grass roots through to the Qantas Wallabies.”

In addition to its partnership with Australian Rugby, ASICS has a number of Rugby ambassadors, including Qantas Wallabies James Horwill, Israel Folau and Stephen Moore.

Australian Rugby fans will see the ASICS logo on Australian Rugby jerseys for the first time in January next year, when the Qantas Men’s Sevens competes in Las Vegas as part of the HSBC Sevens World Series.

Irish FA Retains Coca Cola Partnership

The Irish Football Association have renewed their partnership with Coca-Cola HBC Northern Ireland for a further year.

Irish FA Head of Marketing and Communications, unhealthy Geoff Wilson said: “The Association is delighted with the extension of our long standing partnership with global brand Coca-Cola as the Irish FA’s official drinks provider.

“The extension demonstrates the regard the Irish FA holds for their partner associations such as Coca-Cola. The company has worked in conjunction with the Irish FA for more than 30 years, and the Irish FA is delighted to announce the renewal of the partnership.”

Katie Hutchinson, Events Team Manager, Coca-Cola HBC Northern Ireland added: “Coca-Cola is delighted to continue our support of the Irish FA for the 2013/14 season.

“We are committed to supporting local sports initiatives and as such, we are delighted to see the high number of clubs that have been competing across the Coca-Cola Junior, Intermediate, Women’s, Community and the Special FA Cups throughout this season.

“We are very proud to be part of these competitions, which showcase the exceptional talent of our local players.  I wish all the teams the very best of luck in the season ahead.”

ESH Group Eagles Extend Northumbria University Partnership

The ESH Group Eagles, formerly the Newcastle Eagles, have extended their partnership with Northumbria University for the start of the British Basketball League (BBL). 

The Eagles play their games at Sport Central, the University’s flagship 3000-seat arena in the heart of Newcastle.

Having collaborated successfully for several years, this new agreement will see Newcastle Eagles continue its support of University basketball through expert coaching of its student and national league teams.

Adam Dunlop, Marketing Director, Northumbria University, said: “This partnership is valuable on a number of levels. The Newcastle Eagles provide extensive opportunities for talent development in the North East, something that is obviously at the heart of higher education.

“Additionally, they are fully immersed in all aspects of University life – from coaching our sports teams to providing opportunities for our students to enjoy top flight basketball right on campus.

“We are proud to continue our work with them into 2014 and beyond.”

With a number of new player signings confirmed, Newcastle Eagles’ Managing Director, Paul Blake, is looking forward to launching the new season at Sport Central.

Paul said: “We’re obviously thrilled to welcome Northumbria back on board as a business partner. We’re gearing up for an exciting start to the BBL season at Sport Central, with a wealth of new playing talent alongside legendary Eagles players Fabulous Flournoy, Charles Smith and Darius Defoe.

“The relationship helps us expand our community programme and further develop the event for loyal and new fans alike.

“We look forward to inviting the new influx of Northumbria students to experience the high-energy atmosphere of an Eagles game right here on campus.”

This follows the Newcastle Eagles being rebranded the ESH Group Eagles Newcastle.