Reading FC have announced a new partnership with Formula One team Marussia.

The deal was signed at the British Grand Prix at Silverstone today, and the arrangement will see the Reading FC badge displayed on Marussia’s Formula One cars, and Marussia’s logo on the Reading playing shirts in the upcoming 2013/14 season.

In a statement Reading said: “The deal is a fantastic opportunity to grow awareness of the Reading FC brand on a global scale, and indeed there are many more partnership opportunities between us on a sporting and commercial level.

“We also believe this is also an exciting deal for our supporters; we will all be proud to see the Reading FC logo at Grands Prix, starting at Silverstone this weekend and continuing throughout the year to Japan, Korea, Abu Dhabi, USA, Brazil, Germany, Italy, India, Singapore et al.”

Chief Executive Nigel Howe (pictured right) signed the agreement at Silverstone and said:  “This is a fantastic partnership which allows us to connect two global sporting brands. Both of us are based in the Thames Valley and hugely ambitious; it is clear that we have plenty in common and can learn from each other. We will be proud to see our badge displayed at some of the world’s most iconic tracks – this is one of many ambitious projects we have announced in the last year or so and I’m sure our supporters will share our excitement.”

Andy Webb (pictured left), CEO, Marussia F1 Team added: “We are delighted to be able to announce our partnership with Reading FC ahead of today’s British Grand Prix. Of course, next year we will have two home races when we head to Sochi for the inaugural Russian Grand Prix, but for the moment we are a Russian owned team based on British soil which is the basis for a great deal of synergy with our friends at Reading FC.

“Through Formula 1 we are able to combine our love of racing with our strategic business objectives for the Marussia brand, but we are also part of a sport within Sport, so naturally we are keen to look more comprehensively at what we can learn from other sporting properties and indeed what they can learn from Formula 1. This is all part of our ethos of taking our Team and Formula 1 to the widest possible audience. We look forward to working with Anton Zingarevich and his Team to achieve a fully integrated partnership and we are delighted to welcome representatives from ‘The Royals’ to Silverstone today.”

The Williams F1 Team have announced a new technical partnership with ShoreTel, a leading provider of unified communications platforms. 

The partnership will see ShoreTel become an official technical supplier of the team, integrating communications within Williams’ on-track activities at Grand Prix venues around the world. ShoreTel will also supply unified business communications solutions across the broader Williams group at the Williams factory in Oxfordshire and the Williams Technology Centre in Qatar.

This partnership will allow ShoreTel to benefit from a global marketing platform, with the company’s logo being displayed on the team’s transporters, hospitality unit and garage from the 2013 British Grand Prix onwards – where Williams is celebrating its 600th race in Formula One.

Adrian Hipkiss, ShoreTel’s EMEA vice president and managing director, said: “This exciting new partnership with the Williams F1 Team positions ShoreTel at the cutting edge of technology in an increasingly relevant international market.  We are joining forces with a company that shares our forward-thinking vision and one that also thrives on delivering state-of-the-art technology. This new partnership allows us to demonstrate our award-winning telephony solutions with one of the world’s leading engineering companies, whose day-to-day operations, both at the factory and at 19 Formula One races around the world, rely on brilliantly simple unified communications.”

Claire Williams, deputy team principal and commercial director of the Williams F1 Team, added: “I’m pleased to welcome ShoreTel as an official technical supplier of the team in what promises to be a rewarding relationship for both parties. Williams is a diverse and multi-disciplined engineering business which relies on high quality, mission critical communications so this new partnership is one which will benefit not only the Formula One team but every area of our business as we continue to diversify and expand into new areas.”

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German sports retailer, Puma have dropped former New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez as an ambassador of the brand following being charged  with murder in the death of Odin Lloyd.

“Puma has ended the relationship with athlete Aaron Hernandez in light of the current situation,” a company spokesman told FoxSports.com.

Hernandez was arrested Wednesday and charged with the first-degree murder of 27-year-old Odin Lloyd, a semi-pro football player whose body was found in an industrial park about a mile from the former NFL player’s home.

Hernandez  pleaded not guilty and has been denied bail

Puma had only signed Hernandez in April in a two-year deal and it wasn’t a surprise the Bavaria based company parted ways with the athlete who also saw his former employers part with him two hours following the murder charge.

At the time of the signing, Puma said one of the reasons that they added Hernandez was because of his “ability to overcome adversity.”

Hernandez said he picked Puma because he’s different. “You don’t see many people signing with Puma,” Hernandez said in April. “I thought it would be something different, and I feel like I’m different than most.”

Puma is the latest company to drop Hernandez. The 23-year-old was also dropped by CytoSport — the maker of MuscleMilk — last week.

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Electronic Arts Inc. subsidiary EA SPORTS has signed one of Mexico’s most popular and accomplished footballers, Javier ‘Chicharito’ Hernandez, to a multi-year endorsement contract that will see him make his debut on the cover of FIFA 14 in Mexico, and on one of two covers in the United States.

Chicharito will appear wearing the Mexican national team home kit alongside the world’s top footballer, Barcelona and Argentina superstar Lionel Messi. Fans in the United States will also have the option to choose the global cover featuring an iconic image of the world’s No. 1 player, Messi.

“We have long admired the flair and passion Chicharito brings to the sport,” said David Rutter, Executive Producer of FIFA 14. “With Hernandez on our team we have Mexico’s best and most exciting player to help EA SPORTS make a deeper connection with our fans.”

“For me it’s a real honor to have been selected to appear on the cover of FIFA 14, first of all because I declare myself a big fan of this game, and second because I’m looking forward to sharing my passion for football and EA SPORTS FIFA 14 with fans all over the world,” said Hernandez.

The multi-faceted partnership will see the Manchester United Striker become an EA SPORTS Football Ambassador. He will become the cornerstone of marketing and advertising campaigns in Mexico and North America, featured on packaging and utilized in social media activities. Chicharito will appear on the cover of FIFA 14 on the Xbox 360 games and entertainment system with Kinect from Microsoft, and the PlayStation3 computer entertainment system with PlayStation Move support.

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Mobile visual discovery app, sale Blippar, medicine has signed a partnership with Formula One driver Max Chilton.

Blippar’s logo will be prominently displayed on the nose of Chilton’s Marussia F1 car at this weekend’s British Grand Prix at Silverstone and for the rest of the Formula One season.

In addition to featuring on the nose of Chilton’s car, pharm the Blippar logo, when blipped, will trigger exclusive multimedia content featuring Chilton. The blipp will include video content that will be updated with each Grand Prix. The first videos will feature an interview with Chilton and Sky Sports pundit Martin Brundle and a tour of the Marussia F1 car factory. The blipp will also give fans the opportunity to play F1 themed reflex games.

Chilton, who makes his Silverstone début this weekend, said: “Blippar is an innovative way for the fans to interact with us and gain access to more content for the team and the car. It is great to have them involved for such an exciting weekend for me at the British Grand Prix.”

English Premier League team, denture Swansea City have announced their largest ever sponsorship deal in the clubs history with GWFX, ampoule a brand of financial services provider Goldenway. 

The deal was announced today at the unveiling of the club’s new kit for the 2013/14 season creating a partnership that will help both Goldenway and Swansea City grow their presence in existing territories and also expand into new markets, especially the Greater China area through a number of joint initiatives. 

Goldenway will be displayed on the front of all Swansea City’s match and replica shirts for the new Barclays Premier League campaign. 

Goldenway will look to utilise the Premier League’s massive Asian fan base that makes up over 30% of the total global audiences, including live match broadcast into over 200 million households in China. 

Working with sports marketing experts, SportQuake, Goldenway identified Swansea City as the ideal partner having been greatly impressed by their achievements in rebuilding the club over the past 10 years, rising through the divisions to become an established Premier League club culminating in winning the Capital One Cup this year. 

Swansea City vice-chairman, Leigh Dineen, said: “We are delighted to confirm Goldenway as the club’s main sponsor. 

“It is the first time Goldenway has invested in football sponsorship and we are honoured that they have entrusted us to carry their brand into the Barclays Premier League and the world stage. 

“It shows how far we have come over the last decade, on and off the pitch, and I’m convinced that this new partnership will help take our global profile to a whole new level. 

“Goldenway is trusted by investors throughout the world. They are leaders in the financial industry and I’m sure that we can establish a fantastic working relationship together as we drive both businesses forward over the next 12 months.” 

Goldenway UK Director, Darren Vickers, said: “Goldenway are excited to be the new official sponsor of Swansea City AFC. The Goldenway ethos shares the same spirit and values as Swansea and we see sponsoring one of the Premier League’s most exciting sides as a key marketing opportunity to help communicate our corporate philosophy. 

“We pride ourselves on the speed and quality of service and we consider the high profile partnership between a Forex company and a football club as a natural fit for the future ambitions of both the club and business.” 

Japanese car manufacturer, Toyota has become the official car supplier to the Rugby Football League (RFL) in the UK and to England head coach Steve McNamara. 

As part of the three-year agreement, Toyota will provide the RFL with a fleet of 50 UK-built Auris hatchbacks. These will be used across the organisation, principally by performance and development staff, and are expected to cover more than a million miles per year.

James Mercer, RFL Commercial Director, said: “I am delighted to welcome Toyota, one of the biggest names in the motor industry, as our latest partner. To link up with such an established brand is a real coup and I look forward to working closely with them throughout the coming three years.”

Stuart Ferma, Toyota and Lexus Fleet Services’ National Sales Manager, said: “We are proud to be the vehicle supply partner for the Rugby Football League and are delighted that they have chosen the British-built Auris. The RFL are supporting British workers with their choice of car and we look forward to working with them in the future.”

The final event on The European Tour’s Race to Dubai, the DP World Tour Championship has extended its deal with UAE’s most popular English language national newspaper 7DAYS as Official Newspaper for the US$8 million tournament.

The 2013 DP World Tour Championship will see the top 60 players on The European Tour compete on the Earth course at Jumeirah Golf Estates from 14-17 November. 

It will be the second successive year that 7DAYS and the DP World Tour Championship have joined forces and follows the successful partnership enjoyed by the two brands in 2012. 

“We were delighted to align with the DP World Tour Championship for the first time in 2012 as we believed we could add even more value to what is already an incredibly successful event,” said 7DAYS CEO Mark Rix. 

“As Official Newspaper, we were able to offer our readers the very latest information on the showpiece end-of-season tournament through our various media platforms. 

“This year we will continue with our extensive coverage of The Race to Dubai, which will include special features and exclusive interviews in the build up to and throughout its ultimate conclusion on the Earth course at Jumeirah Golf Estates in November.” 

Nick Tarratt, Director of European Tour International – Dubai Office, said he was greatly encouraged by the success of the 2012 partnership with 7DAYS and was delighted to welcome the newspaper back as a key partner of the 2013 DP World Tour Championship. 

“Last year we had a record attendance of almost 60,000 spectators over the four days of the tournament, which makes it one of the largest sporting events in the UAE, and we believe that 7DAYS’ promotional activity was a major contributor in encouraging spectators to attend,” said Tarratt. 

“Once again all eyes will be on Jumeirah Golf Estates when The Race to Dubai reaches its conclusion and together with our family of sponsors we are committed to putting on an event that befits the occasion. With 7DAYS as Official Newspaper, we will work together to get that message to as broad an audience as possible.”