Santini Remains Clothing Supplier for UCI

Italian based clothing company Santini has extended its supply deal with the International Cycling Union (UCI) for a further two years.

As part of the deal, bronchi Santini Maglificio Sportivo, for sale which was established in 1965, medicine will continue to provide official UCI world champion and World Cup leader jerseys across all cycling disciplines.

UCI President Pat McQuaid said: “The world’s top cyclists have been wearing Santini jerseys for many years and I am delighted that we will be continuing our excellent collaboration with such a top quality company.”

Santini president Pietro Santini added: ”We’ve been sponsoring the UCI for 20 years and it feels natural for us to continue collaborating. I still get emotional though when I see a rider wearing the world champion jersey with the SMS logo on the heart.”

Getty Images Remains Exclusive Photograph Partner of MLB

Getty Images will continue to display Major League Baseball (MLB) photos after renewing their partnership with Major League Baseball Properties.

As part of the deal, denture Getty, a partner of MLB since 2004, will remain exclusive commercial photography partner of MLB and the exclusive licensor of the entire MLB image archive.

Jonathan Klein, Getty Images’ co-founder and CEO, said: “At Getty Images, we are huge fans of baseball and are thrilled to continue our partnership with Major League Baseball Properties and to bring our unrivalled photography, access and distribution to customers and fans worldwide.

“We look forward to delivering up-to-the minute coverage of every Major League Baseball game and to creating a robust archive that preserves the legacy of baseball for future generations.”

Tim Brosnan, the executive vice president of business at MLB, added: “Every pitch in every game across Major League Baseball carries with it the potential for history, and Getty Images is there to document it with us every step of the way.

“Ensuring access to the highest quality photography for our clubs, the media and our fans is more important than ever before, and Getty Images is the best in the business.”

Scotiabank Named Official Bank of Vancouver Canucks

Canucks Sports & Entertainment (CS&E) has announced a new partnership with Scotiabank, the Official Bank of the NHL’s Vancouver Canucks.

The partnership will focus on programs aimed at supporting fans, community initiatives and grassroots hockey.

“Scotiabank is an important partner of the Canucks,” said Victor de Bonis, Chief Operating Officer, Canucks Sports & Entertainment, Alternate Governor, NHL. “Scotiabank delivers exceptional fan experiences with their NHL partners, which we strongly believe in providing to our fans. Together the Canucks and Scotiabank will support grassroots hockey in the communities we serve and connect with fans in new and exciting ways.”

“Scotiabank is excited to partner with the Vancouver Canucks and we are thrilled to add the Canucks to our roster of teams and leagues that we sponsor across Canada,” said Dave Poole, Scotiabank’s Senior Vice President, BC & Yukon Region. “This is a great time to be a hockey fan in Vancouver and like all Canuck fans, Scotiabank and its employees are passionate about hockey and having a team to cheer for. Over the last several years, we’ve developed programs that unite us with professional and grassroots players and leagues, connecting fans with teams and this sport we all love. Our partnership with the Vancouver Canucks is a natural fit for us as we expand our hockey program in communities across Canada.”

Scotiabank and the Canucks celebrated this partnership by presenting Open Scrimmages Friday through Sunday, September 13-15th at Rogers Arena. 

“Scotiabank’s partnership with the Vancouver Canucks speaks to our commitment to hockey at all levels – from grassroots to professional leagues and teams from coast to coast,” said Duncan Hannay, Scotiabank’s Senior Vice President, Canadian Marketing Scotiabank. “Whether you’re lacing up to play on the ice or watching from the bleachers, players and their families grow with and through the sport of hockey. This game is at the heart of our culture at Scotiabank, and we are thrilled announce this new partnership. We look forward to what we can accomplish with the Vancouver Canucks.”

Scotiabank sponsors more than 4,500 minor hockey teams and leagues across Canada as part of their Scotiabank Community Hockey Sponsorship Program.

Wellington Phoenix Announces Huawei as Principal Sponsor

Chinese multinational networking and telecommunications company Huawei has announced it will be the principal partner of A-League’s Wellington Phoenix for the next three years.

The agreement sees Huawei assume the front of shirt position on the Wellington Phoenix playing strip.

General Manager David Dome welcomed the long-term commitment of Huawei to the club off the field.

Dome said the agreement has benefits for both parties.

“I am delighted that Huawei see the alignment between themselves building a great brand in New Zealand and the Phoenix building a great club,” Dome said.

“It is fantastic that the strategic direction the club is taking has been bought into with a huge show of confidence by one of the world’s top technology companies.

“It is great that Huawei want to invest in the future of football in New Zealand by supporting the Wellington Phoenix.”

Huawei is the world’s largest telecoms equipment supplier, partnering 45 of the world’s top 50 operators and helping to connect around one-third of the planet. It is also the third largest global smartphone brand, designing and building a wide range of smartphones, tablets and other consumer devices.

In New Zealand Huawei works with all major telecommunications operators and is a key contributor to the Ultra-Fast Broadband and Rural Broadband Initiative projects.

“Huawei is a very well known brand in many markets, but is relatively new Down Under,” says Huawei Corporate Affairs Manager Andrew Bowater.

“We are hugely excited about working with the Wellington Phoenix to support them in their goals, and to help us introduce Huawei to football fans (and as many others as possible) here in New Zealand.”

LoanMart Signs On as Arizona Cardinals New Corporate Sponsor

The National Football League’s Arizona Cardinals has secured a new corporate partner with LoanMart, stomach the West Coast’s largest Auto Title Loan Lender, doctor coming on board.

LoanMart has partnered with the Cardinals to expand LoanMart’s statewide branding and marketing efforts to reach millions of consumers throughout the Arizona state. The deal will include digital, print and radio advertising on team’s media programs, a presence on the team’s website: AZCardinals.com, and an in-stadium social media promotion.

LoanMart will sponsor the Cardinals Gameday Social Photo Booth which integrates the fan experience with social media. Fans will be able to take photos of themselves from the game and post them on instantly on various social media platforms. In addition, LoanMart will be part of the Arizona Cardinals Pre Flight Party at the Westgate Entertainment District which includes interactive displays for fans and a tailgate party atmosphere with food and beverage options.

“When we wanted to make a big splash with the people of Arizona, we knew partnering with this exciting Cardinals team would be the first step. Our goal is to make our presence known within the community in Phoenix as well as across the whole state; working with a great organization like the Arizona Cardinals is a perfect fit for us. We’re excited to be able to say that LoanMart is a Proud Partner of the Arizona Cardinals,” said LoanMart’s Marketing Director Colby Estes.

“We are excited about the new relationship with Loan Mart and look forward to working with them on some very creative social media promotions that Cardinals fans will enjoy,” said Steve Ryan, Cardinals VP of Business Development.

{jcomments on}

Capital Properties Renew Sale Sharks Sponsorship

Capital Properties has extended its sponsorship of Sale Sharks for the 2013-14 season.

The deal will see both the Spinningfields logo on the home and away shirts and the Capital Properties logo on the Sale Sharks’ home and away shorts for all pre-season friendly, Aviva Premiership, Amlin Challenge Cup and LV= Cup matches. 

Established by Chief Executive of Allied London, Michael Ingall and Director of Spinningfields Management Company, Mark Burgess, Capital Properties specialises in managing large mixed-use estates, with the ultimate aim of transforming them into a community with a strong identity and sense of place.

Mark Burgess said; “Our sponsorship of Sales Sharks proved successful for both parties last season and we are delighted to be extending our partnership. 

“As a local company, we’ve always been a big supporter of the club and we’re confident that the team can really build on the lessons learned last year. We’re looking forward to a great season and would like to wish the club, players and supporters every success.”

AJ Bell Secures Naming Rights to Sale Sharks Salford City Stadium

English Rugby team Sale Sharks have signed a landmark partnership with AJ Bell with the investment group secured naming rights to their stadium.

The deal will see what was previously called Salford City Stadium re-branded and re-named AJ Bell Stadium.

Aviva Premiership Rugby club Sale Sharks are entering their second season in the purpose-built venue and, having signed a long term deal to play at the stadium last summer, the club are confident that this major sponsorship agreement will help them develop success on and off the pitch over the coming years.

Andrew Lamb, Head of Commercial Sales for Sale Sharks, said: “We have been working tirelessly on this project to ensure we came to the right deal with the right partner for the club and the area. AJ Bell is a thriving, successful company with national reach and strong roots in Manchester and their company philosophies match those of Sale Sharks. With the exciting developments planned for the area in and around the stadium site, the AJ Bell Stadium will continue to grow into a true all year-round sports and events venue.”

Billy Mackay, Marketing Director of AJ Bell added: “We are delighted to put our name to this first-class sporting facility, and to be associated with a club with the pedigree of Sale Sharks. We were impressed by the club’s appetite for success, something that resonates well with all of the people within our business. We are sure that the partnership will help both parties realise many of our future ambitions.

“We are also keen to use the deal to help raise awareness of the cancer support charity Maggie’s. The charity is well known to the people at AJ Bell but perhaps not to a wider audience. With this in mind we are pleased to announce that the North Stand will be known as Maggie’s Stand. AJ Bell and Sale Sharks will be delighted to provide support to help further raise the awareness of such a deserving charity.”

Founded in Manchester in 1995, AJ Bell has rapidly grown into one of the UK’s largest providers of low-cost, online investment platforms and stockbroker services. To support its future growth ambitions, the company has begun a sponsorship programme in recent months, with deals announced to sponsor Lancashire County Cricket Club and the World Squash Championship.

{jcomments on}

Exclusive: Lotus F1 ‘working’ on Title Sponsor

By Ismail Uddin

Lotus F1’s top brass have reaffirmed that they are ‘working’ on a title sponsor and will only sign a deal with the ‘right partner’.

With Red Bull, Ferrari, McLaren and Mercedes all having title sponsors, Lotus is currently the largest front-running team without such a deal. However Lotus F1 CEO Patrick Louis has suggested the topic is their minds but they will not make a hasty decision that will devalue the team.

He told iSportconnect exclusively: “We are working on a title sponsor. Instead of signing a not that valuable deal we would instead prefer to wait and pick the right partner. It makes no sense to rush it and get the fraction of the value we need to get.”

Louis also suggested that current sponsors are ‘key for the team’ and reiterated the importance of adding new sponsors in the future as inflation is sure to hit the teams significantly.

He added: “Everyone knows the budgets have to increase next year because we have a huge inflation on the powertrain for 2014 onwards. That is a serious hit each team has to face and each team has to figure out how to finance it.

“There are three possibilities, you have to reduce certain other expenditures which is quite difficult because many costs are triggered from the events itself. For example if you have to travel to New York you can’t say I don’t want to go but you have certain limitations that you will operate in.

“The second possibility is to find new sponsors because you can’t return to your current sponsors and say ‘My friend I’ve got inflation and now you have to increase your sponsorship’ as they will say thank you and goodbye.”

“The third possibility is that the shareholders have to increase their financial engagement and that’s the same for every team on the grid.”

To Read the Full Interview Click Here

Ingersoll Rand to Sponsor Nascar’s Chad Hackenbracht at Chicagoland Speedway

Ingersoll Rand, allergy a global leader in air compressors and professional tools and equipment, will be the primary sponsor of the No. 44 Ingersoll Rand Toyota Camry to be driven by Chad Hackenbracht during the upcoming NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Chicagoland Speedway.

Ingersoll Rand has supported Hackenbracht throughout his motorsports career. The company teamed up with Tastee Apple, Inc. in June as the primary co-sponsor of Hackenbracht’s NASCAR Camping World Truck Series debut at Texas Motor Speedway. Hackenbracht, who had Ingersoll Rand as an associate sponsor, placed 21st in his NASCAR Nationwide Series debut at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in July. 

The 21-year-old from New Philadelphia, Ohio, spent the last two seasons as a full-time driver in the ARCA Racing Series. 

“Ingersoll Rand has had a motorsports relationship with Chad Hackenbracht since 2011,” said Julia Freeland, marketing manager of strategic channels for Ingersoll Rand. “We are excited to support him as he competes in his second NASCAR Nationwide Series race and wish him the best of luck this weekend.”

“Ingersoll Rand has been a part of my racing career for a couple of years now,” said Hackenbracht. “I greatly appreciate their support, and I look forward to building our partnership in the future.”

The 13th Annual Dollar General 300 will take place at Chicagoland Speedway on Saturday, Sept. 14.

Northwestern Mutual Becomes Official Life Insurance Company of LSU Tigers

Northwestern Mutual, help a financial services company, has signed on to sponsor LSU Athletics and is now the Official Life Insurance Company of the LSU Tigers.

“It’s very exciting for us to partner with LSU athletics this academic year,” said Conrad York, vice president of marketing at Northwestern Mutual. “Our financial representatives are deeply connected across communities all across Louisiana, so we understand the passion for Tiger sports.”

“We are excited to have Northwestern Mutual as the Official Life Insurance Company of the LSU Tigers,” said Ward Wyatt, general manager of LSU Sports Properties. “Passionate sponsors like Northwestern Mutual are what make the LSU program special.”

LSU Sports Properties is the exclusive marketing and multi-media rights holder of LSU Athletics.